Scratched a customers floor while working

[Andystraughan]

Hi guys in a bit of a dilemma here

done loads of work for a kitchen fitter at a women's house. Kitchen rewire new cooker circuit. 14 spots etc. she decided she wanted all the sockets & switches changed to chrome. No problem. Until I get a call off the joiner saying I have scratched the wood flooring upstairs and she wants it sorting. As I would too. She's with holding the full amount just shy of 1k. I got a French polisher to have a look but she wasn't happy that approach. Then went to a floor layer who says he will sand it down and re-varnish etc. she doesn't want that. Now the kitchen fitter says she wants £500 knocking off the bill and she will call it quits. Any advice? Should I bite the bullet? I'm still a newish company so don't want to see my insurance premiums go up etc

Andy

 

[MDJ]

What you need to do is ask the customer why she thinks you are responsible for the apparently made scratch, ask her to confirm to you the reasoning behind her way of thinking regarding this. When she has explained the reasons why she holds you responsible you can then start to defend your corner. Ultimately if you believe you have not done this I would suggest you stand firm and insist on payment, something will have to give, it is a case of whether she will give in and pay up or whether you back dow n and let her win. If it were me and I knew I didn't cause the scratch I would never give an inch and admit to it because it would be a mistake to do so and admit guilt when your not responsible, I would also sort out the kitchen fitter if he attempts to blame you as well, only you know if your to blame or not.

 

[Corpy76]

If your going in to peoples homes day in day out your going to come across the odd awkward customer about one a year! you can't please everyone! You seem to have acted reasonably she just trying it on. Have you submitted her building control cert yet? If not don't until you have been fully paid up or have come to a satisfactory settlement! And let her know your withholding it, by not obtaining it she is acting illegally and it is up to her to ensure she receives it. I don't know how you stand legally not issuing it but it could be a bargaining chip!

 

[Geordie Spark]

BTW Andystraughan..... as I was replying to your thread my computer crashed losing some invoices I needed to print out... I had to spend hours re-doing them so Ill be sending you bill for my time spent as I would not be in this situe had I not been trying to help you! :ihih:

It's your fault for trying to be too clever.

What's wrong with a typewriter or a pen?

They never "crash" and never "lose" anything.

This is similar to what I used:

And this:

 

[tidyboiler]

When a washing machine repair man came to repair my washer, he left black oily boot marks all over my hall carpet. Had it been in my previous house which had new carpet, I would have screwed him for a steam clean but as the carpet has seen better days I didn't bother. I don't seem to do very well with tradesman, a plumber who did some work for me in Wales groped me and said he would forget the bill if I did what he wanted. He soon realised he had tried it on with the wrong one as I shut his hand in the door. :behead:

 

[Darkwood]

When a washing machine repair man came to repair my washer, he left black oily boot marks all over my hall carpet. Had it been in my previous house which had new carpet, I would have screwed him for a steam clean but as the carpet has seen better days I didn't bother. I don't seem to do very well with tradesman, a plumber who did some work for me in Wales groped me and said he would forget the bill if I did what he wanted. He soon realised he had tried it on with the wrong one as I shut his hand in the door. :behead:

Only his hand?.... A Yorkshire Lass would have slammed his jewels in the door..still need his hands to do the job he turned up to do.

 

[tidyboiler]

Only his hand?.... A Yorkshire Lass would have slammed his jewels in the door..still need his hands to do the job he turned up to do.

Well he had his hand in the door jam trying to block my way.............. so I just slammed the door on his hand and got out of his way. I could write a book on inappropriate behaviour from so called "professionals"............... just ask Geordie!!!!

 

[Geordie Spark]

Well he had his hand in the door jam trying to block my way.............. so I just slammed the door on his hand and got out of his way. I could write a book on inappropriate behaviour from so called "professionals"............... just ask Geordie!!!!

Yes pet.

 

[Flanders]

Thanks for the advice. The kitchen fitter is on my side I've done loads of work for him. As far as I'm aware where the scratch is located is exactly where I moved some drawers so yeah I have scratched it but haven't openly admit it. It's only a surface scratch and yes I have photos. She just wants £500 knocked off.

Andy

You may have just openly admitted it on an open forum:hanged:

 

[jaypp]

on a job where cheap laminate got damaged, stood out a mile. chippy said 'no worries' pulled out assortment of 'wax sticks', matched up n filled. i'd have given a tenner to anyone who spotted it afterwards!

 

[BES]

Rewired upstairs lighting circuit once luckly timber framed building so all switch drops pulled through on old cables but managed to tear wallpaper around bedside switch by about 1/2 inch stuck it back down couldnt see the tear unless you looked really hard but the lady of house noticed it and wanted to deduct the cost of the whole room being repapered explained to her before the job started that some damage may occur getting cable to switches after some arguing with her and husband I pointed out the contact they had signed before work started stating the possiblity of having to redo switch drops and replaster soon shut them up.

 

[jaypp]

is she trying to claim for damage to the bottom of the drawers too?!!!

 

[Guest111]

Rule one NEVER admit liability,some years ago I did some work in a house for a firm and the guy accused me of burning a hole in the landing carpet,there were dust sheets down when I arrived and I placed mine over these,that very morning I had been issued new sheets and when they were checked there was not a mark on them,proving I hadn't burned the carpet.The boss was happy with this however the client kept phoning up giving me grief and wanting 400 quid to replace the carpet,At this point I lost my cool and asked the client how much to respray the 2 new cars he had on his drive,he got the point and never rang back,turned out he'd tried the same thing with another spark that had rewired his house,but that guy had actually paid him out.

 

[sparkie141]

Andy
Gotta agree with all the others who say call her bluff.
Tell her you will pass it on to your insurer, unless your excess is more than £500.00 it will cost you less.
Had a similar experience at my former employer's: A scumbag tenant claimed that one of our sparks had damaged her £400 stair carpet - which was really a £5.99/sq.m basic carpet - which had in reality been damaged by their own puppy. A carpet fitter inspected the 'damage' and advised us it was not caused by our guys. We called our insurance adviser who told us to write to her denying liability and that all future correspondence would be via the insurance company.
Surprisingly no more came of the complaint.
I absolutely hate these barstewards that think they can screw-over tradesmen who come and work in their homes or business'.
Best of luck, don't let them grind you down!

 

[markc123]

All you gotta say is....

"Oi fukwit, show me the evidence the damage to the floor is £500" and then, "and show me the evidence i damaged it"

Then call her a ----.

 

[markc123]

Diplomatic is the word you're all looking for in response to that