Plumber left my house in a dangerous state

amargar

Hello,

Please read to the end because this is worth it.

Hired a plumber online based on his good reputation. Agreed on a price for an immersion tank replacement.

Day comes, he doesn't come, he sends somebody else. New plumber does a horrible job. Floods my utility room, stains my carpet, leave blood and grease on the walls, breaks a pipe that causes damage to my wallpaper that left me 5 days with heating barely working and worst of all, he wired the thermostat incorrectly (I have pictures) what caused the water in the tank to boil the next day, and flood in my attic. In normal circumstances, the excess of hot water flows into the tank in the attic, but in an unexpected turn of events, he took the pipe out while installing the tank so the boiling water came out into the attic and damaged both my attic and my bedroom ceiling. Thank god I found this on time and I could stop it.

Now, it's 100% clear that the guy I hired will fix all the damages and leave my house in the same state as it was before we hired him, this is already agreed.

My question is, what are my options now? I can go online and name him, what would probably damage his reputation, but I don't want to do that given that he didn't do the actual job. What I want is to dispute the money I paid and get a refund, given that this is not the work I expected when I hired him.

Is this worth to pursue? Am I legally entitled to dispute the cost even if at the end the job is completed and the damage is repaired?

Even if everything gets sorted at the end, I can't let go the fact that he put my family and my house in danger. There was literally boiling water falling over me.

I don't have a bill for the job because I forgot to ask for one, but it's all agreed through an online portal.

olestoepoke

I would name and shame both if I could. Especially the guy you hired, he was too busy and greedy so sub-contracted the job to another plumber who was most probably working for a cheaper price than what you were paying the original guy. Important to warn people about bad tradesmen. I also wouldn't give anymore money until everything was perfect and any damage repaired and even then I'd be weary if they did do a good job. Valuable lessons learned here. Always ask the guy who looks at the job if he will be the one actually doing the work and tell them you don't want the job subcontracted and the number one rule is always hold a good portion of the money back till the job is completed and done correctly. In your case I wouldn't pay them another penny.

Tzardine

Let the plumber sort the issues and do the job he was contracted to do.

Then let it go.

punisher5112

If the job will be rectified and to a good standard then you have no case.

If the job is done but damage not rectified then you can go after for costs to repair.

You can't just now decide oh I'm not paying.

Yes it was poor and the guy that done the work was either an apprentice or not a plumber at all.

If you suffered any injuries or others then of course you could look for medical expenses etc but as you didn't then you have no case.

Unfortunately these things can happen and it's definitely a poor show from him but at least you know now and can use someone else in future.

Berserker5

Tzardine wrote: »

Let the plumber sort the issues and do the job he was contracted to do.

Then let it go.

He'll ever get everything sorted though

Not with the original contractor

olestoepoke

Tzardine wrote: »

Let the plumber sort the issues and do the job he was contracted to do.

Then let it go.

Let it go? You mean don't warn the next unsuspecting homeowner about these cowboys so they can hand over their hard earned money.

punisher5112

Berserker5 wrote: »

He'll ever get everything sorted though

Not with the original contractor

How do you know this. He has to be given the chance to do so.

amargar

Thanks for the answers.

I'm not paying more money. I expect my house damage to be repaired, if he fails to do so on a reasonable time I will arrange it to be fixed myself and I will claim it back.

Regarding letting it go, I'm happy to let go all the mistakes that were made given that they are going to be rectified. What I can't let go is the fact that he sent a person unqualified to do the job (he even asked me if I knew how to wire the thermostat, what led me to my suspicion after the damage was done) and left my house in a way that could have caused damaged to my family. That's not what I paid and I would like to dispute the cost of it.

amargar

olestoepoke wrote: »

Let it go? You mean don't warn the next unsuspecting homeowner about these cowboys so they can hand over their hard earned money.

You are right, I'm morally obliged to name and shame, but I still want some money back.

punisher5112

amargar wrote: »

Thanks for the answers.

I'm not paying more money. I expect my house damage to be repaired, if he fails to do so on a reasonable time I will arrange it to be fixed myself and I will claim it back.

Regarding letting it go, I'm happy to let go all the mistakes that were made given that they are going to be rectified. What I can't let go is the fact that he sent a person unqualified to do the job (he even asked me if I knew how to wire the thermostat, what led me to my suspicion after the damage was done) and left my house in a way that could have caused damaged to my family. That's not what I paid and I would like to dispute the cost of it.

It is allowed as it's not a complete installation as in a re wire or new complete wire put in.

Yes it was bad I don't disagree but he must be allowed fix.

Why would more money be needed if you pay the agreed price.

You have to pay what you agreed.

Berserker5

punisher5112 wrote: »

How do you know this. He has to be given the chance to do so.

Long time experience as a contractor

He'll come and do a bit and fob off the damage etc.

punisher5112

Berserker5 wrote: »

Long time experience as a contractor

He'll come and do a bit and fob off the damage etc.

I've experienced some of this too.... Some will actually sort it.

If they don't the op can claim off their insurance or small claims.

Sleeper12

You want the original plumber to rectify everything. Make you hole again AND you want a refund???

WTAF?

If original plumber does all of the work correctly, cleans the carpets and paints the ceiling why would you think that you don't have to pay for the job? If you went to court what would you be suing for? Pain & suffering?

Your not a FG TD by any chance?

amargar

punisher5112 wrote: »

It is allowed as it's not a complete installation as in a re wire or new complete wire put in.

Yes it was bad I don't disagree but he must be allowed fix.

Why would more money be needed if you pay the agreed price.

You have to pay what you agreed.

I was answering another person who said don't pay more money, what we agreed is already paid as I didn't see this things until he left.

The money we agreed wasn't for a job that left me 5 days without heating and hot water, and put me in danger (there was boiling water falling over me and this is because I caught very quickly). That's the reason I wanted to dispute the cost after I found out.

amargar

Sleeper12 wrote: »

You want the original plumber to rectify everything. Make you hole again AND you want a refund???

WTAF?

If original plumber does all of the work correctly, cleans the carpets and paints the ceiling why would you think that you don't have to pay for the job? If you went to court what would you be suing for? Pain & suffering?

Your not a FG TD by any chance?

The original quote didn't include me 5 days without heating or hot water and didn't also include boiling water coming down from the attic over me due to a incorrectly done wiring.

I never said I won't pay for the job.

punisher5112

amargar wrote: »

I was answering another person who said don't pay more money, what we agreed is already paid as I didn't see this things until he left.

The money we agreed wasn't for a job that left me 5 days without heating and hot water, and put me in danger (there was boiling water falling over me and this is because I caught very quickly). That's the reason I wanted to dispute the cost after I found out.

I fully understand, I would be annoyed myself.

I would suggest talk to him to his face and voice your concerns and maybe see would he do something as a gesture of goodwill such as a boiler service if he is permitted to do so such as rgi if it's gas.

Only thing I would do different is not pay the full amount until the work is completed in future.

As in maybe 50% or so and then on completion day the rest once everything is good.

Sleeper12

amargar wrote: »

The original quote didn't include me 5 days without heating or hot water and didn't also include boiling water coming down from the attic over me due to a incorrectly done wiring.

I never said I won't pay for the job.

So its pain & suffering you want. SCC doesn't do pain & suffering so no cheap option for you. Consult a solicitor

amargar

punisher5112 wrote: »

If the job will be rectified and to a good standard then you have no case.

If the job is done but damage not rectified then you can go after for costs to repair.

You can't just now decide oh I'm not paying.

Yes it was poor and the guy that done the work was either an apprentice or not a plumber at all.

If you suffered any injuries or others then of course you could look for medical expenses etc but as you didn't then you have no case.

Unfortunately these things can happen and it's definitely a poor show from him but at least you know now and can use someone else in future.

This is the answer I needed, thanks.

Thanks everybody for the responses, I will let the original plumber sort the issue and be sure it's named and shamed.

listermint

amargar wrote: »

The original quote didn't include me 5 days without heating or hot water and didn't also include boiling water coming down from the attic over me due to a incorrectly done wiring.

I never said I won't pay for the job.

Boiling water coming down over you.. surely you should be in hospital?

Or is this hyperbole

listermint

amargar wrote: »

This is the answer I needed, thanks.

Thanks everybody for the responses, I will let the original plumber sort the issue and be sure it's named and shamed.

Don't dare do this.

Boards policy does not allow this. You will be in legal trouble.

punisher5112

listermint wrote: »

Boiling water coming down over you.. surely you should be in hospital?

Or is this hyperbole

I'm sure they mean as in flowing down through the ceiling.

They didn't say they were burnt as caught in time.

Obviously the whole thing has been a considerable worry and stress nobody needs.

listermint

punisher5112 wrote: »

I'm sure they mean as in flowing down through the ceiling.

They didn't say they were burnt as caught in time.

Obviously the whole thing has been a considerable worry and stress nobody needs.

Obviously someone needs to be careful with their words then.

amargar

listermint wrote: »

Boiling water coming down over you.. surely you should be in hospital?

Or is this hyperbole

Yes, the hot press was below the attic door and when I was trying to turn it off there was hot water pipping out of the pipe and it started to come down from the attic. I didn't mean a stream of boiling water but believe me it wasnt pleasant

punisher5112

listermint wrote: »

Don't dare do this.

Boards policy does not allow this. You will be in legal trouble.

Word of mouth can be enough so I do hope he sorts it out and if he is a good plumber he learns from this himsel and does it right from the start in future.

amargar

listermint wrote: »

Don't dare do this.

Boards policy does not allow this. You will be in legal trouble.

what do you mean? I can't go online and leave a review on the portal that I use to hire him? I didn't mean to do it here

listermint

amargar wrote: »

what do you mean? I can't go online and leave a review on the portal that I use to hire him? I didn't mean to do it here

It came across as if you were going to do it here.

Berserker5

listermint wrote: »

Don't dare do this.

Boards policy does not allow this. You will be in legal trouble.

Boards doesn't but you are protected by law if you're merely telling the truth

punisher5112

amargar wrote: »

what do you mean? I can't go online and leave a review on the portal that I use to hire him? I didn't mean to do it here

Talk to him 1st before doing anything as he may well be a good one just an error made using someone to help out.

Look I can't say it's the 1st time or not but play it out and see.....

See what he can do for you as I said get a little extra out of such as a boiler service etc.

ted1

Tzardine wrote: »

Let the plumber sort the issues and do the job he was contracted to do.

Then let it go.

I wouldn’t trust him after that list if cock ups

punisher5112

ted1 wrote: »

I wouldn’t trust him after that list if cock ups

He didn't do the work, he needs to be allowed to sort the issues, if not then the op can use his insurance or small claims to be reimbursed any money owed from repairs carried out which they had to pay to rectify.

amargar

Thanks everybody for the answers, I can close this issue now.

I will give him the chance to fix all the issues that were caused by the other plumber (I don't want that other plumber near my house again).

I'm morally obliged to mention this on a review on the portal that I used to hire him, but I will mention that the job wasn't done by him but by another person.

K.Flyer

amargar wrote: »

Thanks everybody for the answers, I can close this issue now.

I will give him the chance to fix all the issues that were caused by the other plumber (I don't want that other plumber near my house again).

I'm morally obliged to mention this on a review on the portal that I used to hire him, but I will mention that the job wasn't done by him but by another person.

If he returns and rectifies all of the issues and repairs all damage to your satisfaction make sure to include that in your review as well.
Accidents happen, it's how they are dealt with by the contractor that can be more important than anything's else.

FrancieBrady

Times have changed obviously. I'm no longer in the contracting business started by my grandfather and my dad, but I have two brother who still are.
If something like that happened (and unavoidable stuff did happen) the job would have been put right, the customer would only be charged for materials and we would have walked away apologising.

amargar

K.Flyer wrote: »

If he returns and rectifies all of the issues and repairs all damage to your satisfaction make sure to include that in your review as well.
Accidents happen, it's how they are dealt with by the contractor that can be more important than anything's else.

I will, but there's a difference here. If I take my car to the mechanic and when I go home I realise the heating is not working, and the mechanic comes back and fix it, I can forget (we are all human). If I go home and realised the brakes were unplugged (because he didn't know how to plug them) and out of pure luck I find out before something big could have happened, then I react in a different way.

If you go back to the original story, I was lucky to find out quickly this problem, if my wife would have been at home with my baby she wouldn't have known what to do and my house could have been flooded. It wasn't an accident because he DIDN'T know how to wire the thermostat and he admitted that to me.

I consider there's a difference between an accident (hitting a pipe by mistake and breaking it) and a negligence (wiring something wrong and left it in a dangerous way because you admitted you didn't know how to wire it)

Mango Joe

There's a lot of love and understanding happening on this thread regarding this, shall we call him, "Boss Plumber".

Wonderful comments in the spirit of:

"Ah sure if he fixes it all up why would you be moaning you silly person?"

"Stuff happens Dude, be cool like me"

The actual reality here is that at a time when Plumbers are making record profits this guy subcontracted out a job to some utter moron who could have seriously hurt the OP and his family and destroyed his house out of sheer, raw, entitled greed.

So should he not bear any responsibility or face any consequences? Even if its only to make him think twice about doing it to some other unfortunate family?????

Of course he should - He was well out of order and he'd admit it himself if he was honest enough....who could deny it?

ted1

punisher5112 wrote: »

He didn't do the work, he needs to be allowed to sort the issues, if not then the op can use his insurance or small claims to be reimbursed any money owed from repairs carried out which they had to pay to rectify.

He delegated the work to someone who should have done the job correctly, he is to blame.

Sleeper12

Mango Joe wrote:

So should he not bear any responsibility or face any consequences? Even if its only to make him think twice about doing it to some other unfortunate family?????

This falls under pain and suffering. SCC doesn't deal in this. OP will need to engage a solicitor to go down this route.

punisher5112

ted1 wrote: »

He delegated the work to someone who should have done the job correctly, he is to blame.

Did you read any of my posts..... Where did I say he isn't responsible????
Wtf

K.Flyer

ted1 wrote: »

He delegated the work to someone who should have done the job correctly, he is to blame.

Mango Joe wrote: »

[...]
Of course he should - He was well out of order and he'd admit it himself if he was honest enough....who could deny it?

According to the o.p.'s first post at the beginning of the thread the original contractor has already accepted liability and the o.p. is just waiting for the contractor to return in a timely manner to rectify the issues. Up to now the contractor is Not avoiding liability or blame.

amargar wrote: »

[...]
Now, it's 100% clear that the guy I hired will fix all the damages and leave my house in the same state as it was before we hired him, this is already agreed.

amargar

Yes, the original plumber has accepted the responsibility and agreed to come and fix all the damage. I already made clear that if he fails to do so I would arrange it myself and claim the money back.

My question was more about my options, can I claim some money back due to the work not being done because he sent an unqualified person? (I have proof that he was unqualified as I have pictures of the wiring he made, and I ended up 5 days without heating). I hired him based on his reputation, and what I got was a completely different thing

Tzardine

amargar wrote: »

Yes, the original plumber has accepted the responsibility and agreed to come and fix all the damage. I already made clear that if he fails to do so I would arrange it myself and claim the money back.

My question was more about my options, can I claim some money back due to the work not being done because he sent an unqualified person? (I have proof that he was unqualified as I have pictures of the wiring he made, and I ended up 5 days without heating). I hired him based on his reputation, and what I got was a completely different thing

You do not know that the person who did the work was unqualified. Having pictures of poor work does not prove this.

What do you want out of this at the end of the day? Once the contractor resolves the issues to your satisfaction, including any damage caused, what are you expecting?

Are you looking for compensation? If so, for what ? Putting aside the frustration and emotion of the debacle, what is your actual loss? Being without heating for 5 days? Is that it? These things happen in life.

Get the contractor to finish the work to your satisfaction, then move on. Chalk it down to experience and forget about it.

amargar

Tzardine wrote: »

You do not know that the person who did the work was unqualified. Having pictures of poor work does not prove this.

What do you want out of this at the end of the day? Once the contractor resolves the issues to your satisfaction, including any damage caused, what are you expecting?

Are you looking for compensation? If so, for what ? Putting aside the frustration and emotion of the debacle, what is your actual loss? Being without heating for 5 days? Is that it? These things happen in life.

Get the contractor to finish the work to your satisfaction, then move on. Chalk it down to experience and forget about it.

He wired an electronic component wrongly that would have caused my house to flood if it's not because by pure chance I saw when water started to come out. It could have perfectly happened without me there. He was unqualified because he asked me if I knew how to wire it, so he didn't know how to do it (not an accident).

Are you sure you would just let this go and forget?

punisher5112

I give up

italodisco

Don't name and shame until it's fixed, otherwise he'll probably try to sue foe defamation etc.

amargar

italodisco wrote: »

Don't name and shame until it's fixed, otherwise he'll probably try to sue foe defamation etc.

I don't have any intentions to name it here or to go on an online crusade to destroy his reputation. The portal where I hired him has a review system so I will just reflect what happened on it.

the_pen_turner

amargar wrote: »

Yes, the original plumber has accepted the responsibility and agreed to come and fix all the damage. I already made clear that if he fails to do so I would arrange it myself and claim the money back.

My question was more about my options, can I claim some money back due to the work not being done because he sent an unqualified person? (I have proof that he was unqualified as I have pictures of the wiring he made, and I ended up 5 days without heating). I hired him based on his reputation, and what I got was a completely different thing

sadly him wiring it wrong doesnt mean he inst qualified

Sleeper12

amargar wrote: »

He wired an electronic component wrongly that would have caused my house to flood if it's not because by pure chance I saw when water started to come out. It could have perfectly happened without me there. He was unqualified because he asked me if I knew how to wire it, so he didn't know how to do it (not an accident).

Are you sure you would just let this go and forget?

A qualified plumber doesn't have to know how to wire anything at all. They are plumbers & not electricians. That's not to suggest he did a good job but just pointing out bad wiring doesn't mean he isn't an unqualified plumber.

Sleeper12

amargar wrote: »

I don't have any intentions to name it here or to go on an online crusade to destroy his reputation. The portal where I hired him has a review system so I will just reflect what happened on it.

I have warned on boards several times about these online sites for tradesmen. There is no guarantee of qualification or quality. It's always better to get a recommended tradesman from family & friends if possible

Tzardine

amargar wrote: »

He wired an electronic component wrongly that would have caused my house to flood if it's not because by pure chance I saw when water started to come out. It could have perfectly happened without me there. He was unqualified because he asked me if I knew how to wire it, so he didn't know how to do it (not an accident).

Are you sure you would just let this go and forget?

Again, nothing actually happened. So you have suffered no loss.

And yes I would let it go and forget. Complete waste of time.