AIBU to want to expose this 'criminal' plumber on local forums, etc....?

[annoyedatplumber]

Posting here for traffic. Name changed as feeling humiliated. Advice needed.

DH unwisely found a plumber from a google search, no references (I had posted on my local facebook page, got recommendations but didn't pass them on in time to DH; he finds the only one who was able to come to fix our emergency leak that day.)

To cut a long story short, DH has paid him £450 up front via several bank transfers for investigative labour for our leak and parts he was buying for the job. No invoices, no quotes, no receipts for parts purchased.

Plumber cries off saying with son at a and e.

Furious rows ensured between me and DH over how he handled it.

I left furious message for plumber on answer phone, he sheepishly agrees to come back but it was too late, we were going away for half term. Ten days on... more excuses and now... the texts that reveal the criminal I think he is.

How DH handled it is no longer worth me getting angry about. But what do we do...? I genuinely would like advice. Expose him on my local forum? Threaten to report him to the police? Trading standards? Anyone had experience of this before? I have done all the slagging off of my DH so please be gentle with him (I'm afraid I wasn't) but what do we do now...? Write it off to experience? TIA

Just text him and tell him to get his colleague to pay for them?

God I would be livid too.

Did the original leak get fixed at all?

Go to the police if he’s ripped you off, why threaten it?

Facebook is full of scammers and criminals so I don’t think you can blame your DH as it is no better than google. That said your texts don’t reveal the plumber as “a criminal” (even though I trust you that he probably is defrauding you)

I’d try and get him to send you some sort of quote and receipt or account statement. Failing that there is always small claims court....

I said the same to DH. Report to police. He said ‘we have no address for him’. So can’t report him? I’m not so sure…. We have a name from the bank details.

Expose him , my other half is a plumber and he gets so pissed off with cowboys doing this . If you need recommendations go to your local Plumbase or plumbers merchant and ask them to recommend someone in future .
I hope you get this sorted , don't go to the internet for recommendations and usually the guy that can come straight away is more than likely dodgy .

the police will not be interested i'm afraid.
you could try trading standards, but they will not be able to help you get your money back or the work done.
might help them build a picture if they get other complaints or queries about this person.
so sorry OP. a lesson learned.
could your home insurance not have suggested someone.

No, not yet!!!! @Hunderland! You couldn’t make it up (or my DH’s response). He paid him £50 here and £50 there, to diagnose the problem in two evening visits, then £120 when his mate came back to remove the floorboards (a plumber can do that surely????). Then £150 for a random list of materials….

Give him 3 options:

He returns all your money by Monday

He finishes the job to your satisfaction by Monday (if you trust him with it...)

Or you go to the police

You had an 'urgent' leak but went away for half term?

I am appreciating your replies. They are sane. You are all wise. I think it’s lesson learned. I don’t want to see him again as I don’t want to pay a single penny more. I don’t even want receipts to finish job. But DH worrying over how to extricate himself from it all.

@PlanDeRaccordement yes criminal was too strong. I’m just feeling annoyed. I don’t normally use such derogatory terms I’m just angry.

Oh, no criminal isn’t too strong at all. Fraud is a crime after all. I just meant the texts are not a smoking gun or how you say it? Proof of criminal?

He also is goes by the name of Simon but has a different name on his bank details. Called DH back from another number than the one he called up on (all these details not revealed by DH to me until after the event...)

@StopGo oh the leak was fixed by half term (in that the source of it was identified and the toilet taking out). But new pipes and cistern not yet installed... so we have a bathroom with no toilet right now...

Sorry OP, there are 100s of them at it like this unfortunately.

I've had maybe 20 different plumbers over the years, 2 did a reasonable job and one of them cost me £600 (for a job that plumbers instructed by my insurers had fucked up).

If you put anything on social media be prepared that he/ his mates will post to discredit you, tell some sob story...I've seen it time and again. One guy is a neighbour of mine (lives about 10 houses along). A few years ago he did a small £50 job for me, completely bodged it, my DP ended up repairing it as he dodged calls asking him to come back. A couple of years later someone put a post up on our local group saying had anyone had issues with him (but using his business name ie Flintstone Plumbers, not his name Fred)...I posted to say yes, Fred had done a poor job for me but thankfully it was only £50. He responded instantly that's not me, we don't cover your area or do that work. And then got all his cronies to post too about how honest he was.

Except it was him, I know what he looks like and I see the Flintstone Plumbers van on his drive every day. I can see it from my house. Prick.

I got several messages from people who'd had similar experiences where he'd done absolutely shit work and then not corrected it, and got shitty when they'd posted on social media, hence why they were PMing me rather than replying publicly to my comment.

I'm trying to persuade one of my kids to train as a plumber, it's the only way I'll ever get work done properly and not get ripped off.

Speak to Trading Standards. They will advise the best way.

@Grenlei thank you, I had not thought of that...

@Mum6776 thank you. Wise words.

@Grenlei At least you gave me a giggle over the Flintstone Plumbing van lurking on his drive....