Unreasonable cost of tool hire…! What to do about this

[Zzzexhaustedzzz]

So, I don’t have a sander. I borrowed one from a hire company I used before. They were ok last time just a bit disorganised. So they have my details. I went in and the older guy in there was friendly but very flakey, said I could take it, when he’d found it, was vague about the price, said It’d be ok as I was a previous customer. I don’t think I signed anything.
Stuff came up and I ended up keeping it for 2 weeks. Half way through I checked the website and it said £20 per hire plus 12.50/ week. Then add 20% vat. So it should cost 45 , 54 with vat.
I got my son to return it as I was really busy, then a man (not the nice one) rang with the price. He said it would be 77!! Now I could’ve bought a sander for that! I said I’d have to call him back when I’d checked. He was insistent on the price though it must be wrong.
Since then he has called me twice and now emailed with the same price.
I haven’t felt able to answer! There’s no way I would have hired it for this price. I’m really stressed about money at the moment anyway!
Can they get nasty? I got the impression that they’ve a few bills they’re chasing due to the way they run it!

Should I
A. Pay up. B. Pay by transfer what I thought it would be. And write an email stating why I think that’s all I should pay.

email your query as to how they got to the £77, along with the screen shot of the advertised price, and your calculation in the email.
if they don't come up with an explanation, try sending a cheque! (yes I know!) with "in full and final settlement" written on the on the back.

You could always report to trading standards - but to be honest, not agreeing a price and hire period in advance, you've kind of set yourself up for this.
For £20 - I think I'd just learn from the experience be more organised and use a more professional company in the future.

I rang them after a week and no answer, left a message to say I still had it and would return in a week.
Yes Thankyou, I know I’ve been disorganised etc. When I say things came up I mean I was snowed under with work and couldn’t bike it down there.
Yes they had it back exactly 2 weeks later.
Thanks for the reminder that there’s no need for drama, honestly I needed to hear that! I think the initial phone call, attitude on the phone has stressed me out!
I will ask for a more accurate breakdown than in the bill he Emailed me. VAT seems to have been added twice, to the tool hire and again at the end of the bill…. Hmmm

In that case OP, fair enough, I would ask for a proper invoice too.

charging VAT twice gets it to £64.80 - you definitely need a credit note for that! Can you work out from the invoice what the rest of the discrepancy is?

Sounds very dodgy - you can check they have a valid VAT number here.
www.tax.service.gov.uk/check-vat-number/enter-vat-details
I once uncovered a fraud where a supplier had been charging VAT monthly, but wasn't actually VAT registered - so pocketing the 20%

Dear Toolman,

Thanks for your email of [date] however I think there may have been an error in the invoice.

Based on your website, I was expecting to pay £54 comprised of:
£20.00 initial hire
£12.50 per week (week 1)
£12.50 per week (week 2)

£45.00 subtotal
£ 9.00 vat
_
£54.00

Please could you check your calculations to see if I have been charged correctly?

Thank you.

Put it in writing. Always put it in writing!

Is it a big company? Are prices on the site? Etc. You could take head office route.

If a proper professional heavy duty sander in surprised they that cheap to buy.

Can you go in and work through with them? That might be better than phone.

Maybe rhey lost out on a hire because it wasn't returned on time, and there is a penalty charge because of this?

It sounds like you were both at fault, id call and ask for a breakdown of charges