We're building an extension on our house. The builder asked his plumber friend to do the relevant plumbing. Once on site the plumber told me that our hot water tank was a major H&S risk and needed replacing, I say, 'go ahead and do it'. He said, 'if you like I can put the new tank in the loft, it'll give you better pressure and free up your airing cuplboard', I said, 'ooh, great yes please' he said, 'I'll have to board some of the loft', I said, 'that's fine go ahead' (my FIL boarded the last loft in a saturday morning- it's not a big deal, I thought)
Yes, this was entirely stupid on my part, I should have asked for a quote. I accept that. I was expecting the work to cost, well I don't know, maybe a few hundred pounds. The plumber presented it all pretty casually so it felt like simple, necessary work. He offered no cost estimate. I stupidly didn't ask. (I was signed off work sick with anxiety post-miscarriages x 4 so not feeling 100%)
The plumber then spent a couple of weeks replumbing the entire house. He built a massive construction in the loft to support the hot water tank, he then led individual pipes to every tap/appliance in the house. He then invoiced us £4,700. His invoices were done by week and the work was mixed in with the extension work, so it was initially not obvious how costly my mistake was. We paid him in full (mistake number 2, I realise now that we should have paid his materials, complained and negotiated on the labour costs, but my husband did not want to upset the plumber or the builder)
I know any action now is closing up the stable door after the horse has galloped away over the hill and back whence he came, but I really don't want to leave this situation as is.
I plan to write a very even-handed letter explaining that by effectively concealing the scale of the work and the costs, then invoicing this sum, this amounts to professional misconduct. No-one could be expected to commission nearly £5k of plumbing without getting several quotes and a detailed discussion of our needs. I think he has behaved very unethically. The repercussion for us is that I'll be going to our lender tomorrow to seek more funds to finish the build.
Ironically, the new plumbing doesn't actually suit our plans for the house as it all goes down the middle of a separate bathroom/toilet that we plan to knock into two, so it will all have to be moved again in due course. If he had spoken to us about the work, this would have become apparent.
Final point in this sorry story. One day I returned home and he proudly told me that he had gifted the old hot water tank to the labourers (scrap metal), 'so the boys could have a well-deserved night on the pop'. This further makes me think he just saw us as juicy mugs that could be squeezed for everything to suit himself.
In fact he's a perfectly aimiable guy and probably doesn't feel he cheated us at all.
I really want to send him this letter, I'm using all the guidance on the citizens advice website. Sometimes I just think posting the letter will be sufficient. Others I think 'hell, I'm prepared to go as far as the no claims court to claim some of this money back.'
Very grateful for your thoughts, but please be gentle, I've cried enough over this one as it is.