When should we pay?

[banoras]

In February, 2013 our neighbour's pool pump was submerged after lots of rain. It was the first big downpour since pool installed. 

He called a plumber, and asked if we minded the plumber coming on to our property and also checking our drainage outlets for any blockages, as ground/roof water off our property may have been adding to the problem. 

No problem with us, gave permission. There was a blockage which he fixed. The neighbour also had drainage problems, and combined (us and the neighbour) probably caused the pool pump damage. (which actually dried out OK and was going again without damage) 

We did ask the plumber to come back and do a simple job for us, preferably before end of May 2013.(that was to suit him, as he said his son, who worked for him,  was leaving)  We wanted an account for the work just done, but he said "wait until I come back". He didn't give any indication of the cost of the work just done. It was about 1/2 hour labour x 2  (he and his son) plus use of vibrator thing to locate the blockage, 10mins vibrator. 

The neighbour got his bill soon after though. 

He never came back to our house.    Earlier this month, Sept, six months later,  we finally got an account for $374, and addressed with wrong surname, because he never bothered to actually take our particulars.  Must have asked neighbour our name, and he's got it wrong. 

Because the account took six months to arrive, we had not budgeted for it, and so immediately paid $74, and asked if we could have six months to pay the balance...ie $50/month.  

We were told that that accounts are 7days terms only, and interest would be charged. We have been asked to pay $100/month for next 3 months, and if not, the account will be sent straight to a debt collector, after which we will be required to pay extra fees for the debt collector + interest. 

Would like to know our rights in this matter, CS posters are usually right up with this sort of thing. 

We have always paid our bills right on the dot, or before, but this time we're feeling just a tad bullied. 

[lurker17260]

JOHN HOWARD: Mr Reith was expressing a view that he thought the new system would be good in cracking down on tax cheats, and it will. And isn't that good.

I mean, isn't it good for the honest taxpayers of Australia for the first time you've had a government that's had the guts to introduce a system that is going to drag a lot of money out of the black economy.

http://www.abc.net.au/am/stories/s141515.htm

[twinkles**stars]

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@am*3 wrote:

Are you the poster that had leaking roof after gutter guard installation?

Would you have had $374 upfront if you got the bill at the time the work was done?

Plumbers charge $100 call out fee here, $374 doesn't sound bad for the work he had to do.

  We have been asked to pay $100/month for next 3 months, and if not, the account will be sent straight to a debt collector, after which we will be required to pay extra fees for the debt collector + interest. 

That sounds reasonable $25 p.w. Customers can't dictate the terms they will pay accounts/bills even if the bill was late in arriving. You have benefited from having the work done. The plumber has met you 'half' way and is not demanding total upfront .

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Yes same one 🙂

[freddie*rooster]

Let's face it his demands are rude and not good for return business.

To wait 6 months to bill for his work, then to demand payment in 7 days, then to deny you a payment plan which was reasonalable,  he needs to be named and shamed. Do the hinch on him, tell everyone you come in contact with what an unreasonable sod he is.

[twinkles**stars]

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@freddie*rooster wrote:

Let's face it his demands are rude and not good for return business.

To wait 6 months to bill for his work, then to demand payment in 7 days, then to deny you a payment plan which was reasonalable,  he needs to be named and shamed. Do the hinch on him, tell everyone you come in contact with what an unreasonable sod he is.

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Wow! And here we have the OP's word only. His demands are more than reasonable....he did the work and is owed money. The OP accepted a verbal contract and needs to pay.

He could well put the OP on a bad credit list, making life in the future hard.

[*ibis]

The OP accepted a verbal contract

i must have missed that part

where was that at?

[cherry*135]

What is unreasonable about paying it off  @ $100 a month? $25 a week. It was not a $1000+ bill. 

If the OP was sent the invoice within a week of the work being done would she/he been able to pay it upfront then? Or would they still have said I can only pay that in instalments.

I personally never got any work done by tradespeople, unless I get a written quote first, so I know what it is going to cost beforehand, and whether I can afford to get it done.

The work was done, has to be paid for sometime. I would have tracked the plumber down to get the invoice off them.. put some money aside in the meantime.

I never got a final electricty bill last year after disconnection due to moving house - I  phoned after 6 weeks asking for the bill, they said should be out soon.. called back after a month.. said they would look into it, they sent an incorrect one, said they would fix it, months later sent the same incorrect one.. called them again (they always acknowledged the amount was incorrect) said they would fix it.. then the debt collectors started calling me. My point is I knew I would owe them money so I chased them up.

In the end  (5mths later) I went to the Energy Ombudsman and said I want the debt collectors to stop calling me & the  bill wiped because I have spent 5 months trying to get an accurate bill from the electricity provider and they have failed to do so. The Energy provider wiped it.

[**meep**]

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@freddie*rooster wrote:

Let's face it his demands are rude and not good for return business.

To wait 6 months to bill for his work, then to demand payment in 7 days, then to deny you a payment plan which was reasonalable,  he needs to be named and shamed. Do the hinch on him, tell everyone you come in contact with what an unreasonable sod he is.

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I'm still interested in what Fair Trading would advice in this matter because I'm pretty sure it would not be that ^^^   

[twinkles**stars]

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@*ibis wrote:

The OP accepted a verbal contract

i must have missed that part

where was that at?

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A verbal contract is undertaken where there is no written contract. The OP accepted the services of the tradesman hence a verbal contract.

[cherry*135]

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@*ibis wrote:

The OP accepted a verbal contract

i must have missed that part

where was that at?

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We did ask the plumber to come back and do a simple job for us, preferably before end of May 2013

[polksaladallie]

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@*ibis wrote:

The OP accepted a verbal contract

i must have missed that part

where was that at?

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He called a plumber, and asked if we minded the plumber coming on to our property and also checking our drainage outlets for any blockages, as ground/roof water off our property may have been adding to the problem. 

No problem with us, gave permission. There was a blockage which he fixed