[moonfish]

Just venting here is it just me or is there a load of cowboy plumbers out there got my boiler serviced last week after they left my water stopped heating I thought that was a bit of a coincidence rang them back they came out and told me my 3 motorized valves were gone cost would be 120 each and god knows how much for labour my thermostat gone and wiring as well very big job could be over 400 like I can afford this .took a look.myself seen switch on motorised valve broken off got new valve in hardware store for 40 euro hey presto system is working ......

This is on top off last year had another chancer out for service he told me my system was plumbed wrong way could cause my tank to explode cost will be 400 if I want it done right I rang a second bloke who told me he was chancing his arm nothing wrong with my system.

[gary71]

Originally Posted by moonfish

Just venting here is it just me or is there a load of cowboy plumbers out there got my boiler serviced last week after they left my water stopped heating I thought that was a bit of a coincidence rang them back they came out and told me my 3 motorized valves were gone cost would be 120 each and god knows how much for labour my thermostat gone and wiring as well very big job could be over 400 like I can afford this .took a look.myself seen switch on motorised valve broken off got new valve in hardware store for 40 euro hey presto system is working ......

This is on top off last year had another chancer out for service he told me my system was plumbed wrong way could cause my tank to explode cost will be 400 if I want it done right I rang a second bloke who told me he was chancing his arm nothing wrong with my system.

Sad but common, no cap on RGI's and no technical ability or experience required to be a RGI, this nonsense was planned and you are experiencing difficulties because of it, there are a lot of good RGI's out there but it is a lottery

[moonfish]

Ya there is good ones out there I've dealt with them but it is annoying to have some idiot talking complete crap god knows how many people are been conned

[gary71]

There is a installer removing copper pipework and cylinders, replacing it with plastic pipework and a combi, not because it's the best thing for his customer but because he can sell the copper, brutal.

[moonfish]

Thieves

[K.Flyer]

It never ceases to amaze me, the amount of pure Sh**e work being pawned off on unsuspecting people and the Bull that some people are being told by so called plumbers.
The amount of times I have been asked to price a replacement for someone who was told that their boiler has had it, only to find when I get there that a good service, maybe a new circulating pump, flush out and balance the system and everything is working fine again.
Like many here, we have many tales to tell, but I was wondering if a stickie thread could be started where we could post pictures of some of the Horrors we come across, no names or address' just pictures and a few lines for amusement.

[DGOBS]

I don't think a 'horrors' thread would achieve much, but I think a 'star rating' for installers and service engineers based on relevant (genuine) customer feedback could at least give the public a road map to decent RGIIs (and Oftec for oil)

[Cerbera]

There are good and bad people in every trade.

Also desperate people will stoop very low in search of money right now.

Ba5tards.

[gary71]

Originally Posted by DGOBS

I don't think a 'horrors' thread would achieve much, but I think a 'star rating' for installers and service engineers based on relevant (genuine) customer feedback could at least give the public a road map to decent RGIIs (and Oftec for oil)

We could use a online wall chart

[DGOBS]

Rate my plumber.ie?

[Joey the lips]

reputation says a lot. But with most people finding there favorite plumbers emergrating to oz or canada sometimes that small add in the free news paper is the only way to find a plumber and as plumbers will tell you. There not always plumbers there.

There is 2 things i do when getting an important job done in the house. For the purpose of explination imagine the company is called "Waterworks"

1. I call the company and ask for 3 references.Full name and address. This is why i dont mind giving a reference if i am happy with a job. Then i physically call to each reference. Be prepared. You might have caught the home owner at a wrong time.
I ask the home owner what work was done and were they happy. What aspect of there job were they not happy with. There is always one. So be careful. Its usually small stuff like carpets dirty. I finish by asking them how they found waterworks themselves and if they did not mind saying... How did they pay. Cash cheque or credit card. NEVER if you can help it pay for a job with cash. If the plumber insists on cash then have him sign the back of the cheque you made out to him. That way he is accepting the cash.

2. I then log onto the companies registration office or solocheck and check the company details. Here i should find company directors (Usually the plumber) and secratary. There registered addresses are also here. On cross referencing if there is any name on the references and the company website thats the same then i suspect a fraudalant reference. If the company has not itself registered in this manor then its most likely not trading according to standards. So be warned!

I have always givin a good trades person a reference or told them i would provide a reference to anyone on there behalf.

There is other things you can do. For example be away that john smith the plumber could give you his sister as a reference and she could be married to john jones and changed her name so they are related. This is why i always felt we should have a national register of references and if a reference was found to be provided by a relative then a fine imposed. If the plumbers are good then it would cost them little to register on the website because the references would come from good customers.


Anyway.... You catch my drift....


ps.the cro/solocheck report costs no more than 8 euro. Worth the money on a 2k and above job

[Plombier]

If the company has not itself registered in this manor then its most likely not trading according to standards.

If the plumber is a sole trader which most are you will not find any records in a company search.

The information you give here is totally wrong and I think you should rectify it.

[Mutha]

Sole traders are listed.

[Joey the lips]

Originally Posted by Plombier

If the plumber is a sole trader which most are you will not find any records in a company search.

The information you give here is totally wrong and I think you should rectify it.

Sole traders are listed. The information is not incorrect. I have been doing this years. Its a technique that was though to me so i am not the only one doing it.

Edit: Just checked again incase it changed. 3 plumbers i know are listed as "Individuals" which are sole traders.
Would you care to point out why all the information is totally wrong? I will put my hands up and apologiese if so.

[Plombier]

I am personally registered as a sole trader.

A search for my own name on the CRO returned this

Your Company search for "My Name" yielded no result.

A search for my own name on the solocheck returned this

Company Name Search Results
Sorry, your search returned no results.

Business Name Search Results
No business names matched your search query.

If I registered a business name it would show or if I had a limited company but
nothing as a sole trader.

As far as I know it would be illegal to put information regarding an individual on one of these sites.

A sole trader has the same rights as any PAYE worker in this regard.