Call Out Charge, Price Per Hour

[skcollobcat10]

Hello,

 

I don't know if I have posted this in the right place but feel free to move it if necessary.

 

 

I needed my stairlift looking at because it was stopping at intervals going up the stairs. I turned the switch off and then on again and then it would go up a little bit more and then stop.

 

I telephoned a repair company up to ask them what their charges for an engineer to visit would be. The gentleman in the office said approx £40 per hour, so I said that was fine and arranged a couple of days later for an engineer to visit, he was on a job in the morning and was to visit my house in the afternoon.

 

He arrived at 1.20pm and left at 2.00pm (40 minutes) - he gave me a sheet of paper to sign that said the hourly rate had increased to £58 per hour + call out charge of £28.50 fair enough.

 

He cleaned the track with a Dettol wet wipe and rubbed the inside of the track with sandpaper and that was it, then left. I only let my carers clean the track with a damp cloth myself.

 

I have just received the bill today, on it he has charged the call out fee of £28.50 but on the hourly rate he has put down £58.00 for 4 hours. Never once did anybody mention travelling time. I don't know what to think. The final bill is £260.50.

 

Is this correct and I just have to pay?

 

I haven't got a problem with the call out charge or the hourly rate, but nobody told me that they would include travelling time in the hourly rate.

 

Well just spoken with them I was very polite and explained that nobody had told me about the travelling costs. I told them I knew about the hourly rate and also the call out fee but was not told about the travelling costs.

 

So the job to use a dettol wet wipe and sand paper on my stairlift cost as follows:

 

£28.50 Call out charge

40 minutes (max in the house) = £58 per hour labour

£28.50 + £58 = £86.50

 

left on bill £174.00 to pay - (88 miles around trip, checked on mulitmap 1hr 10 minutes each way) = £1.97 per mile

 

I have worked it out 44 miles each way between my house and their company £174 @ £1.97 per mile!

 

What a farce

 

Thanks

[Conniff]

I would just pay the bill as per the piece of paper you signed and no more. If it don't say anything anywhere about travelling, there aint none.

 

Would you like to pm me the name of the company and then I can look some things up?

[buzby]

They cannot expect to be paid the same amount for travelling as they do for repairing. Even if explicity mentioned. it invalidates the call out charge, as you;d be paing for the call out, and the travelling time - so they get two bites of the cherry. They could opt for one OR the other (probably the most profitable( but in your situation I write q quick note enclosing a ckeque for the call out fee and the hours/time actually worked, saying they;ve probably missed that they've charged twice for travelling (callout) and labour. For good measure, say that your cheque is in full and final settlement of their account.

 

If they're really being greedy, cash it and then come back - you're covered.

[loopinlouie]

They definately sound dodgy to me, should do as advised and only pay what quoted in first place xx If there call out charges do not cover your area to travel to, they should not take on/seek work there.

[skcollobcat10]

You have definately made me feel a lot better there! I was worried because I wondered if I was in the wrong.

 

I will write out a cheque and give it to one of the carers to post because my husband is away for the next 2 weeks and I can't get out of the house on my own with the electric wheelchair.

 

I was worried in case it caused a bad credit mark against me.

 

I just hope that they do not come knocking at the front door causing trouble as I am mostly on my own with carers coming and going.

[Conniff]

Not a lot on the company unfortunately. There are no terms and conditions or a pricing structure, just a 'give us a ring'.

 

I agree with Buzby, they can't add things onto the final bill if they haven't mentioned them previously.

[postggj]

the tradesmans fee as a norm these days is £65 an hour

 

THAT INCLUDES ANY CALL OUT CHARGE

 

ANYTHING OVER THE FIRST HOUR WILL BE CHARGED AGAIN WITH ANY PARTS FITTED

 

IF THE CRETIN WAS OINLY INN YOUR HOUSE FOR AN HOUR, THE MAX WOULD BE £65 POUNDS

[skcollobcat10]

the tradesmans fee as a norm these days is £65 an hour

 

THAT INCLUDES ANY CALL OUT CHARGE

 

ANYTHING OVER THE FIRST HOUR WILL BE CHARGED AGAIN WITH ANY PARTS FITTED

 

IF THE CRETIN WAS OINLY INN YOUR HOUSE FOR AN HOUR, THE MAX WOULD BE £65 POUNDS

 

Actually he was only in the house for 40 minutes, 15 minutes to do the job and the rest talking.

[postggj]

All He Will Be Entitled To Charge Then Would Be For The First Hour

 

Thats It

 

I Would Phone Your Local Trading Standards On This Lot

[skcollobcat10]

All He Will Be Entitled To Charge Then Would Be For The First Hour

 

Thats It

 

I Would Phone Your Local Trading Standards On This Lot

 

I did do in Scotland, but they weren't much help, man on the phone said they can charge what they like. I don't know if it is diffent in England.

[postggj]

Rogue Traders Come To Mind

 

Tell Me

 

On The Invoice, Is There Pluss Vat

 

Is There A Vat Registration Number

[skcollobcat10]

Rogue Traders Come To Mind

 

Tell Me

 

On The Invoice, Is There Pluss Vat

 

Is There A Vat Registration Number

 

Hello,

 

There is a VAT number on the sheet but I don't pay VAT because I am disabled, no VAT was added to bill but they did send an excemption certificate. So if you were not disabled the VAT would have been added to the bill making it even more expensive.

[postggj]

To Begin With, Phone Trading Standards In The Town/city Where This Company Is Based For Advice

 

This Is Appaling Charging For Milage

 

Never Heard Of Such A Thing Unless You Are A Taxi/courier

[jdes26]

i am a tradesman........... the call out fee covers ur travelling time and if your there 30 mins you charge the hr.......... ie £45 call plus [30mins] hourly rate of £35 total job £80. whoever it is there ripping the ass out of it.... in one word complain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[postggj]

Thanks Jdes26

 

Ripping Off A Vunrable Person Is Appaling

[skcollobcat10]

Thanks Jdes26

 

Ripping Off A Vunrable Person Is Appaling

 

Should I scan the bill and put it on the forum minus the address so you can see?

[jdes26]

when i use to work on call out a customer would ring and id say £45 call out £35 per hour no vat ... forcash a small bit off £10 ..... dont tell the taxman oopss.................... and had very happy customers .... back to the post tell them to sod offf!!!!!!!!

[postggj]

Please Do

 

Just Deleate Your Name And Address

 

TO POST GOOGLE PHOTOBUCKET

[skcollobcat10]

Please Do

 

Just Deleate Your Name And Address

 

TO POST GOOGLE PHOTOBUCKET

 

Here is the bill:

 

[jdes26]

omg............. there having a laugh!!!!!!

[loopinlouie]

The way I read it they are trying to charge for four hours work, if legit had said travel costs to be paid by you it would have listed it that way, naughty naughty firm.

[skcollobcat10]

Hiya,

 

Just checked the bank and the cheque I sent on Thursday night has come out of my account. The company has not been in touch either by phone or letter.

 

Once they have cashed the cheque is that it finished with?

 

Thanks

[buzby]

Insofar as you paid their demand, yes. Ideally you could use your non payment as a start to negotiation. Now they do not have to.

 

Your only recourse is to ask for a refund, and if this is refused court action to reclaim the amount unjustly overcharged, and let a judge decide!

[skcollobcat10]

Hiya,

 

This is what I sent:

 

£28.50 - Call Out Fee

£58.00 per hour - 40 minutes repair work

Total: £86.50

 

I note that you have mistakenly charged me twice for travelling (callout) plus labour.

Please find enclosed a cheque for £86.50 in full and final settlement of the account.

 

I think that by them cashing the cheque they have accepted that the original bill of £260 was wrong.

 

Is that correct?

[buzby]

No, they could take it as a 'payment to account'. To give it any other interpretation, you would need to have told them that you were in dispute, and your payment was 'in full and final settlement' of you account. To have any effect.