“Repair left incomplete and further call-out fee requested”Underfloor heating repair left…
Underfloor heating repair left incomplete – additional charges demanded
We contacted this company to repair a leaking valve on our underfloor heating manifold and provided photos in advance so the engineer could attend prepared.
During the visit, one valve was replaced, however it became clear that other valves on the same manifold were also leaking and the repair could not be completed because the engineer did not have sufficient replacement valves available. The system was therefore left only partially repaired.
We were charged £145 + VAT as a minimum first-hour call-out, despite the visit lasting significantly less time and the job not being fully completed due to lack of parts. We were then advised that a further call-out fee of £145 + VAT would be required to return, plus parts, to finish what we understood to be the same repair. Alternatively, we were told we could leave the leaks unresolved.
From a customer perspective, this was disappointing. As non-experts, we relied on the engineer’s professional judgement to attend suitably equipped to carry out a reasonable and foreseeable repair, particularly where the additional leaking valves were visible during the initial visit.
The company’s position is that the original instruction was limited to one valve only and that additional leaks constitute separate work. We disagree, but others may wish to clarify very clearly in advance exactly what will and will not be addressed during a visit, and how follow-up charges are handled if further obvious faults are identified on site.. For context, we subsequently had another independent engineer attend, who was able to replace the remaining leaking valves and complete the repair in a single visit for £50, with no separate call-out charge. This only reinforced our view that the original job could reasonably have been completed on the first visit had the necessary parts been available.