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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Plumber made me cry!

41 replies

Onecurrantbun · 28/07/2015 09:41

Now I should add the caveat that I've just lost my grandma and am 12 weeks pregnant, so I don't think it was entirely his fault!

This morning our combi boiler isn't making hot water, and has an error message showing. Fortunately we took delivery of our local "little book" full of tradesperson ads - so I rang the first plumber in there. He didn't think he could do the job but said he'd phone back and let me know if he could.

I ring the second advert, who is going on holiday, but offers to pass on to his mate who he thinks will be able to do it this morning, and will ring back asap.

I take a call from the first plumber who says he can come "some time this afternoon" to which I said, I'm just waiting on someone else to ring back but this afternoon sounds good and I'd let him know if anything changed. He became quite aggressive and told me he couldn't wait around all day on whim and maybe he wouldn't bother coming after all, "Let me know here and now if I'm needed or not"

Needless to say I said not as frankly I'd rather have cold baths for a month than let him in my house.

Now bearing in mind his advert boasts "No obligation quotes" - WIBU? I really don't know if I was or not!

OP posts:
ButterflyUpSoHigh · 28/07/2015 09:43

Yes ywbu he didn't need to be aggressive but you did mess him around.

scratchandsniff · 28/07/2015 09:44

I'd have told him to piss off. No need for him to be like that.

chickenfuckingpox · 28/07/2015 09:46

she isnt his wife she should not have to be understanding she needs her boiler fixed if he can't do it plenty will

yanbu take your custom elsewhere

Penfold007 · 28/07/2015 09:48

He was rude but you were unreasonable. We have boiler cover with British Gas (there are other providers) for it combi boiler it's been worth every penny.

MammaTJ · 28/07/2015 09:49

I just hope he is not the second plumbers mate.

He sounds awful and I too would rather have a month of cold baths before I let him in my house!

SaucyJack · 28/07/2015 09:50

Neither of you were in the right. He was rude, but you were messing him around a bit.

Sounds like he went out of his way to arrange to do your job after speaking to you.

Ilovecrapcrafts · 28/07/2015 09:52

He just doesn't want to book in a job later for you to cancel in favour of plumber 2. Fair enough I think but he shouldn't have been rude. Sorry to hear about your gran. I remember at 12 weeks being a bit down and weepy Flowers

LilyMayViolet · 28/07/2015 09:52

Same as Penfold. It is a great relief to know that if it breaks you just call them and they come and it's all already been paid for.

Marynary · 28/07/2015 09:53

I can understand you not giving him a definite answer if he said he couldn't come until Friday, but as he said this afternoon I'm not sure why you could not say yes or no. Were you hoping the other plumber would come sooner?

LetThereBeCupcakes · 28/07/2015 09:55

YWNBU.

My DH is a tradesman and would never, EVER, speak to somebody like that. Appalling.

So sorry about your grandma and congrats on the pregnancy Flowers

echt · 28/07/2015 09:57

YWBU - this is the plumber's livelihood. You say he was "aggressive", but your account doesn't show this. He just stated the case of affairs and made you an offer.

The no obligation quotes adds nothing to your post.

Marynary · 28/07/2015 09:58

Same as Penfold. It is a great relief to know that if it breaks you just call them and they come and it's all already been paid for.

Except when they don't turn up when they say they will, turn up with the wrong parts, say that you need a new boiler when you don't and generally mess you around. My experience Scottish Power boiler cover was a disaster. My boiler leaked for three months causing damage. In the end I called an independent plumber who fixed it the next day. Scottish Power won't reimburse my costs. Apparently I didn't give them the chance to fix it so it is my fault I had to pay for an independent plumber.

echt · 28/07/2015 09:59

Oh, and no-one makes anyone cry. If you cry in response to a situation, OK, but no-one made you do it.

starfish4 · 28/07/2015 10:06

If I were in your position, I'd also have phoned someone else if the first one couldn't give me an answer. Text or email your friends asking who they use - even if you have to wait better to have someone who's come under recommendation.

We are going back a few years, but BG weren't great for my parents. They needed a part and it was three weeks before they came back!!

3CheekyLittleMonkeys · 28/07/2015 10:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Onecurrantbun · 28/07/2015 10:09

Echt his tone of voice was aggressive like your tone of posting and as I stated, I do know that crying wasn't really his fault - hormones and the circumstances played a big part!

I hadn't really considered he may have rearranged his day to suit me. The no obligation quote I guess was because I could have got him to come and then said no.

I really don't know how to be with tradesmen - i get that they're self employed, and I have great respect for their practical skills, but when he initially said no, I don't think phoning someone else was unreasonable. I was just trying to be honest and let him know there was another plumber interested. As it happens he is coming within the hour, this morning.

I agree I was being a bit unreasonable to hedge my bets, though. I just want it sorted.

OP posts:
BuggerLumpsAnnoyed · 28/07/2015 10:10

Well he messed you about. Whatw were you meant to do? Wait about all day him to decide he wants to do it?

Ilovecrapcrafts · 28/07/2015 10:11

Well no, the plumber may not know whether his job this morning will be finished in time to attend this afternoon. It can be hard to tell

3CheekyLittleMonkeys · 28/07/2015 10:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MaxPepsi · 28/07/2015 10:18

I really don't see how the OP messed the plumber about.

He said he didn't think he could do it. She rang for someone else I don't think anyone would expect her not to. He then rings back and says sometime this afternoon.

Sometime this afternoon? What kind of timescale is that? 12.15? 1pm? 3.30pm??

She could have said yes, great thanks I'm in all day. Then when he turned up said - sorry mate, I got someone else to come this morning.

Now, that would have been messing him about!

Rubgyshapedlegs · 28/07/2015 10:23

Yanbu

Our decorator made me cry when I was 5 months pregnant. He painted the kitchen blue, in exactly the colour I ordered. But I hated it and bawled my eyes out and made him come back the following day and redo it in cream. Full on strop, snot bubbles, the lot. BlushBlushBlush

We gave him a hefty tip...

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 28/07/2015 10:25

Sorry you were upset. I can however see where he is coming from. He is earning a living and can't just turn other jobs down that would bring him in good money to just wait for you to possibly call him back. That said though. He could have been a bit nicer and professional. It's not about what you say. It is how you put it across

Original poster
Onecurrantbun · 28/07/2015 10:28

Rubgy I'd just got the news about my grandma when our drive was being completed a fortnight ago: it looks amazing. I got home and when I saw my husband standing in the window, burst into tears. The builder said "Oh love, are you crying because you're so pleased with the drive?" Grin

OP posts:
SistersofPercy · 28/07/2015 11:05

Same as Penfold. It is a great relief to know that if it breaks you just call them and they come and it's all already been paid for.

Except when they come out and lie about the cause of the issues to try and make you pay for the fix. They tested our water from a radiator, sent it off and claimed it to be contaminated (can't for the life of me recall the exact issue) but what they didn't know was DH worked on the 'outskirts' of the trade at the time and also sent off his own test because he didn't believe them. Funnily ours came back completely normal.
They then tried to tell us we needed all the pipework replacing on our landing and it would cost just over £1k. Funny then how an independent plumber came out, balanced the radiators and cured the airlock within an hour. Even funnier how those pipes that so desperately needed replacing are still perfectly fine ten years on. They refunded our entire years premium after the complaint. Never went back to them.

I wouldn't take cover out with BG if they were the last people alive. Have a look around local independent firms who rely on word of mouth for trade. My Mum has a coverall policy with a small local firm. It's cheaper than BG and they are a million times more trustworthy.

middlings · 28/07/2015 11:10

Hang on. Was the OP supposed to stand around waiting for him to call back after he'd said he thought he couldn't do it initally?? She was exploring other options and was perfectly open about that! His loss frankly - he should have told her "here and now" in the first call if he could do the work or not!

OP, YWDNBU. He was being an idiot. You're dead right to take your business elsewhere.

Thanks Congratulations on your pregnancy and sorry for your loss.