How much is 'a drink' in payment terms for a tradesman?

[cockapup]

My elderly parents contacted a tradesman on a local FB group as needed an outside light replacing. The tradesman said he'd pop round after finishing another local job to assess. As it turned out it was a bulb needing replacing so took him less than 10 mins. He kindly said no charge but just give me a 'drink'.

How much would you give? Just wondering if what my parents gave was excessive- I'll reveal amount later.

Oh I’m so sad he took £60.

I would give £20.00.

Do a Google review and explain what happend. Let his potential customers decide whether he was being reasonable or not. £60 for a 'drink' after saying he wouldn't charge is an absolute piss take. £20 is nearer the mark.

Yes, my elderly grandmother fell and broke a hip once because she was trying to force money on someone and the person was refusing.

The person who refused the money felt terrible afterwards and wished she'd just taken it - but frankly if she had taken it, she would have been taking advantage of a 90 year old woman.

I do think you should contact him. Don't go in all guns blazing, start off softly softly, thanks for going to do the job etc but did he realise he'd taken their £60 shopping money after he'd said to your mum to just buy him a drink, which you'd have expected to be more around the 20 quid mark.
Even if nothing comes of it then at least he might feel a modicum of shame/embarrassment.

Yes I think I might do this. I wasn't sure if I was being unreasonable which is why I posted on MN.

He took £60 from pensioners for changing a light bulb? Bastard.

Maybe Im a bit dense but if I asked how much money I owe and someone said no charge just give me a drink I would give them liquid to drink not money.

Like a cup of tea, can of pop or maybe a bottle of beer if I had one and they drank alcohol.

To take 60 pounds off an old
couple for changing a bulb is terrible. It makes my blood boil to think people like this are around and happy to rip pensioners off.

my DB friend is a tradesman and he regular does little job for the elderly I have read this out to him and he is mortified.

This really saddens me.

My DP is a tradesman and he would’ve 100% REFUSED to take that. He would’ve accepted an absolute max of £10.

DON’T use that tradesman again!

He's taken advantage of them and should be ashamed of himself. £10-20 would be fair.

£20

Just so you can compare costs OP I've just paid an electrician £72 including VAT to take down two old light fittings and fit two new ones. One was a multi-light on cords that needed shortening to match another light. The other light needed moving about 30cm so new holes needed drilling and joists needed finding to attach the fixings to. He was here with an apprentice for about 90 minutes. The electrician who visited your parents is a prick not a decent person.

This is awful. I'm sorry to hear this happened to your elderly parents. He absolutely should have not accepted the money. I would take a drink to mean that, a drink. Maybe take his details and drop off a pack of beer/offer a bottle of wine. Failing that, £10 cash in hand.

Please do contact him, OP. One chance to do the right thing or take to social media to expose his really shit behaviour.

Except he'd said no charge, just give me a drink.

Then when the confused pensioners got notes out, he took them. It happens to be £60 but sounds like he'd have taken more happily

OP if he doesn’t offer some money back, ask for a receipt. Just say your parents get muddled with money sometimes so they like to keep accurate records.

What an absolute tosser. I'd be fucking FUMING if someone did that to my parents.

I'd be going round and knocking on his door.

I have never heard the expression. I would have thought they actually wanted me to buy them a drink at the pub. I'll know now.

I would contact him and say, “hi, i just want to confirm, did you charge my parents £60 to change a lightbulb?”

Tommy Cooper is said to have tipped by tucking a tea bag in the tradesmans pocket, before saying "have a drink on me"🤣

If someone asked me for a drink I'd put the kettle on or ask what pop they wanted.

This is good advice and I'd would recommend the same. Give him the opportunity to squirm and 'potentially' provide a reply to why it was no charge, yet he took £60!!!

If his response isn't adequate, I'd then review/not recommend on various trade sites, next door etc.

£60 would have probably been the charge 🤦🏼‍♀️
Definitely excessive for 'a drink' but not sure if the tradesman would/should have given money back if that was what was offered.

20