Aibu to think they're trying to rip me off, and do I have the right to cancel?

[ChickenOrEgg6]

I need my new carpet fitted I have it here already (bought and paid for, different company).
I got a quote for the fitting, £400 (this is for v small hallway + 2 rooms). This was listed as total cost, but the fitters arrived earlier and said it was £400 for each "section" (hallway, 2 small bedrooms = 3 sections apparently) making the "quote" £1200, I expressed my surprise at this for the reason above and showed them the email quote I had received. They said "we can discount it to £350 per section" but that's still over £1000 and way more than I'd be spending willingly. They also said "well we've arrived now so we have to do the job and you have to pay" I asked them to go, They're now sat outside in a van and one of them is on the phone.
Aibu to think this is a ridiculous price and they're trying to rip me off?
Can I cancel? They hadn't started work at all and to be honest if this is how much it will cost me I will just fit it myself (nervous about doing it)

But I'm worried especially as they're hovering outside and I'm not sure if I am liable for the cost of this. I could afford it but it would make other things so much harder for me...

Come back OP! We all want to know what happened ...

Op?? Younok?

A grand just to fit? Ridiculous. We paid £220 for a large room including carpet!

.

I just want to know how long they sat on the drive? Maybe they are still there...

My carpet was for hallway and two small rooms like yours. It cost us £1600 plus £250 to the carpet fitter. It was one of the most expensive/best quality carpets and underlay that carpet right had to offer. P.s. I would avoid carpet right at all costs. Nightmare of a job. They fitted the carpet terribly and also damaged A LOT of my property which ended up with the fitters paying us £1500 in insurance costs.

We had two rooms carpeted recently. Not huge rooms admittedly but it took the fitters about an hour and a half to strip up all the old carpet, lay the underlay and the carpets. Going by your quote of £400 a room, that would have put them on an hourly rate of about £133.

Well done for telling them to go - most brave.

Well done for telling them to go. This is a total scam and now they are trying to intimidate you.

If they are still outside I'd call police.

Don't pay it! Let the pisstakers sit outside don't let them intimidate you. I paid £30 a room for carpet to be fitted. I would contact the company you bought it from and see if they can give you details for a carpet fitter. 800 to fit carpet is absolutely outrageous!!!

What happened in the end OP?

ridiculous, price, we originally went to one of the large well known companies, sounded great but everything was extra even delivery, we went to a small local recomended company, who did a lovelly job, fitting, the hall was a pig, 5 doors off it, see if you can find someone who will recomend a decent fitter.

Absolutely ridiculous price! Can’t believe they actually think anyone would pay that. I think I was about £50 for my most recent carpet to get fitted

Wow. Absolute chancers from the off.
My Dh who is a carpet fitter, has worked for large well known carpet shops, and all areas have a minimum charge of £40. Not a minimum of £400 per area . Sounds like that's what they are trying to do.
My husband just see your measurements, and from a quick add up, thinks this job should be costing you £175ish. Fitting only.
He now works self employed, but still sticks to the same kind of charges as the big retailers. (Except for the conning surcharges they add). Plenty of guinuine fitters out there that will charge nowhere near £400.
Also, as long as they didn't start the job, you are free to send them away, just like fitters are free to walk away before fitting.
Hope that helps.

Ahh sorry, was supposed to say £125 not £175.

I live in yhe south east so not the cheapest area and had small hall, stairs and both bedrooms fitted for less than a thousand including carpet (obviously not top of the range carpet but guaranteed for five years as I have a small child and thought I would save the nice carpets for when older )ground floor is laminated. And obviously I am in the wrong job if half a days work earns me 1200 quid!!...
Will read the rest of the thread to see what happened now I put my two penneth worth in

£40 For one room here. We had the hall landing and stairs carpeted and It was about £800 for the carpet and £60 for the fitter

Please report to trading standards

good grief. we paid £50 a room and £70 for the stairs and landing. the shop arranged it but the fitters were self employed and not working for the shop. for 3 bedrooms, stairs and landing it was just over twice the price they were going to charge you in the first place.

Definitely don’t pay this. I also wonder if you’re a woman alone and they thought they could do you over!

I’d phone the company tell them what happened, explain you have the email confirming the cost, let them know what a couple of scammers they have working for them! I doubt it’s a mistake, sounds like they are deliberately trying to rip you off.

It’s also quite concerning that they may try and do this to someone else, maybe someone elderly or vulnerable, who wouldn’t have the confidence to tell them to shove it!

I wish the op would come back and update

Dying to know the outcome of this!

Gosh, hope you are okay, OP? This would totally intimidate me. So glad you sent them away.

I’d call the police

Wow... They are definitely trying to rip you off... I have to ask, how long were they sitting outside for?