What if Your Plumber Makes Mistakes?

What If Your Plumber Makes Mistakes?

Plumbers have a reputation for charging well and finishing jobs quickly. Even something simple, like replacing a tap washer, can mean paying for a full call-out or minimum hour. That can feel frustrating, but good plumbers are in short supply and usually very busy. The work is skilled, sometimes physically demanding, and a poor job can leave you with leaks, damp, or worse. When water is involved, you really do not want someone unqualified working on your pipes.

So what happens when the work goes wrong? Whether the plumber has fitted a part badly, damaged your property, or simply not done what you paid for, you have rights under UK consumer law. Here is how to handle it.

Finding a good plumber in the first place

Prevention is easier than cure. Most people only start looking for a plumber when something has already gone wrong, and that pressure makes it harder to be choosy. If you can, sort out a trusted name before you need one.

• Ask how long they have been trading. A longer track record is usually a good sign.
• Ask for references, and follow them up if the job is not an emergency.
• Check whether they are registered with a recognised scheme. Gas work, for example, may only be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. For unvented hot water cylinders, look for a relevant qualification.
• Ask about public liability insurance. If something goes badly wrong and your home is damaged, this is what pays out.
• Get the quote in writing, including what is and is not included, the hourly rate or fixed price, and the cost of parts.
• Check online reviews across more than one platform, and treat suspiciously glowing or suspiciously vague reviews with caution.

TrustMark is the government-endorsed quality scheme for tradespeople in the UK, and membership of a trade body such as the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) is another reasonable indicator. None of these guarantee perfection, but they reduce the risk of running into cowboy builders and tradespeople.

Your rights when a plumber gets it wrong

When you pay a plumber for work, you are entering into a contract for services. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 sets out what you are entitled to expect. In short, the service should be:

• Carried out with reasonable care and skill.
• Completed within a reasonable time, if no specific time was agreed.
• Provided for a reasonable price, if no price was agreed up front.

Any parts or materials supplied as part of the job, such as a new tap or boiler, should also be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, and as described.

If the work falls short of these standards, the Act gives you two main remedies. You can ask the plumber to put it right (called repeat performance), or, if that is not done within a reasonable time or without causing significant inconvenience, you can ask for a price reduction. In serious cases the reduction could be up to the full amount paid.

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Steps to take if the job has been botched

Try to stay calm and methodical. Shouting tends to slow things down rather than speed them up.

• Take photographs and videos of the problem as soon as you spot it. Date them.
• Keep all paperwork: the quote, invoice, receipts for parts, text messages and emails.
• Contact the plumber in writing, by email or letter, explaining what is wrong and what you want them to do. Give a reasonable deadline.
• If there is further damage, such as a leak soaking a ceiling, take reasonable steps to limit it (turn the water off at the stopcock, move belongings) and keep receipts for anything you spend.
• If they refuse to return or fix the problem, get one or two written quotes from other plumbers showing the cost of remedial work. You may be able to recover this from the original plumber.

Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.

If the plumber will not cooperate

If you have given the plumber a fair chance and they still will not put things right, you have a few options.

• Trade body complaints procedures. If the plumber belongs to a scheme such as TrustMark, CIPHE, or APHC, you can usually complain through them. Some offer alternative dispute resolution.
• Alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Mediation or arbitration can be cheaper and faster than court. Citizens Advice can point you to the right scheme.
• Small claims. You can take a claim through the county court (or simple procedure in Scotland). It is designed to be used without a solicitor. Check GOV.UK for current claim limits and fees.
• Gas Safe Register. For unsafe gas work, report the engineer to the Gas Safe Register. They can investigate and inspect the work.

How you paid matters

The way you paid the plumber can affect what you can recover.

• Credit card: Under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, if the job cost more than £100 and up to £30,000, your card provider is jointly liable with the plumber for breach of contract or misrepresentation. You can claim from the card company directly.
• Debit card or e-money: Section 75 does not apply, but you may be able to ask your bank to attempt a chargeback under Visa or Mastercard scheme rules. Time limits apply, so do not delay.
• Cash or bank transfer: You have no card-scheme protection, so you would need to pursue the plumber directly.

Insurance, damage and where to get further help

If the plumber's work has caused damage to your property, for example a flood from a badly soldered joint, their public liability insurance should cover the repair. Ask for their insurer's details and make a claim. Your own home insurance may also cover escape of water, although you may end up paying an excess and could lose any no-claims discount. It is worth getting both options on the table before deciding which route to use.

Consumer law changes from time to time, and figures such as small claims limits and court fees are updated regularly. For the most current guidance, check the Citizens Advice website or GOV.UK. For complaints about gas safety, contact the Gas Safe Register directly.

The Next Step

Now that you have read through the advice above, you might want to put it into practice. Our Bad Builder Action Plan lets you get a step-by-step plan to deal with a cowboy builder. Takes 2 minutes. Try it now →