Customer problem...advice needed.

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DeckmanAdam
Posts: 75
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2006 5:06 pm
Location: Chester

Post: # 24007Post DeckmanAdam

Thanks for all the replys, ill hold out for the letter.
Swift learning curve for me aswell looks like i may have to go about certain jobs in a different way.

Rich H
Posts: 884
Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2007 12:28 pm
Location: Reading

Post: # 24008Post Rich H

Agree with all the above. The burden of proof is with her.

A few years ago a client (who was nutty as a fruit cake) discovered a ring missing and, because our labourer was on his own clearing up on the day of the discovery, she accused him of stealing it. I suggested that perhaps she had mislaid it and to have a look again but she refused to talk to me further. The next thing I know, the police are at the door. They were very p'd off about the whole thing and apologetic but said they were required to follow up. They told her in the end to stop wasting their time. Fortunately for me, she had already paid.

I found out later that she found the ring in her handbag. Crazy woman. Thankfully the labourer was very good-natured about it and didn't take the hump nearly as much as I had.



Another time, I was accused of breaking someone's toilet. I got a plumber in to have a look and all it was was a bit of limescale had slipped under the seal causing water to run into the bowl continuously, just my bad luck it happened while we were there. I paid the bill to keep things friendly but the client was really unreasonable about the whole thing and it still bothers me now!!

stapleme
Posts: 47
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:31 am
Location: London

Post: # 24021Post stapleme

The old toilet usage is always a shameful experience ..
I was using a clients toilet just for a wee and there were terrible marks left in the bowl by someone else... I looked for a brush to scrub it down and not one in sight.... i didnt want to be blamed for this mess....What would you do...
just leave it??
or take a handfull of toilet paper and get in there and scrub away??
???
stapleme

matt h
Posts: 607
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2007 11:14 pm
Location: gosport

Post: # 24024Post matt h

leave it, had to clear a room that looked like the house of usher before i could even attempt to work in it once... some people just dont have any standards. Only refused point blank not to work in one property, you could smell it a couple of streets over iykwim:(
general builder, maintenance engineer, gas and plumbing installations, extensions etc

Dave_L
Site Admin
Posts: 4732
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:47 pm
Location: Somerset
Contact:

Post: # 24026Post Dave_L

stapleme wrote:The old toilet usage is always a shameful experience ..
I was using a clients toilet just for a wee and there were terrible marks left in the bowl by someone else... I looked for a brush to scrub it down and not one in sight.... i didnt want to be blamed for this mess....What would you do...
just leave it??
or take a handfull of toilet paper and get in there and scrub away??
???
Yeah, worst case scenario that! There's no way I'd be scrubbing off someone elses ginger wheelspins! Eurgh!
RW Gale Ltd - Civils & Surfacing Contractors based in Somerset

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seanandruby
Site Admin
Posts: 4713
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 11:01 am
Location: eastbourne

Post: # 24046Post seanandruby

years ago the council had to carry out extensive work on my mothers house. she made them all endless cuppas, bless her. one day she caught one pissing down the outside drain. she told me " i wondered how they managed because the toilet was out of action." :laugh:
sean

Dave_L
Site Admin
Posts: 4732
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:47 pm
Location: Somerset
Contact:

Post: # 24048Post Dave_L

seanandruby wrote:years ago the council had to carry out extensive work on my mothers house. she made them all endless cuppas, bless her. one day she caught one pissing down the outside drain. she told me " i wondered how they managed because the toilet was out of action." :laugh:
lol - what a classic!!!!!!! :D
RW Gale Ltd - Civils & Surfacing Contractors based in Somerset

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Tony McC
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Posts: 8346
Joined: Mon Jul 05, 2004 7:27 pm
Location: Warrington, People's Republic of South Lancashire
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Post: # 24326Post Tony McC

Knowing that Adam, being a decent sort of contractor, will have liability insurance, if the customer wants to pursue the broken hob, pass it over to the insurance company and see how far she gets with it. No witnesses; her word against yours; already paid-up for the work - she'll be lucky if they return her call!

It's good to see that many other contractors agree with my "don't risk it" approach. I never, ever wanted to be left in charge of the keys to a house, or to be given free access. There's enough to balls up outdoors without risking the interior! I know some clients think they are just being really helpful by allowing a contractor to wander in and out at will, but there's too much risk attached, and there's always one dodgy customer that will see it as a way to claim for new carpets or a nicked telly.
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lutonlagerlout
Site Admin
Posts: 15184
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 12:20 am
Location: bedfordshire

Post: # 24342Post lutonlagerlout

we have to go inside in the course of our work but we all use the slip on work boots which i find superior to lace ups anyway,also the golden rule

NO NUMBER 2s IN THE CLIENTS LOO UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE

nothing surer to upset folk,it would me thats for sure
LLL
"what,you want paying today??"

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DeckmanAdam
Posts: 75
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2006 5:06 pm
Location: Chester

Post: # 24347Post DeckmanAdam

Cheers tony,
I have told them about it so just waiting to see what happens next.
Going to take that approach myself now to make sure this never happens again.

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