I feel my husband is making us fools

[Wouldyoudoit2]

We engaged a company with good reviews to move our hot tub from one property to another. The distance is approx 100 miles.

We were quoted £600. Having had a hot tub moved in the past, this was the maximum I wanted to pay for this distance but asked if this was inclusive of VAT. We were told it was, all good.

The agreement was to meet (socially distanced) at one property at 9am for load and then the company had another job to do somewhere on the way, so the plan was to message or call and give a guide as to when they would be arriving at the other end and we would get there to ensure access is available for drop off.

My husband goes to the property as planned at 9am. The company did not arrive until nearer 10am.
I get a message from my husband to say it has been loaded on to the truck and that they will be taking it back to theirs (not sure if it’s a lock up or home) and bringing it to destination property on Monday.
They will wash it over the weekend and do the service on Monday at the house.

I’m fuming!
Here is my side: I feel that my husband has just allowed a company to drive away with our property and they could do anything over the weekend such as create jobs/repairs that they will come across when servicing it on Monday.
He has allowed this as the guy is running late (not my problem he has been more than one job for the day in the diary and arrived late) and it will make it easier on everyone.
The guy has offered no discount for moving the goal posts. I am quite happy to wash my own hot tub over the weekend and can accept he may run later but want my hot tub to be delivered on the same day as planned.
I then find out he is not charging VAT. I didn’t want a cash job, again this guy is manipulating the situation to suit his agenda at no cost to him.

This is just not what was agreed and I’m not happy.

My husband thinks I’m too cynical and need to trust people.
I think he is being foolish.
Who do you think is BU?
I’m also annoyed that he did not call to discuss whether I agreed with this change.

(The hot tub cost £15k when new. Please don’t take that wrong, it is just factual information as to what they have in their care over the weekend).

I don't know why everyone thinks you are in the wrong. You asked for a hot tub to be moved in one day. The company now wants to take three days and you aren't clear they are insured to keep it on their premises. This is very annoying and not what they were contracted to do. You are unlikely to get them to do it now at this time on a Friday but I agree with you, it isn't what was agreed and whilst I don't think they necessarily will fleece you, they may and I think everyone who thinks they won't, probably hasn't used a company like KwikFit where they appeared to bump up small problems/do a non asked for service and find lots of faults!

I actually agree with you, I wouldn't be happy either as it was agreed as a same day job.

Why did your husband say that it was ok? What was his reasoning to changing plans at the last moment?

I do find that men are a bit more loosey-goosey with tradies, trying to be friendly and end up being a bit too friendly to the point that it's then difficult to instill boundaries.

I've had similar issues with my DP so I understand where you're coming from. My way of dealing with this is to handle it myself.

Kim, there are people dying!

I'm surprised that most people think you're being unreasonable. I would be really stressed if this happened to me, and worried about the hot tub turning up on Monday.

TooGood2BeTrue This is one of my concerns.
As far I I had agreed, it was a price agreed inclusive of VAT. I have that in writing.

When my DH messaged me to say what was happening, I replied that I wasn’t comfortable with that as it was not what was agreed and for what we are paying, he has offered no concession (not that I would want one, I would rather just have the job done as agreed).
DH then replies that he isn’t charging VAT despite being a company that is above the threshold.
This is not what was agreed.

SparrowInTheHedge the reason was the guy didn’t think he would get it completed in time as he arrived over an hour late and has another job pencilled in.

I don’t think yabu

Is it a reputable company op? If so, then I’d not be concerned. If it is a man with a van, yup, I’d be very worried.

Which is it,,

I find it interesting that people are saying YABU too. I'd be annoyed!! More so at my DH for going along with it. Did your husband ask where it was being stored? I'd want to know that too. It's not a bloody push bike. It's 15k!!

Your poor husband. I’m exhausted just reading this.

@CherrySpritz Go to bed

They are off to make people soup with it this weekend.

wouldyoudoit2 Then I would ring them up again and say that you are not agreeing to changing the contract (amending the payment terms is a change of contract). Who signed the contract - you or your DH?

I'm also with you OP - not sure why everyone thinks YABU..

Am I right that you asked for it to be picked up and dropped off in one day with no cleaning or servicing? And now its three days WITH unrequested cleaning and servicing?!

Not sure why people are saying you're BU, they've just driven off with £15k worth of your stuff and could do anything with it in 3 days. I'd be as concerned as you are. I also would be suspicious about the VAT thing. If you have a quote in writing is their VAT no. on the paperwork? You could do a live chat with HMRC to see if they are in fact VAT registered as long as you have their VAT Reg. No.

I think you're creating a mountain out of a molehill! I'm sure they have better things to do right now than fiddle with your tub so they need to repair it AND if they wanted to do that, they could have easily done it while servicing it on Monday or not even done anything, just told you x wasn't working. Them having it over the weekend makes no difference at all.

Allowing someone to take £15'000 item, whether today or Monday ,I assume you had the sense to make sure it was insured. If not, that's down to YOU.

VAT - you don't know whether they're VAT registered or not or whether they should be or not. Your question was basically asking if the price would have VAT added or not, he said no... it makes NO difference to you whatsoever as long as they don't add 20% on.

DISCOUNT - how would this help? It's not going to change anything and by Monday afternoon you'll be in the same position as you would have been so I can't think of any reason at all they'd offer you a discount.

Honestly, your over reacting, massively.

As for your DH having to ring you to ask if it's ok....Jesus, do you always treat him like a child?

Well, that's poor time management on his part, isn't it? Absolutely not your problem that he booked in jobs back to back.

I think you've got people's backs up with the hot tub and are getting an unfair reception. I'll bet if you said something vague like "a large item of high value" you'd be getting a different response.

Lots of things aren't adding up for me - where was the other job? Surely it would have been from around the location of house B in order to book the job in the first place? Otherwise he would do a 200 mile round trip, which seems wasteful. And why was he prioritising his other client above you? Why is he taking the initiative to clean the hot tub? Was that part of the service package?

I'm inclined to think he never intended to move this in one day for you. Call me cynical.

This is your husbands fault for agreeing, not the company's. If the "goalposts were changed" then he could have said no. Also, this...

I have no idea if they will potential create issues with it over the weekend ready to give us “oh we have found this problem” when servicing on Monday.

is a horrible attitude to have towards tradespeople.

Mmm tbh this sounds dodgy as fuck. I would have told them no so yanbu but I'd do some more digging on the company.

You sound totally paranoid, get a grip fgs.

Hope they’re not planning on hiring it out for the weekend.
I’d be annoyed I don’t think there’s much you can do now. But if it all goes wrong I wouldn’t like to be in dh’s shoes.
Good luck

Have you signed anything to cover the storage? Anything that will prove he has it and is to return it?
Anything that will prove he has it in the event of damage?
Have you seen proof of what his insurance will and will not cover?

You need to speak to him on the phone and fine everything out.

But leave the VAT thing alone. It doesnt affect you. The company will get in trouble; not you. It's not the hill worth dieing on in this situation.

Focus on the storage, the security, the insurance and the "what if something goes wrong" stuff.

You can also just refuse the service and cleaning. Tell them no, and make it clear that you will not pay for any repairs they deem necessary. You dont want it.

I don't think YABU at all. It doesn't seem too much inconvenience, but your DH should have known you well enough to be aware you wouldn't be happy if he didn't check with you. Another job pencilled in? Well, if they can keep you waiting, they can keep them waiting too! But then again, it's the flexibility to add extra jobs which helps companies keep their prices down.

As far as the VAT included thing goes, I think most people would take that to mean, "You won't be charging me extra for VAT, will you?" although it's not what you asked. I wouldn't make a fuss about that until your hot tub is safely at the new house though. (Then I'd dob them in if their service wasn't brilliant!)

YANBU OP. I’d be feeling exactly the same as you. I hope it all works out for you

I don't think your overreacting. Where is it going to be for the next few days? It could be stolen or damaged!