Mildly irritated with London and Gray - a small warning

ChattingLil

ChattingLil

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I was passing Burnham with my headsails intending to drop them off to Wilkinsons. However, I couldn't get hold of Mick and didn't know where to leave them so took them to L&G with instruction to launder.

Received the invoice for over £500 because they have replaced the UV strip without me asking them to.

I'm only mildly irritated because I believe them when they say that after washing the strip had disintegrated and so it probably needed doing anyway, but I am cross that the did it without calling me first to tell me.

Also, I emailed them to query and two weeks passed with no response, so I just called them. No word of apology or acknowledgement that they should have called me, just a statement that the strip had disintegrated and needed replacing.

Am I wrong to be irritated by this?

So, watch out. I was expecting a bill for £200 ish and got one for £523 inc VAT.
 
It's up to you how you deal with it but, having complained verbally and got nowhere, my next move would be a formal letter setting out my complaint and offering to pay for the work ordered but refusing to pay for that not ordered. However, you must be absolutely certain that your original contract made it clear what was to be done; if it was something vague along the lines of "clean and service" you are in a weaker position.

I doubt if any properly run business would want to go to court over this. Why on earth would they? If they have made a mistake they would want to put it right p.d.q. to keep a customer happy and maintain their reputation.
 
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ChattingLil said:
I'm only mildly irritated because I believe them when they say that after washing the strip had disintegrated and so it probably needed doing anyway, but I am cross that the did it without calling me first to tell me.
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I think you are right to be irritated, but if you are satisfied that the work needed doing I would just pay it and moan about it when I paid .... life is too short to worry about things like this, and you might become a GOG
 
It can be very difficult when half way through a job when something unexpected does need sorting.
When busy, we frequently have to decide as to if to continue the job and hope that the customer will appreciate the job did need doing or stop work altogether and put the job to the very back of the que and perhaps delay the job for some considerable time.
It is not always possible to contact customer to get instant decision.
When collecting sails take along cash and help them to arrive at a mutual agreement. ?
 
oldgit said:
It can be very difficult when half way through a job when something unexpected does need sorting.
When busy, we frequently have to decide as to if to continue the job and hope that the customer will appreciate the job did need doing or stop work altogether and put the job to the very back of the que and perhaps delay the job for some considerable time.
It is not always possible to contact customer to get instant decision.
When collecting sails take along cash and help them to arrive at a mutual agreement. ?
Click to expand...

1/we all have mobile phones these days
2/ laundering & repair are actually 2 different operations, after washing the sail has to dry before repair, time enough to contact the owner
3/ are you suggesting deceiving the revenue men
 
Disappointing to hear of this from L&G, an outfit I have had very good service and value from in the past. The key to this is just what you asked them to do. If it was just to wash and dry, they were clearly wrong not to contact you before going further. If however you asked them to wash dry, inspect and repair as necessary, they could be forgiven for proceeding without first asking, although for such a major repair a quick phone call would have been welcome. If it was not clear, both parties share responsibility for the confusion.

We use John Parker (One Sails) at Levington for this service, because they built the (excellent) sails, we're berhed there and we're too lazy to lug heavy sail bags around. I tested their price per kg for washing and inspecting against Sail Medic this year, and found P&K considerably cheaper.

Each time you leave a job with P&K, they send an email confirming precisely what you have asked them to do, so no room for confusion.

Incidentally, Mick of Wilkinson is now retired, hence the closure of their Burnham loft, but he still lives in Burnham and, like so many of us old crocks does odd bits of work. This winter he replaced our spray hood window and restitched the spray hood and the cockpit enclosure he built for us over 5 years ago. As always, first class service from him.

Peter
 
DavidofMersea said:
Yes, but you are not, you think everybody has a mobile phone, and some of us don't
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I do have a very modern state of the art smart phone and as my wife will tell you I have been known to turn in on. :)...................

3/ are you suggesting deceiving the revenue men
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You may well think that...... I could not possibly comment. :)
Most reputable companies will if asked be happy to remove from the bill the 3% commisson the credit card companies charge people for spending their own money.
It also means that the man mending your sails gets his dosh instantly as opposed to waiting up 5-6 days if over weekend( banks do not work at weekends apparently.) for the money to hit his A/C and available to spend.

Cash can calm so many troubled waters. Bon Noel.
 
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Ideally, they should have asked but they probably thought that they were being pro-active as it needed doing.
If they had asked, would you have gone and collected it and punted it round othe lofts for quotes?
They have just done the same job on my genoa but I was aware that the sacrificial strip was near the end of life so was prepared for it.
 
Hi Lisa ,
We would have replaced the strip in weathermax ,to save later replacement costs,and offered a colour change.So contact would have been required.Costs would have been indicated
Prob around £210 plus VAT for the Yankee..
Ian may have re taped the sail too which would have added further charges.
If the strip needed doing ,we would have advised that ,before the sail was cleaned.
Have a chat with Ian ,ask what he did to justify the costs involved.
I don't think he will hold you sails to ransom.
This time of year we all have a bit to many to store.
But he may offer a discount, if you didn't understand what was needed to sort the sails out.

Cindy
 
wilkinsonsails said:
Hi Lisa ,
We would have replaced the strip in weathermax ,to save later replacement costs,and offered a colour change.So contact would have been required.Costs would have been indicated
Prob around £210 plus VAT for the Yankee..
Ian may have re taped the sail too which would have added further charges.
If the strip needed doing ,we would have advised that ,before the sail was cleaned.
Have a chat with Ian ,ask what he did to justify the costs involved.
I don't think he will hold you sails to ransom.
This time of year we all have a bit to many to store.
But he may offer a discount, if you didn't understand what was needed to sort the sails out.

Cindy
Click to expand...
Hi Cindy

I had your firm overhaul my genoa and replace the sacrificial strip last winter. You also fitted new window material in my sprayhood.

Following you inspection and before authorising the work, I had a proper quotation from you, which I accepted.

When the work was completed (at the agreed price, and to my satisfaction) I received a detailed invoice.

This is no more and no less than I would expect from any firm. If you can do it, I don't see why any other firm can't do the same. The result is that I'd be happy to have your firm do work for me in future. Good service is good business.
 
Very poor that prior approval has not been sought for the extra work.
But if the work was necessary , or if you would have authorised it anyway, and if the cost was reasonable........ its easier to pay up and move on .
Life is too short . Next time take your business elsewhere.
 
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