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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To put a comment on plumber’s Facebook page?

93 replies

Bagamoyo1 · 30/04/2021 00:00

I had a plumber booked to install a shower on Tuesday this week. It’s been a nightmare getting someone - they’re all so busy.
I texted him on Sunday to confirm and clarify timings. No reply till Monday when he said his van was in the garage and he couldn’t come. Since then I’ve chased him repeatedly, he only replies occasionally, just to tell me that he can’t get through to the garage and he still doesn’t have his van back. He claims he can’t do any work at all without his van.
It’s clearly all a lie, I know that, just because it sounds so ridiculous. But I’ve been polite, haven’t called him out on it, because I want him to do the work.
Anyway I’ve just found him on Facebook. Earlier today he posted several photos of a new bathroom he’s kitted out, saying “some of this week’s work”. I’m so tempted to post “but I thought you couldn’t work this week”, or something similar. Would that be terribly petty? I’m just really pissed off at being messed around. If I could tell him to forget it, I would - but it’s taken me 6 months to even get a quote, so if I cancel I’m back to square one.

OP posts:

rottielove · 30/04/2021 00:05

Ha! I'm not sure. Depends if you still want him to do the work or not. I agree it's not nice to mess you about like that. Although you don't want to risk getting black listed with all the local tradesman... not sure if that would happen or not!

TheLastLotus · 30/04/2021 00:07

Aren’t there any other plumbers in your area?
You can send him the FB and let him know you’ve found it but if tradesmen don’t want your job this is what they do rather than tell you a straight no. You’re not likely to achieve anything by shaming him as good ones are worth their weight in gold

Howyoudoingirl · 30/04/2021 00:13

Yeah, it would be petty. It would also make you look like a passive aggressive arsehole.

Original poster

Bagamoyo1 · 30/04/2021 00:23

@Howyoudoingirl

Yeah, it would be petty. It would also make you look like a passive aggressive arsehole.

That’s a bit harsh! What would be the correct thing to do?

OP posts:

Original poster

Bagamoyo1 · 30/04/2021 00:25

Yeah it seems plumbers have more than enough work, so I’ll probably have to grit my teeth and keep pretending I believe the van story. It’s weird though, because he did a quote, took all the details, agreed a price, and sent an electrician round to do all the electrical stuff. He really seemed like he planned to do the job. Very annoying.

OP posts:

Feelingconfused2020 · 30/04/2021 00:35

Personally I wouldn't have him in my house after this. If you can't trust him over this then you can't trust him to do a good job. He'll cut corners and tell you that actually the work's gonna cost more/take longer because there's an issue with x/y/z. If someone's untrustworthy they're untrustworthy.

So I'd write a comment and then I'd sack him off and find a new plumber.

PegasusReturns · 30/04/2021 01:04

Leave him a message to say you really want him to do the job, he came highly recommended but you appreciate he must be really busy so if he can recommend someone else that would be great and see how it goes.

The problem is trades have work coming out of their ears at the moment, a combination of people having more money; jobs backing up during lock down and people working from home do can easily get work done.

So you could try another plumber but chances are same issue.

DontBeRidiculous · 30/04/2021 01:08

I might bite my tongue, if I thought he was my best bet for getting the job done sooner than if you find someone else. That's assuming you trust his work more than his word!

But when the work was done, I'd tell anyone who cared or might ever conceivably need a plumber how he's behaved, that he lied to you and you caught him out, etc.

HeddaGarbled · 30/04/2021 01:13

If you put a public comment on his Facebook page you don’t stand a prayer that he’ll do the job for you.

When we had a plumbing emergency recently, we contacted all the local self-employed plumbers, none of whom could do the job anytime soon but each of whom gave us recommendations. Eventually we got a recommendation for a bigger firm that employed lots of plumbers and were able to do the job for us.

So my advice is to look for a big company who can do more than one job at once.

Tossblanket · 30/04/2021 04:32

He doesn't want the job.

I'm amazed he's the only one you could find, plumbers are everywhere.

ButtonMoony · 30/04/2021 04:56

Stop chasing him.

He has work coming out of his ears, he will get round to people when he can.

Customers who chase repeatedly just go to the bottom of the pile in the hope they will go away completely in my experience.

Mrbay · 30/04/2021 05:23

Just because in his post it says those projects were completed this week, might not be the truth. The pictures could have been taken at anytime and he is using them now to keep his page views up to get business.

Does sound like he may have double booked you.

Personally I would call and ask for a firm conformation of when your job will start and be finished, if he doesn't confirm then move on to a new trades person

sunshinesontv · 30/04/2021 05:53

@ButtonMoony

Stop chasing him.

He has work coming out of his ears, he will get round to people when he can.

Customers who chase repeatedly just go to the bottom of the pile in the hope they will go away completely in my experience.

Probably true but I don't understand why they can't say that.

I'd rather someone said - I'm snowed under but can add you to the list, might be a month or so, sooner if someone cancels.

Never know why tradespeople say yes and then tell such obvious, transparent lies that we have to pretend to believe. Even if it's a small job that he's not interested in, it's very short sighted to piss you off as you could recommend or have more work in the future.

OP, I would let him do the job before mentioning that you saw the photos and wished he'd just been honest. Maybe your car will break down on the way to the bank to get the cash to pay him.

SunIsComing · 30/04/2021 05:56

Get another plumber.

Tiktokersmiracle · 30/04/2021 06:00

Nope, sack him off and look on check-a-trade or local groups for a recommendation.
I wouldn't call him out publicly under the photos but sure he has a rating system on there if it's a business page.
I would message, saying he hasn't stuck to the contract of work, he has publicly shown himself to be untrustworthy, and as such you will be going elsewhere.
I hate dishonesty in trades, I wouldn't trust him to do a good job if he can't show up on time and then lies when it's easy to find out as much.

DontGoIntoTheLongGrass · 30/04/2021 06:06

It depends. FIL is a self employed builder, plumber and such. He had an accident last weekend which meant his van is out of commission until the Monday at earliest and also shit at replying to messages Accident wasn't his fault and he's injured from someone running into back of him.

Tanfastic · 30/04/2021 06:07

@Bagamoyo1

We had this with a plasterer, dead enthusiastic got someone in to do some preliminary bits, arranged to come and do it and gave us a date then fucked off and we've never seen him since, won't even answer his phone.

Same with the one that was supposed to lay our floor. We've done it ourself we are so sick of waiting.

DIshedUp · 30/04/2021 06:23

Just find another plumber. Why would you want him to do you work after he's lied to you?

Personally I think tradespeople like this are the reason so many people mistrust tradespeople when they need work doing. Its such a bloody effort, why shouldn't you chase if they've promised you work and then essentially ghosted you last minute? Its rude, poor service and makes their company look crap

Steph64 · 30/04/2021 06:27

Don’t publicly call him out on this, that could end very badly.

I wouldn’t contact him again, keep looking for someone else to finish the job (preferably word of mouth recommendation). If meanwhile he does turn up that’s a bonus and you’ve lost nothing.

His lies and silly excuses make him out to be a bit of an idiot, but then he’s not a career diplomat. He’s obviously very busy which is a good recommendation in itself.

My mother used a plumber highly praised on Checkatrade. He could fit her in very quickly, nice professional logod van. The work was terrible and had to be completely redone.

Checkatrade is a directory of clowns.

MrsTophamHat · 30/04/2021 06:29

I'm having a right job getting a tradesman at the moment too so I probably wouldn't saying anything if it was my only choice.

So many saying they'll come to quote and then never bothering to turn up. I don't chase them if they do that though. It's not a good first impression.

DancesWithDaffodils · 30/04/2021 06:50

Dont publicly call him out.
However, from experience, you have spent the worst possibly time trying to find a plumber. They are snowed under replacing boilers all winter. Now it is warming up why not try some more. No need to cancel this one quite yet, but if you can find someone new, then cancel the one you've got a quote for.

Also, does the job require a plumber, or could a decent handyman type do the work?

TopBlogger · 30/04/2021 06:54

"glad your van is sorted" is the most id say. He can suss what you mean

OlympicProcrastinator · 30/04/2021 06:57

He’s a liar. I wouldn’t trust him. I’d call him out on his Facebook, block him then find someone else. Like fuck he’d be stepping foot in my house again.

Theunamedcat · 30/04/2021 06:57

Have you paid him anything yet?

ComDummings · 30/04/2021 06:58

That’s petty, just find someone else

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