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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I am unreasonable but I'm just frustrated

38 replies

DaniFar · 25/05/2023 23:07

We're away for the night and my mum is watching kids (not on holiday or anything fun)

Pipe has burst under the sink and was literally like a running tap, could turn water off but have disabled DC with bowel problems and a 7 month old so MIL went round and called emergency plumber.

The person on the phone said the call out fee was £70 and that's it, that's all they said so they agreed to send a plumber out.

Plumber came out and went into the kitchen and said did they tell you the price and MIL said no so plumber said it'll be £200-£300 which we can't afford so MIL called the emergency plumbing service again and they said they'd send someone else out in the morning but we still need to pay the call out fee which is fair enough.

MIL apologised to plumber and explained and he simply said no, I've not come out just for £70, bent down and put whatever was needed on the pipe and said right fixed, that'll be £200 which obviously my MIL paid as they were lone women in the property.

I can honestly see it from both sides but just pissed off because we really can't afford it and I'm just venting because there's nothing we can do. Obviously the plumber needs to make a living but hopefully next time something happens I'm home to google it Grin

OP posts:
fanilingers · 25/05/2023 23:21

£200 for an emergency plumber is a very good deal - I was charged £700!

DaniFar · 25/05/2023 23:22

fanilingers · 25/05/2023 23:21

£200 for an emergency plumber is a very good deal - I was charged £700!

Jesus how long was he there for and where do you live? Shock

OP posts:
fanilingers · 25/05/2023 23:23

A big city in Scotland! There for 15m.

DaniFar · 25/05/2023 23:25

Oh we're in the north west and not a city so maybe that's why it was cheaper.

Tbh they obviously are entitled to charge whatever they want but he was asked not to because we couldn't afford it - if the people over the phone explained that then we would have to make do until morning but it's fixed now and nothing we can do so just ranting really.

OP posts:
PickNewName · 25/05/2023 23:27

As it’s now fixed has she called to cancel the one they were going to send in the morning? You don’t want to end up paying twice!

fanilingers · 25/05/2023 23:28

I would take this as a learning experience for next time :)

DaniFar · 25/05/2023 23:29

fanilingers · 25/05/2023 23:28

I would take this as a learning experience for next time :)

I'm not sure what the lesson is to be honest - maybe ask for prices over the phone haha or if you ask a tradesman not to do something then they're gonna do it anyway Grin

OP posts:
DaniFar · 25/05/2023 23:29

PickNewName · 25/05/2023 23:27

As it’s now fixed has she called to cancel the one they were going to send in the morning? You don’t want to end up paying twice!

They'll have a job, they'll have to look behind the sofa cushions with me Grin

Yes, it's all been cancelled so no one will show up tomorrow.

OP posts:
Tandora · 25/05/2023 23:31

I’m completely confused as to what you have done wrong?! You were told/ agreed to a price , the plumber tried to ask for more, you said no thanks to the service in that case, so they did it anyway and forced
you to pay the fee cos you’re lone women??! That’s not ok at all!!!

saltinesandcoffeecups · 25/05/2023 23:32

So realistically what was the alternative? Have water pouring everywhere or no water for the night.

Alright to be annoyed at the situation everyone would… but at the same time that’s what comes with owning a house 🤷‍♀️

DaniFar · 25/05/2023 23:32

Tandora · 25/05/2023 23:31

I’m completely confused as to what you have done wrong?! You were told/ agreed to a price , the plumber tried to ask for more, you said no thanks to the service in that case, so they did it anyway and forced
you to pay the fee cos you’re lone women??! That’s not ok at all!!!

Well my mum and MIL was here and they said they felt intimidated when he said he wasn't accepting the £70 and fixing it anyway and they couldn't really physically stop him and didn't want to cause any issues with them being women with babies upstairs so they just paid which I understand.

It's just annoying.

OP posts:
saltinesandcoffeecups · 25/05/2023 23:34

DaniFar · 25/05/2023 23:32

Well my mum and MIL was here and they said they felt intimidated when he said he wasn't accepting the £70 and fixing it anyway and they couldn't really physically stop him and didn't want to cause any issues with them being women with babies upstairs so they just paid which I understand.

It's just annoying.

Or maybe he understood that it wasn’t a tenable situation to leave 2 people a baby and child with no running water for the night.

DaniFar · 25/05/2023 23:34

saltinesandcoffeecups · 25/05/2023 23:32

So realistically what was the alternative? Have water pouring everywhere or no water for the night.

Alright to be annoyed at the situation everyone would… but at the same time that’s what comes with owning a house 🤷‍♀️

Well, we could have turned the water off and bought bottled water and ready made formula and paid £40 in the morning if the plumber would have left it but he wasn't happy turning up for £70 which is fair enough.

Like you said it comes with owning a house, the joys.

OP posts:
DaniFar · 25/05/2023 23:36

@saltinesandcoffeecups - yes he had a bleeding heart Grin

He was complaining about coming out, that's it like I said previously there was a solution but hindsight is always 20/20.

OP posts:
Tandora · 25/05/2023 23:36

DaniFar · 25/05/2023 23:32

Well my mum and MIL was here and they said they felt intimidated when he said he wasn't accepting the £70 and fixing it anyway and they couldn't really physically stop him and didn't want to cause any issues with them being women with babies upstairs so they just paid which I understand.

It's just annoying.

That’s coercion though?! Like literally male violence? If that’s the situation I’d be making a complaint to the company,

DaniFar · 25/05/2023 23:36

Hahaha it's just starting pissing water again what is my fucking life

OP posts:
saltinesandcoffeecups · 25/05/2023 23:37

Crud hit post too soon.

You we’re already in £70 for the callout.

If he’d left and someone else come back it would be £70 + whatever to fix.

I don’t know what plumbers get in your area but I don’t think you would have saved any money by having another come out.

Tandora · 25/05/2023 23:37

DaniFar · 25/05/2023 23:34

Well, we could have turned the water off and bought bottled water and ready made formula and paid £40 in the morning if the plumber would have left it but he wasn't happy turning up for £70 which is fair enough.

Like you said it comes with owning a house, the joys.

70 is the call out fee that you were told by the company and agreed to!!! If plumber didn’t want to come out for 70 he shouldn’t have offered to come out for 70.

Imsorrysorry · 25/05/2023 23:38

if he was told not to do the work but did it anyway and intimidated your mil into paying that is surely a crime in some way. If he was sent from a company which sounds like he was I’d be on to them and I’d expect a refund. He probably should give his company a cut of his earnings but I bet he’s pocketed the lot. How dare he intimidate someone into giving him money

DaniFar · 25/05/2023 23:38

saltinesandcoffeecups · 25/05/2023 23:37

Crud hit post too soon.

You we’re already in £70 for the callout.

If he’d left and someone else come back it would be £70 + whatever to fix.

I don’t know what plumbers get in your area but I don’t think you would have saved any money by having another come out.

It would have been £40 tomorrow morning

OP posts:
saltinesandcoffeecups · 25/05/2023 23:39

Right, 40 to walk in the door and then whatever to fix.

so you would have saved 30? And had no water for the night or additional damage risk

DaniFar · 25/05/2023 23:40

saltinesandcoffeecups · 25/05/2023 23:39

Right, 40 to walk in the door and then whatever to fix.

so you would have saved 30? And had no water for the night or additional damage risk

Have you literally not just read it's pissing water again so I've paid £200 for nothing

OP posts:
Batalax · 25/05/2023 23:41

Tbs £70 is the call out fee just for showing up. It’s generally understood that the actual charge for fixing it is on top. No point in him coming out, to not fix it then, although he should have given you the choice.

saltinesandcoffeecups · 25/05/2023 23:41

DaniFar · 25/05/2023 23:40

Have you literally not just read it's pissing water again so I've paid £200 for nothing

We’ll no smarty pants I was typing a reply when you posted that. But whatever…good luck.

DaniFar · 25/05/2023 23:44

Now I'm really frustrated Grin

Apparently he's gonna come back, so I imagine it's going to cost double.

I guess when my MIL asked him not to fix it he really took that seriously Grin

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