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Last year I had a small leak in the guttering so I called a local company to repair it.
When I initially called them, they said that they didn’t charge a call-out fee but any work carried out was charged at an hourly fee with a minimum one hours charge.
I agreed to the above and the following week they visited my house, looked at the job and said they could come back and fix it the following week which they did.
Both visits lasted approximately ten minutes.
When I finally received the bill, they had charged for two hours work and when I called to question this they said that they had charged the minimum one hours charge for each visit!
That can’t be right can it? Surely the initial visit was a call-out to ascertain the problem and if/when it could be fixed? And as they say that they don’t charge a call-out fee then they should only be charging one hour for the time that they spent fixing it?
Clearly, we both have differing views on what “no call-out fee” means. They say that “A call out fee is a charge applied to the job, irrespective of the size of the work involved”. I think that a call-out fee is charged for somebody to come out and look at a job and advise if/when they can complete it.
Does anybody on here know consumer law – and specifically what the definition of a call-out fee is?
When I initially called them, they said that they didn’t charge a call-out fee but any work carried out was charged at an hourly fee with a minimum one hours charge.
I agreed to the above and the following week they visited my house, looked at the job and said they could come back and fix it the following week which they did.
Both visits lasted approximately ten minutes.
When I finally received the bill, they had charged for two hours work and when I called to question this they said that they had charged the minimum one hours charge for each visit!
That can’t be right can it? Surely the initial visit was a call-out to ascertain the problem and if/when it could be fixed? And as they say that they don’t charge a call-out fee then they should only be charging one hour for the time that they spent fixing it?
Clearly, we both have differing views on what “no call-out fee” means. They say that “A call out fee is a charge applied to the job, irrespective of the size of the work involved”. I think that a call-out fee is charged for somebody to come out and look at a job and advise if/when they can complete it.
Does anybody on here know consumer law – and specifically what the definition of a call-out fee is?
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If they said they don't charge a call out fee and didn't do any remedial work on 1st visit then they can't charge you for this visit. The 2nd visit you should be charged for 1 hours work.
This may help you.
Copied from the Consumer Protection Code at Legislation. gov.uk
Call-out charges
2.2.18. Free call out claims should only be made when there will be no charge to the consumer unless remedial work is undertaken with their agreement.
2.2.19. If you make a minimum call-out charge or other flat-rate charge (for example, for plumbing, gas or electrical appliance repairs etc carried out in consumers' homes), ensure that the consumer is made aware of the charge and whether the actual price may be higher (eg if work takes longer than a specific time) before being committed to using your services.
Show this to them and if they still don't agree contact Trading standards.
This may help you.
Copied from the Consumer Protection Code at Legislation. gov.uk
Call-out charges
2.2.18. Free call out claims should only be made when there will be no charge to the consumer unless remedial work is undertaken with their agreement.
2.2.19. If you make a minimum call-out charge or other flat-rate charge (for example, for plumbing, gas or electrical appliance repairs etc carried out in consumers' homes), ensure that the consumer is made aware of the charge and whether the actual price may be higher (eg if work takes longer than a specific time) before being committed to using your services.
Show this to them and if they still don't agree contact Trading standards.
Sorry, I didn’t get a chance to check back on this yesterday.
Thanks for that info stewarts – that’s very interesting and helpful. I had already been in touch with consumer advice but to be honest the info they gave felt very generic and didn’t properly apply to my specific query. Maybe trading standards will be better.
In the letter that they have sent me, the company say that they don’t charge a call-out fee but rather charge by the hour (so they aren’t saying that it’s a “free” call-out, rather that there’s “no” call-out).
I can’t remember the exact conversation that I originally had with them but recall asking if there was a call out fee and I also confirmed that again later in the conversation. I am guessing that when I asked the question they said “There’s no call-out fee but we charge a minimum of an hour” which I took to mean that the minimum hour was charged when they did the repair. It’s ambiguous but they definitely did not specifically say there was a minimum charge for an initial inspection and then a further minimum charge to carry out the repair.
At the very least I think that if they are charging a minimum hour per visit then they should inspect and then carry out the repair in one visit. Their argument against this is that they can’t run backwards and forwards to get supplies for each job so they do a round of inspections to ascertain materials required then come back to complete the job at a later date!
To me that is unreasonable. The question is, how far do I want to take it. Part of me thinks that for the sake of £68 I should just pay it and move on but then I think that they must get away with this all the time (the crazy thing is that they are a long-established and well regarded local company).
Sorry to rant on - I am just venting!
Thanks for that info stewarts – that’s very interesting and helpful. I had already been in touch with consumer advice but to be honest the info they gave felt very generic and didn’t properly apply to my specific query. Maybe trading standards will be better.
In the letter that they have sent me, the company say that they don’t charge a call-out fee but rather charge by the hour (so they aren’t saying that it’s a “free” call-out, rather that there’s “no” call-out).
I can’t remember the exact conversation that I originally had with them but recall asking if there was a call out fee and I also confirmed that again later in the conversation. I am guessing that when I asked the question they said “There’s no call-out fee but we charge a minimum of an hour” which I took to mean that the minimum hour was charged when they did the repair. It’s ambiguous but they definitely did not specifically say there was a minimum charge for an initial inspection and then a further minimum charge to carry out the repair.
At the very least I think that if they are charging a minimum hour per visit then they should inspect and then carry out the repair in one visit. Their argument against this is that they can’t run backwards and forwards to get supplies for each job so they do a round of inspections to ascertain materials required then come back to complete the job at a later date!
To me that is unreasonable. The question is, how far do I want to take it. Part of me thinks that for the sake of £68 I should just pay it and move on but then I think that they must get away with this all the time (the crazy thing is that they are a long-established and well regarded local company).
Sorry to rant on - I am just venting!
You should get the press involved...I'm sure the gutter press would be interested. 
no doubt they have recorded your phone call
if you are sure of what you said then i think you have a god case to pay for 1 hour.
as an aside, most phones can now record your conversation, and therefore its quite useful to do so , then you can be sure
and can play back disputed points.
i would advise always record conversations with your bank
you can always delete them later.
if you are sure of what you said then i think you have a god case to pay for 1 hour.
as an aside, most phones can now record your conversation, and therefore its quite useful to do so , then you can be sure
and can play back disputed points.
i would advise always record conversations with your bank
you can always delete them later.
Put their number in your contacts on your mobile, then download a call recorder. Do not refuse to pay it (the call out charge) verbally or in writing simply say I'm not refusing to pay your Invoice I'm querying the agreed amount. Stick to that until you get legal advice (if required). They cannot legally inforce something in dispute but can enforce refusal to pay.
That's something that I learned years ago, others on here may know better, there are some good guys on here. GL
That's something that I learned years ago, others on here may know better, there are some good guys on here. GL
For such a small amount it's not worth their while pursuing this beyond the usual threatening letters and calls (hence the recorder app). The above tactic shows them you know your stuff. They should then p11$$ off.
OK, been biting mel lip but can't refrain any longer, this Fred is a wind up but in the remote outside chance it's not : right GIN, how many peoples time did you waste on this job? How many tradesmen did you call out to your stupid guttering and waste their time with your tight fisted poer trip? It's people like yourself that chase genuine tradesmen out the trade, poor honest hard working guys wasting half their day chasing jobs their never going to get, waring time and money on complete time wasters. 68 QUID,jessus wept. If he had done it for nothing the day before you called you'd still be on hear whingin. Out of interest could you say what you done for a living? Public sector by any chance?
If your 95 still dealing in old munee from a place time forgot I will cut you some slack but I have you down as a public sector worker with zero experience of productivity or how an economy works or how ordinary people make money.
...... 
Rather presumptuous of you B@B, you have no idea if he phoned any other companies or wasted anyone elses time or what age he may be. Any roofing company should carry the basic tools and spare parts to fix a small leak in the guttering during the 1st visit, that's their trade. If he's just a local handyman who turns his hand to any job then he may need to fetch a joint and a small piece of guttering from Wickes or somewhere but not if that is what the company does. Your attitude suggests you're a rip off tradesman yourself!
No I have no idea how many he called out, THAT'S WHY I ASKED, now stop wasting my time.
breadnbutter – To answer your questions
This company was the only one that I called, it was a small job and they are about 1 mile away so didn’t have to come far.
Just for clarity the £68 mentioned above was the extra hours charge not the total bill which was £141.
My profession and age are completely irrelevant to this discussion but I can tell you that I most definitely do not work in the public sector!
I can also say that it’s not the amount of money that bothers me (I can afford it easily and in fact, my time spent on this would be more valuable elsewhere) – rather the principle. If when asked, they had made it clear that there was a minimum 1 hour charge per visit including for the initial assessment, I would have made a decision and been happy with it.
What annoys me is that they must do this any number of times a week and get away with it because people can’t be bothered to argue. Also, If this had happened to my daughter or elderly mother I would be upset about it.
This company was the only one that I called, it was a small job and they are about 1 mile away so didn’t have to come far.
Just for clarity the £68 mentioned above was the extra hours charge not the total bill which was £141.
My profession and age are completely irrelevant to this discussion but I can tell you that I most definitely do not work in the public sector!
I can also say that it’s not the amount of money that bothers me (I can afford it easily and in fact, my time spent on this would be more valuable elsewhere) – rather the principle. If when asked, they had made it clear that there was a minimum 1 hour charge per visit including for the initial assessment, I would have made a decision and been happy with it.
What annoys me is that they must do this any number of times a week and get away with it because people can’t be bothered to argue. Also, If this had happened to my daughter or elderly mother I would be upset about it.
Why would they need to come and look at it, then return later?
There can only be 2 or 3 reasons for a gutter leak, each of which they should have sufficient materials on the van to mend.
If for some reason it’s an “unexpected” problem then maybe a negotiated agreement could take place.
It’s like the AA coming out to your car without spanners or a battery charger.
There can only be 2 or 3 reasons for a gutter leak, each of which they should have sufficient materials on the van to mend.
If for some reason it’s an “unexpected” problem then maybe a negotiated agreement could take place.
It’s like the AA coming out to your car without spanners or a battery charger.
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