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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have expected the plumber to contribute?

136 replies

AmbitiousHalibut · 11/02/2021 09:04

I'm genuinely a bit puzzled here so would appreciate your views.

Last week our plumber came to service our boiler. We've just moved so it was the first service in this house, but he'd been coming to our old house (10 mins away) for years. We've called him out for emergencies in the past maybe a couple of times, but broadly we just see him annually for the service. He's always been very friendly and we chat a fair bit while he's working.

Our new house has a large appliance which is also connected to the gas, so after he'd checked the boiler, and had a quick look around the rest of the house to check the loft tank, bathroom tank etc, he told me he needed to turn off the large appliance to check the gas. I asked (casually) if he knew how to do it because I didn't, and he said yes. It also has instructions written on it, I discovered later.

Anyway, when he went to turn it back on, a valve broke so he couldn't. I called the guy who had serviced the appliance when we moved in a few months ago, and they talked for a few minutes about what had happened. The appliance guy said it was a fairly common problem and a bit of a design flaw, and that he'd come the next day to fix it.

It ended up costing over £200 as the part is crazily expensive. The plumber texted to ask how we'd got on and I said pretty much that. He replied saying something like "ouch, sorry". He then emailed me his invoice for the service, again apologising for adding to my invoices.

AIBU to have expected him to offer to contribute to the repair cost? I texted him to say I was surprised to receive his invoice and had expected at least a conversation about him contributing. I said I didn't expect him to cover the full cost, although I think some people in my position might. He replied very politely but basically saying that his service had highlighted a fault, and that was pretty much that.

AIBU here? I try and treat people fairly and it really bothers me to be at odds with anyone so it's really weighing on my shoulders.

OP posts:
myusernamewastakenbyme · 11/02/2021 11:33

Oh dear Op like others have said...you have now soured your relationship with this plumber...i would be too embarrassed to call him back for any future work and i wouldn't be surprised if he is fully booked next time you try to book him.

Rockster7 · 11/02/2021 11:34

I think you are being extremely unreasonable, if it’s a known fault with the appliance then how can it possibly be the plumber’s responsibility. Good reliable plumbers are very hard to come by in my experience, so if I were you I would apologise and pay his bill without delay if you don’t want to find yourself without a plumber in the future.

PurpleRainDancer · 11/02/2021 11:37

Don’t be so bloody ridiculous OP.

Chewbecca · 11/02/2021 11:41

If he, say, dropped something and broke it, I would tend to agree with you.

But something already weak finally breaking in the course of servicing it, has to be the homeowner’s responsibility.

Perhaps comparable might be a window handle that has seen better days and is ready to fall off. Tradesperson tries to open and it falls off, not for them to pay to correct.

CeibaTree · 11/02/2021 11:41

It's a shame you misjudged this situation as a good reliable plumber is hard to find - I'm guessing he will be 'too busy' to take on any work from in in future. Unless you send him an apology!

myusernamewastakenbyme · 11/02/2021 11:41

You need to grovel big time op if you want to use this plumber in the future.

Shedbuilder · 11/02/2021 11:43

As I read it, the appliance that was broken when it was turned off was the fridge — the OP mentioned that in one of her posts. The 'plumber' turned off the gas fridge in order to check the boiler.

Why would you have someone in to service a gas fridge and not have that same qualified person also service the other gas appliances at the same time? As I said, domestic gas fridges are like unicorns in the UK.

OP, if while he was opening the cupboard door in which your appliances are kept, the door handle fell off would you expect the 'plumber' to pay for a replacement door handle? No. Wear and tear comes into play — as does the fact that you've been told by someone who knows the gas fridge well that it has a design fault that makes the valve liable to breaking. These things happen.

People wonder why it's so expensive to get a plumber or a gas engineer or an electrician to do 'small' jobs in their homes and here's your answer: even the smallest £50 jobs can end up costing you money.

TakeTheCuntOutOfScunthorpe · 11/02/2021 11:47

This reminds me of the scene in Scum where Carlin sees Archer applying boot polish to his bare feet:

"You off your fuckin' nut?"

Shedbuilder · 11/02/2021 11:47

[quote Chewingle]@Shedbuilder

Quite common for plumbers to be corgi registered so that they can work on boilers etc as well as run of the mill plumbing issues[/quote]
Gas Safe took over from Corgi about 12 years, possibly more, ago. If you're still using someone who says they're Corgi registered then they're unregistered and can't legally work on gas installations.

But what do I know? I only run a construction company and employ specialist tradespeople, including gas engineers, plumbers and refrigeration engineers.

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 11/02/2021 11:51

@Shedbuilder

As I read it, the appliance that was broken when it was turned off was the fridge — the OP mentioned that in one of her posts. The 'plumber' turned off the gas fridge in order to check the boiler.

Why would you have someone in to service a gas fridge and not have that same qualified person also service the other gas appliances at the same time? As I said, domestic gas fridges are like unicorns in the UK.

OP, if while he was opening the cupboard door in which your appliances are kept, the door handle fell off would you expect the 'plumber' to pay for a replacement door handle? No. Wear and tear comes into play — as does the fact that you've been told by someone who knows the gas fridge well that it has a design fault that makes the valve liable to breaking. These things happen.

People wonder why it's so expensive to get a plumber or a gas engineer or an electrician to do 'small' jobs in their homes and here's your answer: even the smallest £50 jobs can end up costing you money.

I think you have misunderstood. The OP was responding to an example someone gave about a fridge, not saying that the appliance with a faulty valve was a fridge.
VicarofDibley · 11/02/2021 12:00

@Shedbuilder

None of this makes sense to me. Here in the UK plumbers don't service gas boilers and appliances, gas engineers do. And the engineer who came out to service your gas fridge (which is a very unusual thing in the UK) didn't service the boiler too while they were there? Something's not right.

Please make sure that anyone who does any work on any of your gas appliances Gas Safe registered. They have to be trained and insured. Plumbers don't have to have any accreditation at all. Anyone can call themselves a plumber.

You can get gas safe registered plumbers in the UK .It is expensive so you will find that the majority of plumbers don't because of the fact that it is a expensive undertaking. My DH doesn't do gas boilers because of this fact . You are right anyone can call themselves a plumber. My Dh did all his plumbing qualifications and has on occasions had to put bodged work right when someone has had someone in calling themselves a plumber because they have been dirt cheap.
ProfessorPootle · 11/02/2021 12:03

As pp said if it's a known flaw then not the plumbers fault although I would expect him to give 10% reduction on his invoice or something like that (we run construction companies and would do this). Had some painters come to our house and one managed to break my glass dressing table, he said he'd dropped the blinds on it when taking off but i think he actually stood on it. He offered to replace it but as it cost £750 felt bad and let him off with it, and then I had to replace myself!

RoseGoldEagle · 11/02/2021 12:05

Your plumber sounds like he’s dealt with you really professionally by sending such a polite message in response to such an unreasonable expectation on your part. When he said the large appliance needed turning off, and you said ‘well I don’t know how to do it’, maybe he should have instead said ‘ok, well I can’t take the risk of turning it off in case it breaks, so I’ll come back another time when you’re able to turn it off yourself.’ You’d presumably not have wanted him to say that? We had a friend over once who turned the cord light off in the bathroom and it came off in her hand. She didn’t swing on the thing, so of course it wasn’t her fault! It’s the same thing, your appliance had a fault and if the plumber had made you turn it off and on again it would have happened to you.

Namechanged2021 · 11/02/2021 12:08

You are absolutely being unreasonable and he is not a plumber, he is a heating and gas engineer.

Thefaceofboe · 11/02/2021 12:25

Grin surely this isn’t real

AlexisCarringtonColbyDexter · 11/02/2021 12:42

@AmbitiousHalibut

Goodness. Okay, I stand corrected! This is why AIBU is so useful, I guess.

To be fair, I've never suggested he broke it by being careless, but equally if I broke something at someone else's house I'd offer to help put it right. I really wasn't trying to stick him with the bill, I just assumed he'd offer to help or at least waive his service fee.

I have learned a lot this morning!

Yes but he didnt simply break it did he? Its not like he came in and knocked something over or tripped on something and fell on something he HAD to turn it off to complete the job YOU asked him to do to make your boiler safe.

He literally had no choice in the matter so yes, YABU.

nottman · 11/02/2021 12:43

So your gas engineer found a fault ( to keep you safe ! ) on a fitting and therefor you want him to pay for it ?
You are being vvvu. Disrespect for a qualified tradesman is rife. A plumber and a gas safe engineer are 2 totally differents things. Joiners, bricklayers, ellectricians et all are not "workmen". You obviously think we are all "cowboys". Don't call me , I don't want your job, thank you. Rant over !

nottman · 11/02/2021 12:45
  • electricians
CurlsandCurves · 11/02/2021 12:46

@nottman

So your gas engineer found a fault ( to keep you safe ! ) on a fitting and therefor you want him to pay for it ? You are being vvvu. Disrespect for a qualified tradesman is rife. A plumber and a gas safe engineer are 2 totally differents things. Joiners, bricklayers, ellectricians et all are not "workmen". You obviously think we are all "cowboys". Don't call me , I don't want your job, thank you. Rant over !
Well said!

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Daphnise · 11/02/2021 12:52

What is this "large appliance" which is "also connected to the gas"?

BTW The plumber should not have to pay.

VicarofDibley · 11/02/2021 13:03

@nottman

So your gas engineer found a fault ( to keep you safe ! ) on a fitting and therefor you want him to pay for it ? You are being vvvu. Disrespect for a qualified tradesman is rife. A plumber and a gas safe engineer are 2 totally differents things. Joiners, bricklayers, ellectricians et all are not "workmen". You obviously think we are all "cowboys". Don't call me , I don't want your job, thank you. Rant over !
On behalf on a DW of a trademan this. The disrespect is rife .A lot of hard work and training goes into getting the qualifications. I met my DH years ago when he was just starting out on his plumbing training and I know how many hrs he spent learning the job and he is a dam good contentious plumber. I would be furious is somebody spoke to him that way .
VicarofDibley · 11/02/2021 13:03

tradesmans wife

Piglet89 · 11/02/2021 13:17

@Shedbuilder unbelievably poor reading comprehension.

Playnoh · 11/02/2021 13:19

Sorry to pile on but you’re a CF. I would apologise to your plumber.

SnarkyBag · 11/02/2021 13:19

This is why DH doesn’t do domestic work anymore. It’s amazing how many people will call him up ranting a month later about an electrical fault stating “you were the last one to touch the electrics this must be something you’ve done” even though fitting new sockets in the bedroom had absolutely fuck all to do with the lights in the lounge not working.