What To Do When a Plumber Rips You Off? (4 Valuable Options)

If you just searched for What To Do When a Plumber Rips You Off, we know exactly the kind of situation you’re facing.

A plumber fixed what was needed in your house and charged you more than expected. Reluctantly, and having no other choice, you pay the plumber.

Even worse if you notice a problem is not even fixed. After that, a realization hits you – a plumber just ripped me off!

Continue reading to find out about things you can do to ease your frustration.

Overcharged By Plumber – What Can I Do?

There are scammers in every industry, and plumbing is certainly one of them.

Hiring a plumber to avoid making common plumbing mistakes, ends up even worse if a plumber overcharges you.

The level of frustration in homeowners is certainly the highest if the job is visibly not even done. Understandably so, everyone wonders what to do when a plumber rips you off.

Luckily for you, there are some things we recommend doing when faced with this situation. Let’s list them out:

Contact The Plumber Right Away

Say a plumber came to repair a leaking pipe, and a pipe is still leaking after he charges you and leaves. Contact the plumber right away!

Licensed or not, a plumber should return and finish the job correctly. This shouldn’t cost you additionally.

Rely On a Repair Guarantee

Most plumbers do give you a repair guarantee, although the length of it depends on the case. If you hired a plumber from a company, you may even get a 100% refund not being satisfied with the job.

At the very least, what a repair guarantee can provide you with is an additional repair at no cost. Plumbers can be expensive, so it’s best to get good use of a repair guarantee.

You should also protect your home with warranty companies for plumbing. [1]

Sue The Plumber

If the plumber did a lousy job at the major plumbing project at your house, you may suffer serious damages. This means that a series of problems in your plumbing continue to occur after a plumber’s visit.

If that’s the case, consider filing a claim against the plumber. We get more into detail about this topic later in this article.

Hire Another Plumber

You phone a plumber back, and he is not responding to the calls. What can you do now?

If a problem is major because a plumbing job was huge, like repiping a house, consider claiming against them. But, if it’s a case of a smaller plumbing job that needs a quick fix, hire another plumber.

This time, be sure to take precautions! We go more into depth about what to look out for at the end of this article.

Can I Refuse To Pay a Plumber?

You can refuse to pay a plumber, but make sure you do it under reasonable conditions.

There are certain types of situations in which it is totally fine not to pay a plumber. However, you should keep in mind that a plumber can undo his work and take all the tools back if this happens.

This is why one should be careful with this kind of approach. To make the most out of your situation, you should know your rights.

If a plumbers job is not finished, you have every right to withhold the payment.
If a plumber asks for an upfront payment, this typically points to a scammer. This is also the kind of plumber that will explain the problem only in words.

In contrast, a professional plumber will put all specifications on paper and only ask for payment after the job is completed.

This is why it’s perfectly fine not to pay a plumber upfront when no work has been done yet.

If your plumber provided no specifications, then it’s more difficult to resolve this issue. It’s always recommended to put all agreements and expectations on paper beforehand. [2]

When there are no set specifications by a plumber, you’re most likely dealing with a scammer. However, if you decide to sue him, it may be difficult to prove what was the original agreement.

How to Claim Against a Plumber?

One should consider claiming against the plumber only as of the last resolution to this problem.

This is because, when claiming against someone, you should work on building a strong case with a lawyer. To build a strong case, having a written agreement between you and the plumber is of crucial importance.

This mutual agreement is a contract, upon which you are building your case.

Filing a claim can be a complicated process as you have to prove that there was a breach of contract. That means that you need to prove that a plumber broke the terms set in that contract.

Also, filing a claim includes you proving that you did everything right, or as written in the contract. There has to be no breach of contract from your side too.

If you’re seriously considering filing a claim, you probably already suffered some serious damages due to the plumber’s bad work.

This kind of situation requires you to demonstrate suffering a monetary loss because of the plumber’s negligence.

That being said, if there is a need for it, you can certainly sue a plumber. What you need to make sure of is to first consult a lawyer and acquire what is possible for you.

How To Avoid Getting Ripped Off By a Plumber In The Future

Urgent plumbing problems often lead to us googling and finding the first plumber on the list for our location.

However, this is exactly where a lot of scammy plumbers take their chances.

To avoid getting ripped off by a plumber in the future, you should choose a reputable plumber for your house fixes.

Also, you should be prepared for a plumber’s visit and know what to do when a plumber is here.

Let’s dive deeper into these topics.

Choose a Reputable Plumber

To be prepared and avoid getting ripped off by a plumber, you should choose a reputable plumber beforehand.

Try to ask around and find a plumber that is known for doing their plumbing job diligently and correctly. You can ask a friend, a neighbor, or your coworkers about this information.

Being Prepared For a Plumber’s Visit

There are several different things we recommend you do before a plumber’s visit. These will prepare you well, so a job gets done as it should and you don’t get ripped off.

Hire Only Licenced Plumbers

This is a no-brainer but is important in avoiding getting ripped off. By choosing a reputable plumber you can save yourself a lot of possible damage.

Turn Off The Main Water Valve

It’s very useful to (at least) know where the main water valve in your house is.

That way, if it comes to a pipe burst, you don’t have to wait, waste the water, and make a mess.

Also, this leaves you enough time to clean up, which is our next point.

Clean Up Beforehand

It would be useful to mop the water after a pipe burst, to save up some time with a plumber’s visit.

Cleaning up around the fixture beforehand also means less time a plumber needs to take to get to a problem.

Also, remove all the items in that area if you’re concerned they will get damaged by the plumber’s tools.

What To Do When Plumber Is Here?

If you’re reading this, you must be wondering – Is there anything I should say to a plumber while he’s here?

Also, are you supposed to stay with a plumber or just let them work on their own?

These questions are valid as they lead us to crucial tips on what to do when a plumber is here.

The first and smartest thing to do is to inform a plumber about what’s going on, in detail. Make sure you describe any noise, leaks, and similar problems you’ve been dealing with.

After that, try to ask a plumber for an estimated time needed to complete the job. Also, this is when you agree with a plumber on a set price.

Make sure a plumber’s got everything on paper!

Every qualified plumber will put all specifications of a job on paper, so make sure to ask for this. This paper includes detailed information about the job, including all fees.

When a plumber is doing his job, make sure to check up on him from time to time. Most plumbers won’t tell you this, but usually, you can choose the materials being used. [5]

Make sure not to bother a plumber too much and let him do the job.