AIBU - not paying the roofer?

[Adviceisneeded1]

I have a leak coming in through the roof. I called a roofer last Thursday to come and have a look. He said it could be some mortar that needs re-doing or it could be due to a small gap that he found.

He decided it was best to start with filling in the small gap to see if that was the issue (using no-nonsense roof silicone, so nothing expensive). We agreed on a price of £100 to be paid via Bank transfer. He sent me his bank details a few hours later, but that same evening, it started raining and the leak was still present.

I didn't pay him but messaged him the following morning to let him know that the leak is still present and if I could get a quote for having the mortar re-done in that area, as that was the other thing that the roofer thought might be causing the leak. He said he can re-do the mortar in March, but won't give me a quote for it (or a definite date) and keeps messaging me asking for the £100 for filling in a gap, which didn't even fix the leak!

AIBU to not pay him the £100?

YABU You agreed to pay him £100 and didn’t so of course he isn’t going to give you a quote or date, why would he commit to go back to a customer who didn’t pay?

He spent his time some work, presumably with materials and equipment you did not have on hand, using skills you don't have.
I'd be paying up.

Pay the man for god's sake. You're no better than a thief.

Well, you agreed he would do something (use silicone) for £100, and he did it. So you should pay him.

If you pay him, perhaps he’ll fit you in sooner than March. Or you can get someone else to have a look.

Sorry, he's done the work.
He was very clear it could be a or b. You chose to fix one of them.

He decided it was best to start with filling in the small gap to see if that was the issue (using no-nonsense roof silicone, so nothing expensive). We agreed on a price of £100 to be paid via Bank transfer.

You agreed on 100 for him to fill to fill the small gap, he did the work and the leak is elsewhere. He still did the work.
YABU.

What everyone else said. Pay him.

YABU. My car wouldn't start yesterday. Mechanic came out. Couldn't fix it as it needs an engine part. I need to book it into the garage for a repair. I still had to pay the mechanic for coming out! How ridiculous would that be to not pay someone who did a job?

That's shocking not to pay him. He tried to do the easiest and cheapest route for you first to see if it would fix the problem and made it clear he wasn't entirely sure what was causing the leak but you agreed for him to start with that course of action. You have to pay him for this work even if it didn't fix it!

That it still leaks is irrelevant really. There was no agreement of ‘£100 and I guarantee it’s fixed’.

Pay him ffs.

YABVU, he did the work for you, you say yourself in the OP the leak could of been caused by a couple of reasons, he tried to sort it out first with the cheapest option which you was happy with to arrange a price. I don’t blame him for not booking in another appointment as you’ve already shown you’re unreliable with payment.

YABU you agreed with his plan to try the cheapest option first knowing it may not resolve the issue.

YANBU.

You told him there was a leak, he tried to bodge it with silicone (which is a few quid for a full tube) and surprise surprise it didn't work.

Find a new roofing contractor.

Exactly as the PPs said. You can get someone else to do the mortar if you want (in which case let him know straight away after booking them) but can’t back out of paying for Plan A as agreed.

Oh, and for other posters - does your roof have silicone sealent sticking it together?

No, didn't think so.

He's a cowboy.

Silicone to fix a roof leak? Was this roofer recommended by someone you know?

Okay. So he said it's one or two issues.
Issue one - cheaper fix so let's try that first
Issue two - bigger job to fix

He tried with issue one. It didn't work. You now need issue two.

But you're not paying him for the work he did trying to work out if it's issue one.

I don't understand. From your intro it's clear that the leak still could exist. You pay him for his labour and get him back in. I wouldn't quote for you either.

He offered to try a cheap method. Even in your description it is clear that it might not have been a sufficient method. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve to be paid. He was trying to save you money. It didn’t work out. It happens. He still needs to be compensated for his time and materials.

many of us have been there with Appliance or home repairs that didn’t work out. It is frustrating, but people still have to be paid.

Yabvu

I'm surprised at how many people are calling me a theif?! I called the roofer to fix a leak - he has no call out charge - it was his idea to use silicone to fill in a gap - he said was most likely causing the leak.

I did NOT tell him to do that instead of fixing/ re-doing the mortar - he told me in his professional opinion, the 'small gap' was causing the leak. He told me that he was 90% sure its this 'small gap' causing the leak, and that he would fill it in for £100. He said if that didn't work, he would give me a quote for re-doing the mortar in that area. I have asked him twice now for the quote and he will not provide me with one.

Roofer was found via Google- had decent reviews on Google and yelp.

I am always appalled when people do this. Pay the man for the work he did do, and rather than pointing out the 'cheap' tube of silicone, perhaps have an ounce of thought for his time, petrol, insurance costs and anything else he has to pay out to keep himself up and running as a trades person.

"He said if that didn't work, he would give me a quote for re-doing the mortar in that area. I have asked him twice now for the quote and he will not provide me with one."

Why would he quote someone further that didn't pay the outstanding £100 they owed?

Regardless of if it's still leaking and need something else doing to it, you still need to pay for the work he did.

He told me that he was 90% sure its this 'small gap' causing the leak, and that he would fill it in for £100. He said if that didn't work, he would give me a quote for re-doing the mortar in that area. I have asked him twice now for the quote and he will not provide me with one.

Giving you a new quote comes AFTER you pay the bill - you agreed the fee and the work, so you must pay.

Blimey!

I doubt he’ll give you a quote at all if you don’t pay soon.

Why would he give you a quote when you already won’t pay him for work you agreed to?