Where do we stand?

[gregssausageroll]

My husband has had some work done to his motorbike. When the bike went into the shop they phoned and said £500 for the parts and £250 for the labour. DH told them to go ahead. He's just picked the bike up and they've asked for just short of £1100!

He's off to talk to them just now about it but I wonder if we have a leg to stand on?

I think you have a case - they phoned and told your sh the price (as long as they didn't say that it could be more and that 500 + 250 was the estimate for the work) and he agreed for the work to be done at that price.

The work they did was way above the price agreed and the garage should have called back and said if the price was going to be more before doing it.

He should have a break down of what cost what and what work was done.

did the quote include VAT?

That's way above 20% for VAT iLoveTiffany.

Turns out when my husband spoke to him for an update on how things were progressing they talked about another part. DH said something like yes I am going to get one of those in due course but the guy has gone ahead and bought it and fitted it.

DH wasn't planning on this other part until after the Summer riding period was over and he could save for it.

was just a thought wmmc!

Well if he wasn't supposed to fit it and the work wasn't authorised you are not obliged to pay for it, but you have to give them an opportunity to put it back in it's prior state.

He should PAY UNDER PROTEST and write that on the bill and then refute the payment (ideally pay on a card and then refute it through the cc company).

iloveTIFFANY - I thought VAT too when I first read it - they've probably added doughnut tax or something daft! :)

Well the bike shop people have said they will accept the original payment plus he can pay the additional cash up between now and the end of the year.

DH has asked for it in writing. I think this might be fair.

That sounds fair to me. Sounds like the wrong end of the stick was firmly grasped, but by whom you'll never know :)