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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

About this asshole of a plumber?

7 replies

TheWayTheLightFalls · 11/03/2023 14:04

Advice on this maddening situation please.

TLDR: how do I get this guy to take his stuff? Aibu to chuck it onto the pavement?

Husband, kids and I have recently moved house. We want a fair amount of plumbing work done - new boiler, new tank, underfloor heating, new radiators. Our builder (who we have worked with a lot) recommended a plumber he'd worked with - Greg. Greg turned up to quote promptly. His quote was high - like, Pimlico Plumbers high - but he said he was available to start very soon and we had a reference for him so we were happy to pay. We did the preparatory works needed and then… nothing.

On the day he was due to start Greg messaged or rang to say that a particular pipe he needed wasn’t available yet, so he’d be with us the next day. Odd, given that we’d bought in a raft of stuff according to his spec, but I guess feasible. He’d also dropped off a van-load of tools. The next day he rang again to say he’d been in an accident with his van so was spending the day sorting that. Then two more similar delays. By this point I’m quite sure that he’s not the world’s unluckiest plumber - he’s stalling us. After another week of this we write to him and tell him that we won’t be working with him as we’ve found someone more able to work to our schedule, and point out that his stuff is still here and he needs to collect it.

“Ok” he replies.

Three weeks pass, nothing. I write to him again. We had the exchange below. No sign of him.

What now? I’d like to send a message to say that it’ll all be on the pavement Monday at 8am if he still hasn’t collected. WIBU?

To be clear I’m talking about power tools, radiator flushing equipment etc - tools of the trade. The guy we’ve ended up hiring can’t understand why anyone would leave it lying around like this. It’s apparently valuable.

What now?

About this asshole of a plumber?
OP posts:
Chocolatetadpole · 11/03/2023 14:06

God we had an electrician that did this. Bizarre behaviour.

NotWaterproof · 11/03/2023 14:09

It's weird behaviour as your gut told you. Lock his tools un your garage and charge him rent 😆.

Greenqueen40 · 11/03/2023 14:31

Find somewhere else to store them, eg garage or parents garage and just leave it. See how long it takes for him to get in touch then string him along for a few weeks, give him a taste of his own medicine.
Or just send a text today saying it will be outside on the pavement at 10am Monday morning, then actually do it, he will appear I'm sure.

Bunnyishotandcross · 11/03/2023 15:03

Take a photo of his stuff with a FREE sign next to it. Tell him after tomorrow the sign goes live on your front path...

HappiestSleeping · 11/03/2023 15:03

I'd send him one saying that if he hasn't collected them by xx day at yy time, then they will be sold to cover the cost of storage as he clearly doesn't want / need them.

He either collects, or you put them on ebay.

The Torts act of 1977 is applicable here. You know who owns them, so that's one condition met. You need to give reasonable notice (28 days is probably sufficient), and you need to give him any money made less reasonable costs (in this instance costs of £5 per day storage might be reasonable).

I am not an expert so please verify the above. Torts act is the relevant law though.

Good luck.

FightChubLifeMember · 11/03/2023 15:05

Bunnyishotandcross · 11/03/2023 15:03

Take a photo of his stuff with a FREE sign next to it. Tell him after tomorrow the sign goes live on your front path...

Hahaha yes please do this!

2bazookas · 11/03/2023 15:31

Send him a message

" Sunday 6pm. All your tools/materials are waiting on the drive outside our house for someone to take them away".

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