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Hello,
I’ve believe I’ve been scammed by the dishwasher replacement company, so I need to help on a simple question that can confirm my suspicion.
In my home, I have two central (upstream) water valves (hot/cold); downstream, in the kitchen below the sink, I have two valves for the sink, and one for the dishwasher.
Due to, presumedly, limescale, the dishwasher valve didn’t close – it was stuck in open position. The dishwasher itself pulled water without any problem.
When changing the dishwasher, do I need to necessarily close the dishwasher valve, or I can just leave it open, and close the central valve instead?
The story is that the technician who was sent to replace the dishwasher asked me an excessive amount of money (around 100£) to perform the replacement (the valve itself costs around 5£, and changing it took a few minutes), and pressured me into replacing it (I now believe that a replacement was convenient, but not necessary).
Thanks!
having an isolation valve is desirable but not needed unless you need to turn off water to dishwasher
you could turn the main stop cock to the house off and it would do the same thing. most of the times these valves fail because the plastic flag breaks but all you have to do is remove the flag and use a spanner to close it
£100 to change a tap seems silly unless thats including fitting the dishwasher as well
Dave
Thank you for the answer; it confirms the suspicion that I’ve been scammed.
electrofix wrote:£100 to change a tap seems silly unless thats including fitting the dishwasher as well
The dishwasher fitting was already paid.
having an isolation valve is desirable but not needed unless you need to turn off water to dishwasher
you could turn the main stop cock to the house off and it would do the same thing. most of the times these valves fail because the plastic flag breaks but all you have to do is remove the flag and use a spanner to close it
This is crucial – then I was correct that it was not a strictly necessary operation, as the technician instead insisted.
I’m going to complain to the seller. They’re a big franchise, and very likely, they’re unaware that this is happening.
What I have found is a lot of the time the fiitter wont fit an appliance if, either the tap does not work, or they have to remove the plug to directly wire it to a spur box
had a few people call me in when fitters walked away
Dave
In the instructions it does state that the dishwasher should be isolated from the water supply when not in use so if it wasn’t working I can understand him wanting to change it but the price is excessive ot is simple like having a dishwasher and you don’t have a switched socket or fused spur to isolated the electric
kaibart wrote:In the instructions it does state that the dishwasher should be isolated from the water supply when not in use so if it wasn’t working I can understand him wanting to change it but the price is excessive ot is simple like having a dishwasher and you don’t have a switched socket or fused spur to isolated the electric
Well, thing is, it’s possible to close the water using the house valve, in order to disconnect the water supply to the dishwasher, so the operation was not strictly needed.
I would have agreed without any problem for a little fee, but around 100£ is a scam.
To be noted that he did not want to leave (and bring the dishwasher back) – he pressured me to have the valve changed.
I had a similar problem on an integrated washer i fitted for a landlord. In my case the tap was in such a postion that the new hose would not connect without kinking. I left the job, went to a local plumbers merchant, picked up a 90 degree tap, fitted it and I think i added under £40 to the bill
when you paid for this work did you pay him personally or the firm he works for ?
Dave
electrofix wrote:I had a similar problem on an integrated washer i fitted for a landlord. In my case the tap was in such a postion that the new hose would not connect without kinking. I left the job, went to a local plumbers merchant, picked up a 90 degree tap, fitted it and I think i added under £40 to the bill
Based on my understanding, the work needed on my case was just turn off the house valve(s), unplug the old dishwasher pipe and plug the new one. This work was paid for.
He didn’t need to go to any shop (literally he went downstairs and came back), buy and fit a new piece. The only additional work he did (which he insisted to do) was simply to unscrew the old valve (with some force), and screw in the new one.
when you paid for this work did you pay him personally or the firm he works for ?
He said he was not getting any money out of this. Took the money and left me a receipt.
if the reciept is official then it sounds like the firm he works for is setting the rate
to fit a new valve most of the time is easy, unless you need to remove the old olive. Unscrew the nut and put the new valve on using the old olive and nut. 99{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} of the time it seals with no problem and takes less than 10 mins. since these taps are less than £5 that makes it £95 fitting charge. I make that £570 an hour
if i could get that would get my van gold plated
where informed what the charge was going to be before he carried out the work ?
Dave
electrofix wrote:if the reciept is official then it sounds like the firm he works for is setting the rate
I’m investigating this. My suspicion is that there is an agreement between the worker and the company; if there wasn’t, he wouldn’t have extorted me (more on this below) the repair.
99{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} of the time it seals with no problem and takes less than 10 mins. since these taps are less than £5 that makes it £95 fitting charge. I make that £570 an hour
if i could get that would get my van gold platedwhere informed what the charge was going to be before he carried out the work ?
Yes, I was informed. To be clear though, I have no objections to offering an expensive service, but I have objections to extorting them.
Offer of expensive service: your valve is stuck, and we can’t close it. if you pay 100£ we’ll fix it; otherwise, we leave it stuck, and we replace the dishwasher by closing the main valve.
Extortion: your valve is stuck, and we can’t replace the dishwasher. we’re not taking the dishwasher back, and you’ll have to pay for the shipment.
The refusal to take the dishwasher back (which is a lie, as I’m allowed to refuse to take it), is intended to force me to accept their offer, because shipping a dishwasher back is expensive.
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