Bad experience with a plumber
By Porcospino
@Porcospino (31365)
Denmark
March 14, 2011 3:02pm CST
My husband and I called a plumber, because we needed someone to fix our bathroom. We talked to him on the phone and he said that he would come by on Wednesday and have a look at the bathroom. Late Wednesday afternoon he still hadn't been here, so we called him and asked him when he was coming. He said "I can't make it today, but I will have a look at the bathroom tomorrow"
Late Thursday afternoon he still hadn't shown up and we called him again and asked him if he was coming or not. "Yes, I will be there in 45 minutes" he said. An hour passed and there was still no sight of him. We called him again, but this time he didn't answer the phone. At this point I was angry and I told my husband: "That is it, let's find someone else", but my husband insisted on giving him one more chance.
A few hours later he finally parked his car near our house....and talked on the phone for 45 minutes while we were waiting for him to come inside. Then he finally came inside and looked at the bathroom. He promised to return on Monday before Lunch (today) and fix the bathroom. He did not come before lunch like he had promised and we had to call him a couple of times before he actually came.
We are never doing to use this company again, because we are sick and tired of his behaviour. If he was too busy he could at least have called us and postponed his visit, but he did nothing all, and we wasted several days waiting for him 
What would you have done in this situation?
What would you have done in this situation?1 person likes this
3 responses
@Iriene88 (5343)
• Malaysia
18 Mar 11
Yes, we too have bad experiences with plumbers.
They never punctual for their appointments. There
is once my husband called a company based on a call
card thrown inside our letter box. It was the worst
experience. These young guys looks more like thugs
than plumbers. They came and survey the piping problem
and advise him to change the whole piping system which cost
around USD500. My husband said he will consider and discuss
with me before he decides since it is quite costly.
These guys came back one hour later in a truck with
pipes and insisted on changing our house piping system.
My husband called me at work and I said we have not decided
on it yet. These guys do not want to leave and insist for
money. They entered the house and behave like thugs and try
to threatened my family. My husband called a friend on the
mobile phone and negotiate with this guy. At last they asked
for USD100 and left.
Later I called a regular plumber which my company hired which
only cost us USD20 to solve the piping problem, It is such a
small job that the 'thug' plumber insisted to change the
whole piping system which is not a necessity. They tried to con
my husband.
From there onwards, we only called those plumbers that we knew
or through referrals by friends.
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
18 Mar 11
That is a really bad experience 
When I hear your story I am grateful that my plumber was "only" unrealiable and didn't try to cheat us or threaten us. That would have been a lot worse. Calling plumbers that you have heard about from friends it is very good idea. We have decided to do the same thing, because we want to avoid unrealiable people and people who try to cheat. In my country we have a tv programme that deals with situations like the ones you experienced. It is way to warn others, so that they can avoid the bad companies. I sometimes watch it and some of the stories are quite shocking.
When I hear your story I am grateful that my plumber was "only" unrealiable and didn't try to cheat us or threaten us. That would have been a lot worse. Calling plumbers that you have heard about from friends it is very good idea. We have decided to do the same thing, because we want to avoid unrealiable people and people who try to cheat. In my country we have a tv programme that deals with situations like the ones you experienced. It is way to warn others, so that they can avoid the bad companies. I sometimes watch it and some of the stories are quite shocking.1 person likes this
@kingparker (9673)
• United States
15 Mar 11
There were thousands of plumbers out there, if you search online, and you can find at least 10 of them from the local yellow page. Why not bother with such service behavior. At least I would find someone service me better than I have to wait on him. I am the paying customer, and I pay the money to had him serve me. That is it, period.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
15 Mar 11
I feel the same way. I pay him for his work and I don't want to put up with that kind of behaviour. He thinks he can do whatever he wants, and he think that he can just away without canceling his visit. I really lost my patience with this guy, but my husband wanted to give him another chance. So he got one more chance to fix the bathroom, but next time I will definately call someone else.
@fannitia (2167)
• Bulgaria
14 Mar 11
Hi, Porcospino, I'm sorry for your troubles. I was thinking that plumbers in my country are the worst in the world. Now I ee that they are the same everywhere:))
But this is not a very bad story, I know really nasty experiences. A friend of mine called plumbers to fix things in her new apartment. They were recommended to her by a friend and were not cheap at all. Finally they got their money and they managed to flood the appartment below her. My friend was forced to pay the owners for the damage and call other plumbers to repair things in her home. Be careful!
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
15 Mar 11
That is a really bad experience. It is not the kind of things you expect when you use an expensive plumber that someone recommended I am not sure what would happen in a situation like that in my country. I know that it is possible for the companies to buy an insurance that covers this kind of problems, but I am not sure if that insurance is compulsory or not. We really need to be careful when we choose a company.
I am not sure what would happen in a situation like that in my country. I know that it is possible for the companies to buy an insurance that covers this kind of problems, but I am not sure if that insurance is compulsory or not. We really need to be careful when we choose a company.