Opinions please, AIBU?

[falalalatte]

Looking for opinions please.

A new customer called around 6 months ago to ask for help with a piece of equipment, I explained yes I can help the price for me to come out look at it is X amount, explained this is just to establish the fault and includes no remedial work and that if any parts are required or that's it's not repairable I would go away and provide a quote if they wanted one.

The initial fee is a one off fee and further works are chargeable, this is made clear on the phone and in writing via email.

I go, find the fault and its not repairable, I tell the customer this and advise that they would require a new item, they pay their call out bill, all fine so far.

I ask whether they would like a quote and they say yes, I send a quote and don't hear back, again perfectly fine.

6 months later they contact to say they have purchased replacement item themselves and want me to come back and install it within the original call out fee.

I explain that the initial fee was for the call out only and no further works were included, remind them that this was in writing via email and explained during the initial phone call.

They come back and tell me they've spoken to a few people and believe they were over charged and that they would like 65% of the call out charge back.

AIBU for not giving the requested sum of money back?

Hahaha what a chancer! YANBU

Nah, they're a chancer.

Reply to say you've explained the initial call out fee and what it covered and provided a quote for further work. You're not able to assist them in their current position but you wish them well.

They are chancers, politely decline and move on. You're running a business and we're clear on your terms.

YANBU.

Of course yanbu. He's trying it on. He agreed to your terms and can't now decide he doesn't agree. "Talked to a few people" eh 🙄

I thought they were being complete CF's but started to doubt myself and thought about giving it back for an easy life.
Thanks all, I'll stand firm

Funny!

Send them the link to this thread, with a message saying that you’ve also spoken to a few people, who think he’s being a cheeky fucker, so on that basis you decline to return any of your original fee.

Well if they've been overcharged then that's their own fault for agreeing to it.

Haha what a CF.

Block them.

I think my response would be: "😂😂😂😂😂No."

6m later??? Absolute cf regardless

I would send a one off message saying, 'The price of a call out fee and what it covers is very clear. This was explained to you, provided in writing, and you agreed the terms. I'm afraid it is irrelevant if you now believe this was too much and there will be no refund. Neither will I be undertaking extra work for free. Good day'.

I work for a plumbing firm. We get this all the time. Give it no further thought.

Yes they are chancers. But I also wouldn’t do any work for them going forwards because I would suspect they’d start to dick around on future bills.

The saga continues...they are now threatening to go to small claims and to the industry ombudsman

For what? For paying for what they agreed to pay for? Do you think your charges are really high?

Customers are advised to deal with 'difficult' tradespeople by threatening small claims court. That's what he is attempting to do here.

Ignore them.

Please don’t give this headspace. Small claims don’t deal with people who think your prices are high. She won’t get anywhere.

I'd tell them that if they think they have a case for small claims, by all means go ahead. You'll never hear from them again.

What you need to also do is to de-personalise things. It’s hard when you are self employed/sole trader. When my dad was a sole trader he paid a friend who was a part time bookkeeper to deal with such matters.

@RiaLia they have spoken to a few people who have advised that they would have done it for less apparently and believe I overcharged for my services.

@Comefromaway

This is good advice, thank you.

I've spoken to one of the governing bodies that I am part of who've said that there's no complaint to be had, that they knew what your charges were at the time of booking and was up to them to do due diligence and get other prices if they thought yours were high.

Reminds me of the person who wanted a refund on her wedding pictures because she was now divorced. Absolutely no way would I give a refund, just refer to original email and stop communicating.