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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Feeling a bit ripped off

43 replies

restofthetimes · 09/02/2018 16:05

aibu to think that a handyman who costs £30 per hour and stays for for 3 hours and 15 mins should not ask for £120?

He was round earlier on, asked for £120 when he left and I agreed. On reflection, I have since texted him to say I'm transferring £100, he said not, then I offered £105 but he's insisted on £120.

I have paid him £120 now as a bit scared of him and its not worth it for £15.

I should have confirmed about part of hours beforehand I know. But feeling ripped off.

OP posts:

MissionItsPossible · 09/02/2018 16:09

I wouldn't have agreed but in your scenario you did the right thing. You can't agree to something while he's there and then say you're going to pay something else after he leaves. But YANBU to feel ripped off. Lesson learned though 👍🏽 Sort out quarter/half hours upfront although some people won't will class anything over the hour as a full hour so find that out too.

Snowydaysarehere · 09/02/2018 16:10

Make sure you give his business a suitable review op...

Seniorcitizen1 · 09/02/2018 16:12

I am a consultant and charge by the hour or part thereof - so £120 seems fair to me for the three plus hours her worked @ £30 per hour

firsttimekat · 09/02/2018 16:14

I thought it was pretty standard for them to charge for the full hour even if they only work part of it. Not sure it's fair but usually it's set out upfront '£30 per hour or part there of' or some such?

ImMissHannigan · 09/02/2018 16:14

Did the job just happen to take over the 3 hours, therefore pushing his price up 🤔

Biggreygoose · 09/02/2018 16:14

Thats a Standard charging procedure. Parts of hours get rounded up.

YABVU to agree payment and then change your mind.

Original poster

restofthetimes · 09/02/2018 16:14

The reason I hired him was because he said "i'm £30 ph but I work quick", so didn't expect that. Definitely lesson learned.

OP posts:

Biggreygoose · 09/02/2018 16:16

He may well have worked quickly, or not.

Has nothing to do with his payment structure.

TryAgainAndAgain · 09/02/2018 16:22

£30 and hour for a tradesman is very reasonable so at least you've not been ripped off there.

It depends on what he says he charges. 💁🏻 If he says he charges £30 per hour and part hour then t ok.

Has he a website? Does he charge fir travel? Did he have to get anything for you? Did he come around and give you a quote or estimate?

HollyBayTree · 09/02/2018 16:25

Hour or part thereof.

So unless he stopped for a 2 hour teabreak YABU

Original poster

restofthetimes · 09/02/2018 16:35

Doesn’t say hour or part thereof anywhere, he doesn’t have a website and didn’t discuss terms, just an hourly rate. Steep, but he said he was quick.
Wibu to review his yell.com listing along the lines of ‘good work but check the pricing structure before he starts’?

OP posts:

CuriousaboutSamphire · 09/02/2018 16:40

Well, you could...but as it was your error and he didn't lie to you, you could well be stirring up a hornet's nest.

He hasn't done anything wrong. As pps have said, it is standard practice, you haven't been ripped off.

So yes, YABU!

Original poster

restofthetimes · 09/02/2018 16:43

I wish I’d found a few more things for him to do in this case to fill up 45 mins extra.

OP posts:

chickenowner · 09/02/2018 16:43

A handyman earns £30 per hour? That's crazy!

I'm now considering packing in teaching and changing my career.

SandAndSea · 09/02/2018 16:45

I think this is why my plumber always stands around chatting over a cuppa.

LIZS · 09/02/2018 16:46

Yes it is normal to round up.

greendale17 · 09/02/2018 16:47

I certainly wouldn’t pay £30 for a generic handyman!

Anyway yes I would feel ripped off. I imagine he does that with all his customers- happens to go 10 or 15 minutes over

upsideup · 09/02/2018 16:48

Why not check before hand? Its pretty standard to round up though, he had to work so much of the 4th hour for you meaning that hour wasnt free for him to do something else. You could of argued less than £120 when he was there and he may of agreed but you were being unreasonable to then later after he has done the work and you have agreed to pay him so much just tell him you are paying less, you did the right thing by paying him what you agreed.

Mailawaymailawaymailaway · 09/02/2018 16:49

He isn't unreasonable to expect payment per hour. However, he is unreasonable to have gone home after the last 15 minutes without making you aware that you had 45 minutes left.

The last time I had a plumber out, he completed his work then said to me, "right, you've got me for another half hour, is there anything else I can help you with?" He ended up chatting to me about my plans to rehaul the heating to fill that half hour - it's not what he came for, but I got value out of it. Now, that's an arrangement that is fair to both parties.

TheNoseyProject · 09/02/2018 16:52

Yanbu. You agreed a price and you pay it. You should not leave him a crappy review. Not least as that’s cheap for a handy man and you’ve already said you’re scared of him. If he started a CF thread I’d side with him.

PrincessLuna · 09/02/2018 16:52

However he is going to charge is ok as long as he clearly communicates it to the customer and this would seem to be where he’s gone wrong. So yanbu.

Original poster

restofthetimes · 09/02/2018 16:55

I don’t think it’s crappy to warn others to check his pricing carefully. If I’d read that I would probably not have got caught out.

OP posts:

ThePinkOcelot · 09/02/2018 16:58

Was thinking the same thing Chicken. £30 per hour?!

I don’t think you are being unreasonable actually. He didn’t work the last hour in full, so should have charged you accordingly!

Abra1de · 09/02/2018 16:59

Wow! When I charge by the hour for freelance editing I never round up. What’s so hard about doing it to the nearest quarter hour? I would feel as though I were diddling my clients.

hungryhippo90 · 09/02/2018 17:05

We break down our contracted hours for invoice,
If we or any of our lot were working for you, we would charge the 3 hours for 3 hours and 15 minutes. When it gets to the 3:30 mark we would charge the additional 1/2 hours wage, full hour payable if the full hours work is done.

To us it seems the fairest way to treat our customers.

The only difference is if having to travel excessively- even then terms are set out and arranged upfront.

£30p/h for a handy man is also rather steep. I hope the finish of his work is impeccable.

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