Ref: 1785
Filed: 25/11/2022
Accused Company:
ASPECT MAINTENANCE SERVICES LIMITED
File a Dispute against this companyCompany number: gb-05296195
Unit 7e Barwell Business Park
Leatherhead Road, Chessington, Surrey, KT9 2NY
United Kingdom
Allegation: Cost dispute / Over-charge
Value: GBP 204.00
Dispute details:
Over-charge for work not completed due to inexperience of engineer in attendance
I contracted Aspect Maintenance Services ("Aspect") in August 2022 to install a Smeg island hood extractor, which I bought at my one choice and expense. The extractor replaced a legacy 2008 Smeg extractor that failed.
I booked the appointment with Aspect and provided my American Express card number.
The engineer from Aspect attended my property and was in attendance for 3hrs and 44 mins at an annual rate of £102 per hour. The new extractor was on situ and un-wrapped by myself.
The extractor hood came from the factory with a length that was not suitable to sit at the recommended height from the hob and it required specialist modification, i.e. taking it to a precision sheet metal cutter workshop to have it modified.
An experienced engineer would have concluded that this modification would have been required in under an hour. Please note that when I made the appointment I specified the brand and type of hood extractor I had purchased for installation. I was asked no detail about the appliance - I was at least expecting to be asked the model type so that the engineer can look at the on-line manual (all manuals are now online) and at least be prepared. In short the appliance is made of an on-site assembly of a simple hood support structure that screws into the ceiling from which a 10Kgs 90cm by 60cm by 4cm height extractor device is suspended via provided screws.
Instead it took 2hrs and 45 mins to try to assemble the provided hood support "chimney" lattice and set it up (without attaching the extractor unit) over the hood, to conclude the appliance would sit well below the recommended min height from the hob.
Further even if the hood length was provided from the factory at the right length, it would be impossible for a single engineer to install it. This job requires at least one assistant.
I have decided to reimburse the engineer for one hour of labor at £102 and dispute the balance of £204, representing the charge of 2 hours. I was presented with an invoice of £306 from Aspect.
My grounds are that a competent and experienced engineer - the reason why I hired Aspect in the first place - would not need 3hrs to tell me that I needed to modify my hood appliance assembly unit before it got installed. I leave it up to a dispute professional to determine what would be a competent person's work time to figure that out.
I have explained the same to Aspect, to which I have received no reply.
Aspect made no effort to engage in any time of dispute resolution despite me calling them twice and writing no less than a lengthy email. Instead they served me with a final warning "pay in a week or we sue you" email.
I remain open to resolving this if my assessment of the complexity of the job is not right or if a dispute arbiter decides otherwise.
I booked the appointment with Aspect and provided my American Express card number.
The engineer from Aspect attended my property and was in attendance for 3hrs and 44 mins at an annual rate of £102 per hour. The new extractor was on situ and un-wrapped by myself.
The extractor hood came from the factory with a length that was not suitable to sit at the recommended height from the hob and it required specialist modification, i.e. taking it to a precision sheet metal cutter workshop to have it modified.
An experienced engineer would have concluded that this modification would have been required in under an hour. Please note that when I made the appointment I specified the brand and type of hood extractor I had purchased for installation. I was asked no detail about the appliance - I was at least expecting to be asked the model type so that the engineer can look at the on-line manual (all manuals are now online) and at least be prepared. In short the appliance is made of an on-site assembly of a simple hood support structure that screws into the ceiling from which a 10Kgs 90cm by 60cm by 4cm height extractor device is suspended via provided screws.
Instead it took 2hrs and 45 mins to try to assemble the provided hood support "chimney" lattice and set it up (without attaching the extractor unit) over the hood, to conclude the appliance would sit well below the recommended min height from the hob.
Further even if the hood length was provided from the factory at the right length, it would be impossible for a single engineer to install it. This job requires at least one assistant.
I have decided to reimburse the engineer for one hour of labor at £102 and dispute the balance of £204, representing the charge of 2 hours. I was presented with an invoice of £306 from Aspect.
My grounds are that a competent and experienced engineer - the reason why I hired Aspect in the first place - would not need 3hrs to tell me that I needed to modify my hood appliance assembly unit before it got installed. I leave it up to a dispute professional to determine what would be a competent person's work time to figure that out.
I have explained the same to Aspect, to which I have received no reply.
Aspect made no effort to engage in any time of dispute resolution despite me calling them twice and writing no less than a lengthy email. Instead they served me with a final warning "pay in a week or we sue you" email.
I remain open to resolving this if my assessment of the complexity of the job is not right or if a dispute arbiter decides otherwise.
Attempts to resolve dispute:
Twice called.
Wrote detailed email.
Wrote detailed email.
Response to accusation (by accused):
Nothing Filed yet
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