Fuming to say the least (1 Viewer)

irnbru

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We put our (new to us) MH into the local repair centre with whom we gave business to last year when we had an awning fitted....Anyway after a recent discussion with them at the SEC we went ahead and gave them our MH to have a twin reversing camera fitted. The reversing camera cost £170 and we were quoted approx. £150 to fit. The garage has just been on the phone to say its fitted but costs £400...wait for it...with them taking a hit cause labour was much longer than they anticipated. Was more or less told they are a big company so really don't need my business...What happened to "The customer IS your business"

Shouldn't they have advised beforehand....I know they are members here so hope we maybe both take..if necessary something from your replies.
 

Minxy

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We put our (new to us) MH into the local repair centre with whom we gave business to last year when we had an awning fitted....Anyway after a recent discussion with them at the SEC we went ahead and gave them our MH to have a twin reversing camera fitted. The reversing camera cost £170 and we were quoted approx. £150 to fit. The garage has just been on the phone to say its fitted but costs £400...wait for it...with them taking a hit cause labour was much longer than they anticipated. Was more or less told they are a big company so really don't need my business...What happened to "The customer IS your business". Shouldn't they have advised beforehand....I know they are members here so hope we maybe both take..if necessary something from your replies.

I can't decide from what you're saying whether the cost for labour was £400 and THEY are only asking you to pay the £150 quoted, or if they are asking you to pay the full £400 for it? If the former than just pay it and get your MH back, if the latter then tell them to go forth and multiply! They key is that they gave you a quote (assuming it was a quote not an estimate?) and on that basis you went ahead with the work. They cannot then simply up their labour costs because they under-calculated for the work. If it was an estimate then I believe they can increase this by up to 10% of the original cost, so that would make £165 max.
 

jhorsf

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You say you had a "quote" was this in writing was it an estimate

please read this then reply

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irnbru

irnbru

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in my opinion we were qiven a quote though not in writing.
 

MHVirgins

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Did you get a firm "quotation" in writing?

If not, they should've at least had the decency to phone you and explain that the cost with time/labour was going to be higher that what they originally said and to check if you wanted them to continue with the job or not.

I think they're milking it a bit, but I wouldn't give the go-ahead to a job unless it was a firm quotation. But I feel they should still have done the decent thing and phoned you to explain and get your thoughts on the increased price.

Bill
 

jhorsf

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We put our (new to us) MH into the local repair centre with whom we gave business to last year when we had an awning fitted....Anyway after a recent discussion with them at the SEC we went ahead and gave them our MH to have a twin reversing camera fitted. The reversing camera cost £170 [HI]and we were quoted approx. £150 to fit. [/HI] The garage has just been on the phone to say its fitted but costs £400...wait for it...with them taking a hit cause labour was much longer than they anticipated. Was more or less told they are a big company so really don't need my business...What happened to "The customer IS your business"

Shouldn't they have advised beforehand....I know they are members here so hope we maybe both take..if necessary something from your replies.




that is not a quote its an estimate by your own words "approx."

as I read it you have to pay an extra £80 as you were expecting £320?
pay up and chalk it down to experience and next time get a "quote in writing"
Just my opinion based on what you have told us




from cab link I posted above
What is an estimate?

If you were given an estimate, you might think you agreed a price beforehand. However, unlike a quotation, an estimate is not an offer to do the job for that amount but just the trader's best guess as to how much the work will cost. This means that the trader can charge you more than the estimate. However, any extra charged must be reasonable. If you don't think the extra charged is reasonable, you can dispute it. You should use the estimate as a starting point for negotiation with the trader.

Has the trader broken the law

If the amount you are being asked to pay is a great deal more than the estimate you were given, the trader could be breaking the law. You should report them to Trading Standards.
 
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Minxy

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Sadly I would say this is no more than an "estimate" if it's not in writing:Sad:

Bill
Even if it was an estimate they CANNOT increase it by that margin. The best thing to do is to get some Trading Standards advice on this.
 

Puddleduck

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that is not a quote its an estimate by your own words "approx."

as I read it you have to pay an extra £80 as you were expecting £320?
pay up and chalk it down to experience and next time get a "quote in writing"
Just my opinion based on what you have told us

I agree but with the cost being so much more than expected I would have expected a phone call. Perhaps the garage had reached the "point of no return" when they realised how much over the estimate it was going. :Sad:

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Apr 13, 2012
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We fit fireplaces and stoves.

If we give a price for fitting in the showroom it is an estimate.

The fitter then has a choice - fit to our price or survey (most cases) and quote more accurately.

The price is then fixed, regardless of any extra time taken - mistakes are written off to experience:thumb:
 

MHVirgins

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Personally, I would go back to the garage and ask them to justify the additional amount..........get them to prove how they've spent the time and "negotiate" from this point on......
Always worth a go.

Bill
 

jhorsf

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I was once ripped off by a caravan and motorhome company to the sum of about 60£ to date I have bought several caravans and 2 motorhomes since I consider it money well spent as I could have made all those large purchases through them before I found out what sort of cowboys they were.

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irnbru

irnbru

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I just remembered I have an app on my phone which I forgot about..It records calls, on playing it he clearly states he gave me a quote!
 
Feb 24, 2013
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It may not be the case here, but I really object to being told a price that is exclusive of VAT, but not told that, then being given a bill for 20% more than expected

I do have my own business that is VAT registered, and by good fortune have my MH on my books, however I know that I am in a very small minority

The difference in the price here is very similar to a VAT addition

That said, I do think you had an estimate and need to put it down to experience and next time get a fixed price, presuming they will give one. I suspect they would have quoted a much higher price on the basis. How many times have we all been caught by unexpected extras, I am still being ripped off, but less often with experience
 
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I personally would definitely not pay the extra. I would seek advice from CAB Specialist Support to confirm you are within your rights and as you also have a recording of the phone call I would play it back to them. This is their learning curve not yours so they will know to do a more realistic quote in future!!

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daisy mae

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I had a price from RhinoInstalls to fit my twin cameras, he did so for the price he said, I like to know how much I have to pay out for jobs done so that I can budget, not have an open ended price, had this once with a garage, the price was inflated by £150 as he said it took him longer than he thought, now I ask more than once for the all inclusive price before hand, hope you get it sorted, I wouldn`t be pleased, blow putting it down to experience, the firm wouldn`t get my business ever again, and word gets round, bad reviews goes round quicker than good ones and people remember, so name and shame so that others don`t get caught out like that.
 
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irnbru

irnbru

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I had a price from RhinoInstalls to fit my twin cameras, he did so for the price he said, I like to know how much I have to pay out for jobs done so that I can budget, not have an open ended price, had this once with a garage, the price was inflated by £150 as he said it took him longer than he thought, now I ask more than once for the all inclusive price before hand, hope you get it sorted, I wouldn`t be pleased, blow putting it down to experience, the firm wouldn`t get my business ever again, and word gets round, bad reviews goes round quicker than good ones and people remember, so name and shame so that others don`t get caught out like that.

He basically told me theres only one of me and hes a big company. I pointed out even although Im self employed I know how vital business can be..I may be only spending a few hundred today but who knows in the future it COULDVE been a few thousand. all sales add up to a wage at the end of the day as far as Im concerned.

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TheBig1

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if the company made an offer to treat by way of a quotation and the buyer accepted that offer, it forms a contract. attempting to charge more is a breach of contract

your obligating is limited to the agreed price of the quote, pay them that in total and suggest he takes you to court for any extra amount. he wont do that of course because he couldnt win in court.

if the trader is a member here, name and shame so that others dont get ripped off
 

Dogeared

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It sounds like that they were incompetent. If they do not know what it costs to fit a camera, then they shouldn't offer to do it. As previously said name and shame, at the least get them to look at the forum as consider what so many other customers think of their practices
 
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irnbru

irnbru

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if the company made an offer to treat by way of a quotation and the buyer accepted that offer, it forms a contract. attempting to charge more is a breach of contract

your obligating is limited to the agreed price of the quote, pay them that in total and suggest he takes you to court for any extra amount. he wont do that of course because he couldnt win in court.

if the trader is a member here, name and shame so that others dont get ripped off

I agree. When we asked him if he wanted a deposit his answer was no I have your MH, so I guess its a case of pay up, name n shame but im off to see him in the morning so will see what develops then
 

Puddleduck

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I agree. When we asked him if he wanted a deposit his answer was no I have your MH, so I guess its a case of pay up, name n shame but im off to see him in the morning so will see what develops then

Remind him that even big companies go bust when the work dries up.

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daisy mae

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If he had said that there is only one of me and their a big company, how dare he, too big for his boots obviously, the arrogance, doesn`t deserve to be in business, come on who is it,? it is only fair to others on here to say who it is, otherwise all companies are going to be viewed with suspicion.
 
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irnbru

irnbru

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If he had said that there is only one of me and their a big company, how dare he, too big for his boots obviously, the arrogance, doesn`t deserve to be in business, come on who is it,? it is only fair to others on here to say who it is, otherwise all companies are going to be viewed with suspicion.

Oh don't you worry, I can assure you I will name and shame 2mor after I have it out with him 2mor and get our MH back. Maybe some people think cos its female they are dealing with then they are easily pushed over...not me, game on!
 

TheBig1

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many many years! since I was a kid
just wondering if this was Swinton mh repairs in Queenslie that you mentioned before?

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[HI]He basically told me theres only one of me and hes a big company[/HI]. I pointed out even although Im self employed I know how vital business can be..I may be only spending a few hundred today but who knows in the future it COULDVE been a few thousand. all sales add up to a wage at the end of the day as far as Im concerned.

Aye, and anyone can do a lot of damage to the image and reputation of a "big company" using the power of t'interweb, and especially social networks. :Doh:
 
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daisy mae

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Oh don't you worry, I can assure you I will name and shame 2mor after I have it out with him 2mor and get our MH back. Maybe some people think cos its female they are dealing with then they are easily pushed over...not me, game on!


ARRR! I see, I am a female and traders think they can get away with things, in my case, when I was on my own and had my own house , builders shoddy building work, plumber putting plastic joint on a copper pipe and flooding my kitchen, garage inflating a price when I went to pay, what hurts and upsets me , apart from doing it in the first place, why they do they think they can get away with it, I always paid as soon as job was finished that day and in cash, now not so stupid, I double check.


Good luck tomorrow.
stick to your guns.

Margaret
 
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MHVirgins

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ARRR! I see, I am a female and traders think they can get away with things, in my case, like shoddy building work, plumber putting plastic joint on a copper pipe and flooding my kitchen, garage inflating a price when I went to pay, what hurts and upsets me , apart from doing it in the first place, why they do they think they can get away with it, I always paid as soon as job was finished that day and in cash, now nor so stupid, double check.


Good luck tomorrow.
stick to your guns.

Margaret

Agree, it doesn't always do to pay immediately and in cash, we've done this on occasions only to find at a later date that something wasn't done as it should have been. Then later on when you try to get them back to sort it out they're not interested........got the cash, don't care a jot!

When we moved here 15 years ago, I was ready to pay a particular tradesman the amount he quoted after he'd done a job, but a friend said that's not how we do things around here! The tradesman will bill you later on..........which is handy if you discover that something needs attention after he's gone......do it right or don't get paid.

You don't always notice "everything" immediately after work has been done either. Sometimes a bit of time to inspect things can be a good thing:thumb:

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