My tennant recently had a blocked toilet on a Sunday and contacted the PM. They arranged for a plummer who charged the following ;
Service call $40.00
Hire Fee (eel) $65.00
1 Hr labour $150.00
GST $25.TOTAL : $280.00
The area was western Sydney. I think I’ve been ripped off, especially by a plumber who doesn’t have their own eel ? Would I be within my rights to make a complaint about these charges ?
Thanks for your feed-back.
There is not much you can do now as far as I know. But this is a lesson learned for the next services. So if similar problem occur you should get price estimate (Quote) before sending plummer in. But if it is an emergency then there’s not much you can do.
Kind regards
Jet Dollars
[Retire Young, Retire Riches] [strum] Wanna discuss the Sharemarket: http://www.aussiestockforums.comLoL a plumber without an eel is like a painter without a paintbrush.
I think you have been had..
Also am i wrong or is their double GST on that eel hire?? (paid by plumber to the hire company and by you to the plumber)
Just curious how much of the pie did the PM get?
I certainly would complain about it.
emergency repairs are generally done as thatdid you not sign any amount for property management for expenses? eg 100 without contacting you?
I would question calling out one plumber without quotes. I would question any agent who ordered work done without quotes and contacting you. It isnt hard to make a few phone calls and ask for pricing.
DId they tell you what caused the blockage? was it tree roots?
garbage maybe tenants might have shoved down the loo?
Was it just too much, too old, or are we talking septic or sewer?There are so many varibales, but I certainly would want to know what caused the problem so that perhaps in the future you know there could be an occurance.
Just that my folks had problems with neighbours tree roots getting into their pipes which caused problems.
AN old place I rented used to block, but i didnt expect it the same day to be fixed, maybe the tenants could have been approached? (depends on circumstances), I might add the owner thought I was to blame for the blockage, which wasnt the case, so be careful with any assumptions with what might have been found (if anything)
Elves
” a blind man may see what a sighted man may not”
Hi,
If I were a plumber on a much earned day off, I would charge a bit more if I had to leave my family or friends to go and unblock someone else’s toilet..[fart]
I think that as a landlord, this is just one of those things that you have to grit your teeth about, but cop it sweet.
Problems like this never seem to happen between 9-5 on a week day – do they?
Del
The service call shouldve reflected a weekend call out.
When i was in a trade and tradesmen i still know thought that “emergency” work was a very good earn and as such didnt mind doing it.
Thats why Id like to know who got the eel hire fee?
Ring the plumber and put him on the spot and “never cop it sweet” as next time something happens you will get shafted again.
As Jet dollars says get a quote….
Originally posted by wilandel:Hi,
If I were a plumber on a much earned day off, I would charge a bit more if I had to leave my family or friends to go and unblock someone else’s toilet..[fart]
I think that as a landlord, this is just one of those things that you have to grit your teeth about, but cop it sweet.
Problems like this never seem to happen between 9-5 on a week day – do they?
DelI think can choose what they want to do in life. Those that choose to be a plumber know for the fact that’s there commitment if they want income.
I also believe there are other plumber who will charge much more, but also those who also charge much less.
Kind regards
Jet Dollars
[Retire Young, Retire Riches] [strum] Wanna discuss the Sharemarket: http://www.aussiestockforums.comOriginally posted by wilandel:Hi,
If I were a plumber on a much earned day off, I would charge a bit more if I had to leave my family or friends to go and unblock someone else’s toilet..[fart]
I think that as a landlord, this is just one of those things that you have to grit your teeth about, but cop it sweet.
Del
Could’nt have said it better myself, $40 sewrvice call fee on a weekend, and you are complaining ?????
Are you sure you really want to be a property investor??Originally posted by gmh454:[i}Could’nt have said it better myself, $40 sewrvice call fee on a weekend, and you are complaining ?????
Are you sure you really want to be a property investor??I think youve totally missed the point.
If the plumber charged the the call out fee @ $100 + $150/hr. I think that would be acceptable by the original poster, especially on a Sunday.
The eel hire to me is BS, it is a tool of the trade for a plumber.
I think someone that questions dodgy bills/quotes would be more successfull in property and business in general then someone that continually “takes it on the chin”.
Originally posted by SuperTed:I think someone that questions dodgy bills/quotes would be more successfull in property and business in general then someone that continually “takes it on the chin”.
[/quote]
As an accountant have been a spectator to property investors for a long time. For every 10 successes there is one problem for every ten problems there is one nightmare, everything from sleeping PM’s who let the house become unlettable to tennants who happily live in a house while it is easten by termites and only leave when it is way to late (did’nt want to complain as they did’nt like the idea of the chemical treatment )
If you are going to prty invest be realistic and go with the flow, long term you will win out on the averages but you will never win every one.
“especially by a plumber who doesn’t have their own eel ?”
Silly question, what’s an eel?
At the moment I have visions of the plumber stopping off at the pet store on the way.
Dave
I believe it’s the long spiral shaped tube thing that plumbers use to unblock pipes (please note that there’s a 99.999999999999999% chance that the term I used is not the true technical term for this tool) haha.
I am amazed that you would question this bill as it seems quite resonable to me. I have my own building company and also work for a larger building company and if i need to use an expensive piece of equipment that i dont always use then i charge for it wether i hire one or use my own equipment. I am a carpenter however if i need to use a bricksaw or similar expensive equipmet i charge for the use of my bricksaw to help the cost of purchase and maintenance. it is only fair that you pay for what you use.
You did not get ripped off in IMOSooner or later the man who wins is the man who thinks he can
I paid the total of $120 incl. GST (Tap Doctor) think they are Oz wide, and qualified plumber. This was to unblock toilet, I am in Perth. This was not on weekend however. We call equip’t here rota rooters, not all plumbers have this equipment.
I would be concerned about the hourly rate and would query this, even on weekend this is really over the top. You could always contact another plumber for comparison. Best way to find out if you have been ripped off.
Originally posted by Marisa:I paid the total of $120 incl. GST (Tap .
I would be concerned about the hourly rate and would query this, even on weekend this is really over the top.
The hourly rate will depend on where you live, for Sydney on a weekend thats fine and the call out fee was a bargain.
Don’t forget incomes and costs in some areas vary substantially. In my profession the diff in salary from Sydney to Perth can be 25-30% for the same position.
I thought it only fair that I now post the result of my grievance to the PM.
They stated that this invoice from the plumber was the icing on the cake having several had prior complaints about charges.
They queried the back plumbers rates about clearing roots, causing a blocked drain and what his charges for a call out on a Sunday would be. He stated $160 – $180 and he has his own eel.
The PM has agreed to for-go management fees on my two properties for a month saving me just shy of $100 difference. They also recognised the fact they didn’t contact me.
Thanks for everyone’s input.
Hi Guys,
As I read through this topic, what stuck out to me was the attitude of the posts.I’m talking about attitudes towards their properties, their tenants and the people whose services they employ.
Interesting….
Sue [biggrin]By the way, I believe the price was resonable for a Sunday call out. A lot of plumbers don’t own their own “eels”, “sewer snakes” or “Sewer rooter’s”. They start at $4000 for your basic model, unless you have a lot of sewers/stormies to unblock, it can be cheaper to hire them
“Be careful not to step on the flowers when you’re reaching for the stars”
Ticky
Well done, it is a tough thing to do questioning someone’s work or pricing.
You are the boss of your business so take charge, you may not win them all but at least you are taking an active interest in what happens to your money. $100 could be the annual profit on a cf+ property.
I do beleive that things are all about swings and round-a-bouts, but never asking the question always results in a no response.
Cheers
Leigh K[biggrin]I tend to agree with Diclem.
After all a blocked toilet is a serious problem and I suppose a sunday does incurr penalty rates.
I would only be pissed if the property manager did not call me first.
A few weeks ago it cost me $65 to turn a heater on. I did try myself but had no luck, nor did the tenant.
I believe an expense like this is just the nature of property investing.
Originally posted by Ticky:They stated that this invoice from the plumber was the icing on the cake having several had prior complaints about charges.
Based on this comment methinks the PM has been asleep on the job too.
But all said and done in the grand scheme of things these bills, albeit we don’t like paying for them, are part and parcel of property investment and need to be allowed for.
Derek
[email protected]Property Investment Support Available. Ongoing and never stopping. PM welcome.
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