Is there a time limit for the non-payment of bills?

[Essene]

Sorry, wrong question in the title but I can't think how else to express it. 4 years ago, we had a plumber do some work for us - major work - and we initially paid him every few weeks/months when he sent us a bill. Then, the work became more and more drawn out. If the truth be known, this plumber was completely incompetent and did not know what he was doing. The job, which should have taken a few months, stretched on into years, only being completed finally about a year ago, and not by this particular plumber but by his father (family business).

The final installment of the bill was disputed by my husband and I because there had been such a delay in its completion (2 winters without proper central heating) and such a catalogue of errors. The problem was actually finally resolved by my husband who read the boiler installation manual and realised what the plumber had done wrong. Months later, the plumber's father reluctantly listened to my dh, tried a different installation and hey presto, 3 years of problems gone in an instant!

At the time, relations were very frosty. We owed 2 bills, and I thought dh and plumber's father agreed between them that we would pay one of the 2 bills, but not the other because of all the disruption, incompetence, etc. Frankly, I got the impression the father was glad to have done with us and get out the door without us threatening to report him to trading standards and/or his professional body.

Then today, about 14 months after we last kicked these guys out the door had anything to do with them, I received a reminder for the unpaid invoice, which in itself dates back to work done about 3 years ago. Dh is away at the moment so I can't consult him, but I am in quite a state, fearing that we will have to meet this bill. It comes to over £2000!

he would have to take you to court to get it so he would not be able to demand it over night so to speak but that would depends as and when he instructed a solicitor, the process would be his solicitor would inform you of pending court action. The court would contact you with an option for you to pay, make arrangements to pay or dispute. that whole process could take a few months. So he takes you to court and you dispute it. but in the mean time I would contact the trading standards and CAB for further advice, seems you should not really pay this bill.

If the work done was negligent then I don't see how you can be expected to pay.

He is trying it on.

Installing a boiler incrrectly is a very serious matter. it could cost you your life is gas escapes or there is an explosion.

He should belong to a trades body- Gas Safe or whatever- so if you iinformed them, he'd be struck off.

I suggest you tell him this and see what he says.

Thank you both. I have managed to contact dh and he basically said the same as both of you. He thinks he may even have paid some of the bill, but definitely not all of it as there were so many errors along the way. Some of the things we are being asked to pay for were adjustments/additions he made, eg extra pumps to distribute the heat, which had no bearing on the problem, given the problem was an incorrectly installed boiler. Well, surely he can't charge us for that? I was initially anxious when the bill came today, but the more I think about it, the more incandescent I feel!