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Original poster

Tradesman charging for waiting time

47 replies

BillER · 22/02/2021 10:43

Dear All,

I arranged for an electrician to quote me for a job about a month ago and I couldn't let him in to the house as I was held up in traffic and he's now charged me for keeping him waiting (over an hour). I spoke to him on the phone that day to apologize for not getting back in time.

I just received his invoice this morning and not sure if I should pay. I'm a bit worried as he said he will charge interest if it's not paid. Can anyone offer any advice on this?

Thanks in advance
Gill

OP posts:
TFSRM · 22/02/2021 10:44

You should definitely pay. You were late for the appointment, his time was wasted.

AuntieDolly · 22/02/2021 10:45

Sounds fair to me

VettiyaIruken · 22/02/2021 10:46

You should pay.
His time is not without value.

nancy75 · 22/02/2021 10:46

It’s an hour he could have spent doing a other job & earning money - you should pay

MeanMrMustardSeed · 22/02/2021 10:47

Of course you should! He was there when you arranged and stayed as long as it took him to finish the job. Why on earth wouldn’t you pay?

MaggieFS · 22/02/2021 10:47

Annoying, but I think you'll have to pay because if he hadn't been waiting for you, he'd have been earning on another job.

Reallybadidea · 22/02/2021 10:47

It's annoying, but it seems fair enough to me.

SnuggyBuggy · 22/02/2021 10:47

You are partly paying for someone's time when you hire a tradesman so I don't see it as unreasonable.

isitsafetocomeoutyet · 22/02/2021 10:47

If you kept him waiting over an hour then yes pay him for waiting around for over an hour.

He could have taken on another job in that time.

Why do you think he should wait for an hour for you to get home?

Crosstrainer · 22/02/2021 10:49

Fair enough, sorry.

BettysButtons · 22/02/2021 10:50

If you arranged a time and kept him waiting until you arrived home you should pay.

An hour is a very long delay in traffic. Were you stuck behind a motorway accident or something?

Sillyduckseverywhere · 22/02/2021 10:51

What about when trades turn up to work hours late and then "go to the suppliers" for 2 hours?

LindaEllen · 22/02/2021 10:54

Assuming you'd agreed a time for him to come, and he's charging you from that time, then of course you should pay. He was tied up with your job (i.e. sitting outside your house) when he could be doing other things. Why should he waste his time for you, for free? Do you realise how long an hour is to be just sitting somewhere waiting? Do you also realise how difficult it's been for tradespeople to get work at the moment, with lots of people reluctant to get work done in their homes during lockdown?

Not only would I be paying this, but I'd be tipping him as well, to apologise for keeping him waiting for so long.

VettiyaIruken · 22/02/2021 10:55

You're paying for the job, not by the hour so it's not the same.
Bloody pain in the arse, but not hourly rates.

Original poster
BillER · 22/02/2021 10:56

Ok- that makes sense. Thanks everyone.

OP posts:
ClaudiaWankleman · 22/02/2021 10:56

What about when trades turn up to work hours late and then "go to the suppliers" for 2 hours?

Well if you're paying by the day then then you can query what was happening there. If you're paying for the job then it is in the worker's benefit to not waste time.
What's the issue?

ClaudiaWankleman · 22/02/2021 10:57

Not only would I be paying this, but I'd be tipping him as well, to apologise for keeping him waiting for so long

You don't tip for work done on your home - don't be ridiculous. You don't have to apologise for keeping him waiting - he's already been paid for the time!

FluffyHippo · 22/02/2021 11:01

@SnuggyBuggy

You are partly paying for someone's time when you hire a tradesman so I don't see it as unreasonable.
So when they're hours late starting, they take two-hour lunch breaks, go to the suppliers for a couple of hours or conveniently go to 'pick up another bit' at around three o'clock every afternoon, I don't have to pay them? I can work out their hourly rate and deduct if from the final bill?

Great!

SnuggyBuggy · 22/02/2021 11:02

I didn't say most of them weren't total cunts Wink

FluffyHippo · 22/02/2021 11:04

@LindaEllen

Assuming you'd agreed a time for him to come, and he's charging you from that time, then of course you should pay. He was tied up with your job (i.e. sitting outside your house) when he could be doing other things. Why should he waste his time for you, for free? Do you realise how long an hour is to be just sitting somewhere waiting? Do you also realise how difficult it's been for tradespeople to get work at the moment, with lots of people reluctant to get work done in their homes during lockdown?

Not only would I be paying this, but I'd be tipping him as well, to apologise for keeping him waiting for so long.

Read the original post.

For a start, this wasn't a job - it was for him to give a quote for a potential job. In essence it was him looking for employment from you, so why the hell is he even charging you?

FluffyHippo · 22/02/2021 11:06

It's like me going to an all-day teaching interview somewhere and charging the potential employer £25.75 per hour that I'm there - my usual hourly rate for sessional teaching.

SpongeBobJudgeyPants · 22/02/2021 11:09

No, because people understand that you don't get paid for interviews Hmm

Original poster
BillER · 22/02/2021 11:13

Thanks for replying. My instinct is to pay (of course) but this was a job for a free quote so I'm not sure what the legal position is.

OP posts:
user85963842 · 22/02/2021 11:17

Tbh as it was for a free no obligation quote I wouldn't pay, he decided to stay, he didn't have to. If it was during the job itself then I can see the argument, but if I was him I'd have given up after 20 mins. I don't see on what grounds he could make you pay.

RogersVideo · 22/02/2021 11:21

People understand that you don't pay for quotes, either.

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