Quotation by Agent less that contractor is charging, who should pay the extra?

[Lady_K]

I had a quotation for a concrete garage from a local agent, part of the quote included the separate price for the base to be slightly extended and skimmed. This did not say estimate, it said quote.

The person that does the bases apparently does not work for agent but they provide him with work, I'm not sure if they get any commission from his work.

The agent quoted £800 for the base complete with prep to completion and said it would not change. The base builder came to view the job and said its £950 and that hes doing it cheaper as it should be £1100. When the base is done I have to pay him not the agent.

 

I called the agent to tell them as I agreed to have the garage from them based on the overall quote but the person that did the quote was not in that day and the lady said she would inform her when she was back in which was last Tuesday 18th and she has not called me to discuss this as yet, I have a feeling she isn't going to either.

 

How do I stand, should the agent compensate me for this extra £150 or do I have to just accept it and pay the extra? How should I go about handling this situation?

[AndyOrch]

Have you only had the one quote? 2-3 is the norm....to make a fair comparison.

 

Regards

 

Andy

[Lady_K]

Yes just the one quote, I usually have several but with this I wanted a local company and I think the prices are similar all over, its a Hanson garage. I assumed that the local company were going to put it up but it became apparent that they just get the sales and then Hanson do the building after the base is prepared, I only found this out afterwards. I don't want to cancel it now as I would still have the same garage and the old was has been taken down now. I think the lady that quoted me is the manager of the local buisiness

[Conniff]

Has the work been completed ?

[Lady_K]

No the work has not been completed, the deposit was paid some time ago when I first got the quote and due to the agents messing up organising jobs and dates its been delayed by 1 month for the garage to be put up.

 

 

The base is due to be done now on 17th Sept, still no call back from the agents on their under quoting the base cost. Do I have any rights to expect them to pay the extra cost of it?

[Conniff]

How did you pay the deposit and was it substantial ?

 

 

You shouldn't talk to them on the phone any further but by letter and if it is an important letter it should be sent by recorded delivery.

 

 

If the company is this bad before starting work, can you trust they will be there for you should something go wrong down the line after completion! I don't think I would trust a company like this especially when there are so many companies that will treat you as a valued customer.

[Lady_K]

Thanks for your reply

 

I paid the deposit by phone to the Agent with debit card, it was about £485.00 which went directly to Hansons as its showing as deposit on the order confirmation copy that Hansons posted to me.

 

The incompetence of the Agents who it states are a family owned and operated buisiness that sell sheds and garden buildings and have Hanson garages on show at their site didn't become obvious until after the deposit was paid when things started to wrong with dates, communication, organisation and planning.

 

On the quotation there is also separate quotes for the dismantling and removal of the asbestos garage and one for the fitting of the electrics afterwards, the electric job price is clearly stated as 'estimate' and the word estimate is definitely missing from the garage base skim price.

 

Should I inform Hansons of this problem with their Agents?

 

In the letter to the Agents should I directly ask them to pay the £150 they under quoted for the base to

the builder themselves?

 

I have now found out that the lady that did the quote is the managing director, don't know if that makes any difference or not.

Edited August 24, 2015 by Lady_K
to add info

[Conniff]

Personally I would write to them requesting a refund and if they refuse, do a chargeback on your card at your bank and then start again getting more quotes with reputable companies.

[Lady_K]

Thankyou,

 

Hansons garages are a reputable company that the garage is coming from and is being installed by, the deposit went to Hansons via the agents. I don't think cancelling will make a lot of difference apart from me having to go back to the beginning of the wait list and I would still want the same garage anyway so it would just mess things up more. Hansons will cover the guarantee not the agents.

 

Its the £150 under quote from the agent I need to find out about, whether the agents are liable to cover this extra cost as they obviously did not check with the builder first before quoting and now I'm left having to pay the extra which I hadn't expected from the quote

[Conniff]

As they wont want their reputation tarnished, ask them if they can recommend someone for you.

 

 

You should inform Hansons of the discrepancy, maybe this sub contractor is just seeing a way to make a few extra pounds.

[Conniff]

Who actually sent the sub contractor ?

 

 

If it was you found him, then get another quote from others. If it was Hansons, then they really need to know as they will have worked out a price to fit their garages.

[Lady_K]

Thanks again

 

The agent sent the sub contractor, Hansons only provide the garage and put it up.

 

I did call Hansons and they told me to call the agent manager and see what she said even though she hadn't called me back in over a week.

 

When I called the agent back again and asked the secretary if she had passed on my enquiry to the manager she said yes and it was up to the contractor how much he charges and has nothing to do with them. I told her it was stated in the quote I received and agreed to so it should have been up to the manager to clear that with the contractor before giving me the quote in the first place then and to please ask her to call me back to discuss it.

 

The manager called back in about 10 mins saying she had just spoken to the contractor and told him that they were prepared to forgo their commission from his work if he would agree to charge me the £800 quoted but I don't believe they would have done this if I had just accepted it quietly and paid the contractor £950, they really should check with the contractor first before quoting or at least state estimate.

 

Thankyou for your help

[Conniff]

Do not pay the contractor any money upfront If he is not willing to do the work before payment then use another.

[ibberty bibberty]

You have a legally binding contract that is extant with the agent as regards his quotation provided for the works to be done relating to your garage. The agent’s conscience is irrevocably bound to the same. (as is yours, however, you are not in breach of the same, the agent is)

 

 

Therefore, if the sub-contractor (the base layer) seeks a payment over and above the said quotation, he must look to the agent (main contractor) for any such extra payment, you are not legally responsible for the same, the agent is.

 

 

Send the agent an email and tell him it is his legal responsibility to perform his obligations under the contract with you and therefore he is responsible for the extra payment of £150.00 sought by the builder whom he sub-contracted the works out to lay the base of the garage and that unless and until the agent fulfils his contractual agreement with you he will remain in fundamental breach of the same and that you are considering taken legal action against him if the said breach continues and you will seek costs against him if such action should become necessary.

 

 

Give the agent 7 days to comply with his obligations under the contract.

 

 

Post back here any response you receive from the agent. Do not pay the sub-contractor any money he seeks that is over and above the said quotation.

 

 

ibberty bibberty

[Lady_K]

Thankyou very much for your advice, I definitely wont be paying the base layer above the quoted price. I am sure there wont be any more issues with it as the agents have agreed to pay the extra and I only have to pay the base layer the quoted £800, they know they have no choice now.