Do I Have to Pay This Tradie?

helpme on 04/11/2023 - 08:32
Last edited 05/11/2023 - 10:07 by 1 other user

I contacted airconditioning repair people who came out, had a look at the evap cooling for 5-10 mins, and said the main PCB board needed replacing.

I then contacted someone who does repairs (over the phone, he didn't charge me) who advised me to try re-pairing the remote. That took a whole 5 minutes and it ended up working again. The tradie even sent me a pic of the PCB board with no lights saying it just wasn't working. He then gave me a quote to replace it and a $200 invoice for that callout.

What would you do in this situation?

Thanks

Edit: Thanks everyone for your input, it's been a fun and surprising discussion. I will call the guys and see what they have to say and take it from there. If paying $200 gives me the right to leave a review, maybe I'd rather do that.

Home & Garden

Comments

HardQuiz on 04/11/2023 - 08:46

+6

Paying someone for wrong diagnosis is tricky.

At the same time, what did the person who suggested (or fixed) the remote charge you?
- helpme on 04/11/2023 - 08:53
  
  +1
  
  At the same time, what did the person who suggested (or fixed) the remote charge you?
  
  I should've specified, it was re-pairing the remote to the PCB, the remote wasn't broken. Nope, it was over the phone.
  - Dslrfirst on 05/11/2023 - 09:22
    
    +2
    
    you need to repair "re-pairing"
    - Tech5 on 05/11/2023 - 10:44
      
      +5
      
      Re-pairing as in pair the remote. Not repair the remote.
      - Melong on 05/11/2023 - 10:47
        
        -6
        
        @Tech5: Woosh
    - DazMon on 05/11/2023 - 12:02
      
      +2
      
      Don't think I've ever seen the word repair split into 2, until today.
      - suzley on 05/11/2023 - 13:22
        
        +3
        
        @DazMon: Re-pair, repair - two different meanings.
        Re-create, recreate ditto
        
        iDroid on 05/11/2023 - 22:45
        
        +2
        
        @suzley: Instructions unclear. Please Re-word.
      - capslock janitor on 05/11/2023 - 16:23
        
        @DazMon: like re-pairing bluetooth
        
        kiitos on 06/11/2023 - 09:22
        
        +2
        
        @capslock janitor: If they said "pair the remote and the PCB again" it would be clearer.
        
        And they wouldn't have to re-peat themselves.
        
        capslock janitor on 06/11/2023 - 17:02
        
        @kiitos: ye thats would be clearer
        
        Tech5 on 06/11/2023 - 18:59
        
        @kiitos: Re-peat or repeat? Please reword
        
        Munki on 07/11/2023 - 13:26
        
        +3
        
        @kiitos: Yeah they should have just peated it properly the first time round.
EightImmortals on 04/11/2023 - 08:47

+1

Huh?

So you called someone to fix your AC. The tradie said the main PCB was stuffed.
Then you called someone else who said to repair the remote.
The remote was faulty but not the main PCB.

The first tradie then sends you a bill for the first callout and a quote (presumably to replace the main PCB).

Is that about right?

When you called the first tradie what did he say his callout fee was? You did ask didn't you?
What did he say when you explained that the problem was the remote and it's now fixed?
- helpme on 04/11/2023 - 08:50
  
  +7
  
  Sorry my bad! Re-pairing the remote to the PCB unit. Not repairing the remote. The remote nor the PCB was faulty, we probably just hadn't used it in so long it disconnected from the PCB.
  
  When you called the first tradie what did he say his callout fee was? You did ask didn't you?
  
  No problem with a call out, I have a problem with possibly lying about it. He sent me a pic with the PCB lights off and said it's not working. He probably just turned it off at the main switch before taking that picture because when I went up, it was fine.
  - EightImmortals on 04/11/2023 - 09:02
    
    +22
    
    OK thanks for the clarification. Yeah tradie should have figured that out at the time of the visit IMO.
    - helpme on 04/11/2023 - 09:09
      
      +2
      
      This thread is making me question myself…it seems wrong but most people have said to pay just because the guy came out…
      - MS Paint on 04/11/2023 - 09:16
        
        +14
        
        @helpme: Only the trolls are suggesting that.
      - EightImmortals on 04/11/2023 - 09:28
        
        +12
        
        @helpme: Well a callout fee is a callout fee regardless of the result unfortunately.
        In the end your AC got fixed even it wasn't by the tradie so I guess you'll have to pay him.
        
        Did you ask what the callout fee was before he came out?
        
        helpme on 04/11/2023 - 10:25
        
        +38
        
        @EightImmortals:
        
        Well a callout fee is a callout fee regardless of the result unfortunately.
        
        What next? I call a plumber, he comes over, takes a shit, leaves and charges me $200 and I'm expected to pay it because a call out fee is a call out fee?
        
        EightImmortals on 04/11/2023 - 10:27
        
        -4
        
        @helpme: Pretty much. That's the way the world is these days.
        
        But, as they say, 'Be the difference you want to see in the world'. So if the shoe is ever on the other foot and your the one 'owed' money maybe you can make a different decision.
        
        helpme on 04/11/2023 - 10:29
        
        +1
        
        @EightImmortals:
        
        Pretty much.
        
        This is…wow…I didn't expect this on Ozbargain where people jump through 10 hoops to save $1.
        
        I call a plumber, he comes over, takes a shit, leaves and charges me $200 and I'm expected to pay it because a call out fee is a call out fee?
        
        I really wonder what the response would have been if I went with this scenario. To me, my one and this one are one and the same…actually…maybe I'd rather the guy just take a shit than try and charge me for something I don't need…
        
        EightImmortals on 04/11/2023 - 10:33
        
        -5
        
        @helpme: And you don't see the difference in saving a bit of money on a product and gipping a trades-person who you called to come and help you?
        
        (Though given the faulty diagnoses I do see your point. :) )
        
        helpme on 04/11/2023 - 10:43
        
        +1
        
        @EightImmortals:
        
        called to come and help you?
        
        Yes, I did call them to come and help me, not come or help me.
        
        (Though given the faulty diagnoses I do see your point. :) )
        
        Thanks haha
        
        brendanm on 04/11/2023 - 10:58
        
        +25
        
        @EightImmortals: The tradie was the one gypping to op, charging him for a misdiagnosis, then would have charged him again for replacing a non-faulty component.
        
        EightImmortals on 05/11/2023 - 08:06
        
        -1
        
        @brendanm: Yes I understand that. I'm just seeing the callout fee as something he would have got charged for regardless. Either way, it's dealers choice in this case. I doubt the tradie would chase him up over $200 especially in this instance.
        
        helpme on 05/11/2023 - 09:42
        
        @EightImmortals:
        
        I'm just seeing the callout fee as something he would have got charged for regardless.
        
        This is where we disagree but I 100% feel you wouldn't just pay the fee 'regardless'. Well, you already said you would if they just came to take a shit…so who knows…
        
        brendanm on 05/11/2023 - 09:58
        
        +9
        
        @EightImmortals: If the guy had even come out and said he couldn't find the problem, callout fee would be fine. However this guy has done a straight up misdiagnosis, or perhaps even just flat out lied about what the problem is. I would personally not charge for performing such a crap job.
        
        SlickMick on 05/11/2023 - 17:43
        
        -2
        
        @helpme: Is this sarcasm?
        You have a pay the plumber because you called him out. Do you want to charge him for using your loo?
        
        noshopping on 07/11/2023 - 05:19
        
        +8
        
        @EightImmortals: "Well a callout fee is a callout fee regardless of the result unfortunately."
        
        Think I'm gonna devise a new business plan. Title of my new job will be Callout Specialist.
        Put really cheap quotes online, attend 10 call outs per day, but fix nothing. Charge $80 per call out. Approx 15min per job.
        $80x10 = $800/day x 5 days = $208,000/year.
        Petrol/fuel expenses probably cost $30/day = $9k/yr.
        So about $199k/yr net profit.
        
        easternculture on 18/03/2024 - 09:27
        
        @noshopping: Im gonna steal your idea, looks promising.
        
        Also cash in hand
      - Pootie Tang on 05/11/2023 - 04:07
        
        @helpme: Just pay the call out fee without reading the rest of the thread
      - Baghern on 05/11/2023 - 12:20
        
        +4
        
        @helpme: yeah you have to pay, you shouldnt have called him out if you weren't willing to pay up, time is money… regardless of the diagnostic
        
        you should have called the second guy who didnt charge
        
        That's a you problem
        
        Then again… did you use information from the first person to tell the 2nd person…
        
        You and other posters assuming he scammed you with so little information is telling on what kind of person you are
        
        helpme on 05/11/2023 - 12:46
        
        +4
        
        @Baghern:
        
        regardless of the diagnostic
        
        That's where I call a load of shit. If I take a car to a mechanic knowing everything is fine, then he tells me nah you need to replace the engine, I'm walking out of there.
        
        Then again… did you use information from the first person to tell the 2nd person…
        
        In a way, but also not in a way I would pay for, the second guy when I told him the PCB was broken was did an aircon guy tell you that? I said yeah, he said try repairing the remote first and sent me instructions. In reality, the expert I called should've done that.
        
        You and other posters assuming he scammed you with so little information is telling on what kind of person you are
        
        Ive repeated several times I can't prove it and I'm not ruling it out. But the alternative is the PCB decided not to function that specific day, as in it killed itself, when he was here and decided to pick itself up less than 48 hours later.
        
        SlickMick on 05/11/2023 - 17:48
        
        +2
        
        @helpme: Why would you take your car to a mechanic if you know everything is fine? You'll walk out after paying for his diagnosis (or you won't be walking out).
        You don't get to not pay because you don't like the answer.
        
        You have a right to not like it, and to leave a negative review. You also have the right to check reviews before you bring your car in.
        But if you engage someone, then you pay them.
      - SlickMick on 05/11/2023 - 17:41
        
        +1
        
        @helpme: I have an air con not working. The tradie said I have 2 options: free quote on replacing, or a callout fee for quote on repairing.
        (I presume it only takes a saleskid to quote on replacing, but an expert to diagnose a fault.)
        So seems totally legit that you pay a call out fee.
        
        As for the incorrect diagnosis, that's life. Who has never got something wrong in their field? My experience with car repairs is they just keep replacing parts until the problem goes away. I have to pay for labour and parts on every incorrect diagnosis. Your only option is to decide whether someone else might be more competent to go to next time.
        
        In hindsight, you should have made the phone call first and avoided the call out. But I'd just be grateful you only have a callout to pay, and not a replacement board also.
        
        helpme on 07/11/2023 - 11:02
        
        -1
        
        @SlickMick:
        
        As for the incorrect diagnosis, that's life. Who has never got something wrong in their field?
        
        I get that, I've paid people for misdiagnosis and repairs that didn't need to be done, and I wasn't in the slightest bit salty, in fact, I called out the same guy because I could tell it was a genuine mistake.
        
        They replace parts until the problem goes away, but it's like if your car doesn't start, the mechanic doesn't go basic troubleshooting like jump starting it, replacing the battery, alternator, or starter and goes straight to replacement of engine needed. Like no shit that would probably fix it.
  - rumblytangara on 04/11/2023 - 10:15
    
    +5
    
    No problem with a call out, I have a problem with possibly lying about it. He sent me a pic with the PCB lights off and said it's not working. He probably just turned it off at the main switch before taking that picture because when I went up, it was fine.
    
    If the lights are usually on with power (which you can verify by yourself now), and he powered it down to make a fake diagnostic, yeah, (profanity) that guy.
    - helpme on 04/11/2023 - 10:24
      
      +4
      
      It's either that, or it just decided to work again after he left…I just surprised at the amount of people defending him and saying to pay him $200 for doing that…
      - rumblytangara on 04/11/2023 - 10:32
        
        +12
        
        @helpme: Power doesn't magically come back to a PCB at random. If there was a loose connector that he bumped to get working again, the lights would have come on and he would have seen it.
        
        If he wasn't faking a diagnostic I would totally say pay the callout fee, but he was actively trying to scam you.
        
        I'd tell him to get stuffed for feeing you false information and to take you to *cat if he feels differently.
        
        This sort of thing really pisses me off- I was being scammed by my removalist at the beginning of the year. For a similar amount, but their active lying was what made me bring them to NCAT.
        
        helpme on 04/11/2023 - 10:37
        
        +1
        
        @rumblytangara:
        
        If he wasn't faking a diagnostic I would totally say pay the callout fee
        
        100%, I've paid people to repair the wrong thing. I could tell they didn't mean it and paid them again to fix the real issue. I don't have proof and it is speculation but the second guy on the phone sounded like he was pretty sus of this guy.
        
        This sort of thing really pisses me off- I was being scammed by my removalist at the beginning of the year.
        
        Did you call them to come out? According to this thread that's your fault. This is the comment I was just responding to just above ours:
        
        Them: Well a callout fee is a callout fee regardless of the result unfortunately.
        
        Me: I call a plumber, he comes over, takes a shit, leaves and charges me $200 and I'm expected to pay it because a call out fee is a call out fee?
        
        Them: Pretty much.
        
        What has the world come to…
        
        rumblytangara on 04/11/2023 - 10:39
        
        +7
        
        @helpme: To be fair, I had some very good advice on OzB when I asked about my situation. The post is in my profile. I also had some very condescending and completely (legally) wrong advice from one or two guys with their heads up their arses.
        
        Most people responding in this thread seem to be sidestepping the active lying part of the callout. Not sure why they think that's okay. Paying for a callout is fine. Paying for a callout where a part is faked as broken just to make it easier or profitable for the working is not fine.
        
        If I was going to fight this, I'd make sure that all comms are documented in written form, with explanations of why the callout fee is unreasonable, on the expectation that this would all be shown to an adjudicator.
        
        helpme on 04/11/2023 - 12:37
        
        +1
        
        @rumblytangara:
        
        Most people responding in this thread seem to be sidestepping the active lying part of the callout. Not sure why they think that's okay. Paying for a callout is fine. Paying for a callout where a part is faked as broken just to make it easier or profitable for the working is not fine
        
        "We had a look, we couldn't find anything wrong, maybe call someone else", okay thanks for your advice, here's your call out fee.
        
        Thanks for seeing my side of things and the advice
        
        MS Paint on 04/11/2023 - 12:55
        
        +1
        
        @helpme:
        
        Thanks for seeing my side of things
        
        @pegaxs - classic textbook ozbargain confirmation bias. You were bang on.
        
        helpme on 04/11/2023 - 13:14
        
        +2
        
        @MS Paint:
        
        @pegaxs - classic textbook ozbargain confirmation bias. You were bang on.
        
        You're right, but at the same time it's not like I ignore people who post against me, I just don't see a reasonable response to this. I'm actually quite opening to changing my mind as long as it sounds reasonable. Literally someone said if a plumber came, took a shit and left, we'd still have to pay them…
        
        pegaxs on 04/11/2023 - 17:26
        
        @MS Paint: It always is…
        
        Cant wait for the follow up post;
        
        "My A/C PCB fried itself and the guy who I didn't pay because he did nothing wont come and fix it and the guy who told me it just needed to re-learn the remote wont pay for damages caused by missing the imminent PCB failure…"
        
        SlickMick on 05/11/2023 - 17:51
        
        @pegaxs: I was just thinking how sweet it would be for the PCB to be faulty and this stops working again real soon.
        
        helpme on 07/11/2023 - 16:16
        
        @SlickMick: If it happens I'll admit I'm wrong. Again, I know I don't have proof, I know it could be intermittent, I know it could a unlikely coincidence. I was polite to them and I wasn't accusing them, all I want to know is if they did their due diligence.
        
        If anything, if it breaks I'd feel better knowing they were honest and I'd rather that than the alternative. It also means I can add another tradie to my list. I have an awesome plumber, sparky, and garage repair guy. I hate going through them. I don't run on feelings but facts and principles.
        
        rumblytangara on 05/11/2023 - 15:45
        
        +2
        
        @MS Paint: How does turning off the power to the control board and taking a photo of a 'dead' board make the callout fee okay?
        
        These boards are connected either via screwdown connectors or industry standard, very secure connectors. The power LEDs don't go on and off at random with passing gusts of wind.
        
        We deal with power boards all the time- usually not PBC control boards, more with racked computing equipment. The times we've had to deal loose connectors in the past 12 months (and keep in mind that C13/14 is way less reliable than screw down wires or molex/clip style DC power connectors) is… 3 times across literally (many) hundreds of machines.
        
        Sure, maaaaybe it was just random chance. But on the balance of probability, very, very unlikely.
        
        Why is there a 'lazy man tax'? Do you not think that the supposedly expert tradie should have a minimum threshold of honesty, or do you think that it's 100% the responsibility of the consumer to second guess and question the integrity of the person being called out?
        
        fprjet on 06/11/2023 - 15:05
        
        @rumblytangara: Could be a bad power supply joint, quite possible for something to have no power for a period and start working temperature can make solder joints flex…..Op could find same thing happen down the track…..That's why intermittent issues are a pain in the butt…. also why occasionally you smack something and starts working again….
        
        rumblytangara on 06/11/2023 - 15:07
        
        @fprjet: Yes, I did mention
        
        Sure, maaaaybe it was just random chance. But on the balance of probability, very, very unlikely.
        
        Timing is just way too suspicious for this to be entertained seriously though.
        
        fprjet on 06/11/2023 - 15:13
        
        @rumblytangara: Let's see if it happens again in a couple months…. I have an two aircon at moment will work sometimes with a couple hits but not other times, powers up, fan works but has trouble deciding whether to heat or cool. Not worth fixing as we may be building…..
      - Serapis on 07/11/2023 - 14:49
        
        @helpme: Lol seems to be a lot of tradies here apparently 😂
  - CalmLemons on 05/11/2023 - 12:36
    
    +1
    
    This happens all the time. Diagnosis is charged, some will take the piss and want to change everything - even if they are wrong.
    
    You will need to just call the first guy and discuss, how they could be so wrong.
    
    Legally, you need pay the callout fee, morally, if they could get it so wrong, ask them if you should be paying it.
  - BinnyC on 06/11/2023 - 16:44
    
    I have the same problem possibly, can u advice how did you do re- pairing. I can pm you if possible. Thanks
AngoraFish on 04/11/2023 - 08:50 Comment score below threshold.
MS Paint on 04/11/2023 - 08:51 Comment score below threshold.
- helpme on 04/11/2023 - 08:52
  
  +32
  
  How is it a user error? Had the tradie just re-paired the remote, I would've paid him the fee. Instead, he said the board was fault when it wasn't, why do I have to pay up?
  - MS Paint on 04/11/2023 - 08:54
    
    +2
    
    Because you didn't perform any basic fault finding or even Google the potential issue. You need to pay the lazy man tax. It's $200 on this occasion.
    - helpme on 04/11/2023 - 08:55
      
      +32
      
      That makes no sense, the first guy didn't even FIX the issue. Lazy man tax is when it's a simple issue and you call someone to FIX it and it takes 5 minutes. I still had to do it myself with this guy having no input whatsoever except replace non faulty PCB. This is basically a scam.
      - MS Paint on 04/11/2023 - 08:55
        
        -2
        
        @helpme: We must use different dictionaries.
        
        helpme on 04/11/2023 - 08:57
        
        +3
        
        @MS Paint: "The idea is to avoid paying a 'lazy tax', which is money you pay when you forget to negotiate a better deal." In almost any case involving a lazy man tax, the consumer gets what they paid for, they just overpaid for it. I paid for a repair, I didn't get a repair. What's a lazy man tax to you?
        
        MS Paint on 04/11/2023 - 08:59
        
        +3
        
        @helpme: The lazy part, on this occasion, was that you performed no basic fault finding before calling a tradie.
        
        helpme on 04/11/2023 - 08:59
        
        +7
        
        @MS Paint: Yeah, that's fine, but the problem wasn't fixed. So what am I paying for?
        
        MS Paint on 04/11/2023 - 09:02
        
        +17
        
        @helpme: Because you asked them to come to your house. When they say they are coming you are agreeing to a call-out fee at a minimum. That's how tradies work unless the offer free quotes (which is a rarity these days).
        
        helpme on 04/11/2023 - 09:03
        
        -2
        
        @MS Paint: I'm convinced you're a troll at this point
        
        pegaxs on 04/11/2023 - 09:14
        
        +25
        
        @helpme: You're the troll,. champ. It appears you just came looking for "confirmation bias" and it seems you are not finding a lot.
        
        Have you tried having a cry on Whingepool and/or Reddit??
        
        helpme on 04/11/2023 - 09:18
        
        +9
        
        @pegaxs: Explain to me why we should pay for someone to come over and possibly lie so they can make more money?
        
        MS Paint on 05/11/2023 - 17:58
        
        -1
        
        @pegaxs: Possibly
        
        DashCam AKA Rolts on 04/11/2023 - 09:22
        
        +17
        
        @helpme:
        
        I'm convinced you're a troll at this point
        
        Poor reaction to hearing an unwanted response.
        
        When they say they are coming you are agreeing to a call-out fee at a minimum.
        
        Real world experience is this.
        
        helpme on 04/11/2023 - 09:54
        
        +1
        
        @DashCam AKA Rolts: So what if you called out and a guy and found out he actually didn't do anything. Or took a car for a service and they didn't even look at it. You'd still be happy to pay them?
        
        CrazyBargainCatcher on 07/11/2023 - 12:05
        
        @helpme: Pay the call out fee, but nothing else.
        
        bathuu on 05/11/2023 - 02:47
        
        +9
        
        @helpme: "call out fee"
        
        IM-Cheap on 05/11/2023 - 09:57
        
        +3
        
        @MS Paint: Look if the man wants to pay a tradie for basic fault finding he can but the tradie didn't do any basic fault finding. If the tradie had done his job it would have taken 15mins and problem fixed.
        
        CurlCurl on 04/11/2023 - 18:57
        
        +8
        
        @helpme:
        
        "The idea is to avoid paying a 'lazy tax', which is money you pay when you forget to negotiate a better deal." In almost any case involving a lazy man tax, the consumer gets what they paid for, they just overpaid for it. I PAID FOR A REPAIR, I DIDN'T GET A REPAIR. What's a lazy man tax to you?
        
        F.F.S. You didn't pay for a repair. If you pay, you are paying the CALL OUT fee that you knew about.
        
        helpme on 04/11/2023 - 19:24
        
        +1
        
        @CurlCurl: Ok sure let's go with that then, I called them to (fix) but lets say diagnose the issue. They, not that they did it incorrectly, there's a high probability they lied about it to get a bigger job.
        
        If I called out a plumber to look at a toilet and all he does is take a shit and leaves, do I have to pay this guy?
        
        MS Paint on 04/11/2023 - 19:27
        
        +10
        
        @helpme: Your analogies are monotonous and in most cases irrelevant.
        
        helpme on 04/11/2023 - 19:30
        
        +2
        
        @MS Paint: Well, they're different people, I don't expect everyone to be reading every comment I make like you (appreciate the stalkish behaviour). Unlike you though, I don't make vague general statements about why people are wrong, I tell people why I think their examples are false equivalences, mostly they ignore the fact that this could not only be a wrong diagnosis, but on purpose.
        
        I'm repeating this because someone literally said yep, if they come, don't do anything, you still have to pay them (eightimmortals or something), which I think is bogus. Clearly you guys just love getting bent over.
        
        MS Paint on 04/11/2023 - 19:34
        
        +7
        
        @helpme: But they did do something. You just didn't like what they did.
        
        Also, no plumber is going to turn up to your house, take a dump, and charge you for the privilege. It is complete and utter nonsense. Stop using this unrealistic analogy.
        
        This thread is peak confirmation bias on ozbargain.
        
        helpme on 04/11/2023 - 20:36
        
        +4
        
        @MS Paint:
        
        But they did do something.
        
        What did they do? Take a staged photo? I'm happy to discuss what they actually did.
        
        Also, no plumber is going to turn up to your house, take a dump, and charge you for the privilege. It is complete and utter nonsense. Stop using this unrealistic analogy.
        
        I'd feel less ripped off if they did NOTHING than if they pretended something was broken when it's not. Go have a chat with eightimmortals who says if they happened, you'd still have to pay them anyways.
        
        It's also not really that unrealistic, I've heard of cases where they just pretend to work, they could've used the toilet at some time.
        
        This thread is peak confirmation bias on ozbargain.
        
        Nope, just no real arguments as to why they deserve payment except the fact that it could've just repaired itself in the 48 hours or so since they had a look.
        
        reshre8 on 05/11/2023 - 08:18
        
        @helpme: I personally wouldnt pay. Some tradies a dodgy as, like you said, the fact that he tried to cheat you into doing an unecessry repair and send you a quote, which you might have gone with if you handed called the 2nd tradie, i would not pay and confront him with the same arguement with a please expain…
        
        cameldownunder on 05/11/2023 - 10:58
        
        +1
        
        @helpme: Plumber's and in general every repair person, main mission is to create revenue.
        
        How to do that? Tell terrible stuff about things that are about to brake down.
        
        Had a blockage in the toiles. Removed toilet, and attempted to unblock. Didn't manage.
        
        Called plumber, agreed on Call Out, he came unplugged the pipe, and then started his "Sales Speach": Went up and down the pipe with the camera, till he found "Something" that needed URGENT repair, otherwise it will break and cost tens of thousands of dollars, and then offered me a "Cheap" repair for $8000.
        
        Pipe still not broken as of now.
        
        helpme on 05/11/2023 - 11:52
        
        @cameldownunder: Nevertheless he fixed your initial issue though. This guy didn't even bother to resync the remote. He could've resynced it and went 'the PCB is worn down, it's best replace it before summer cause it'll be even more expensive and we can't guarantee we can get the part'.
        
        Done, thanks for the insight, here's $200 for repairing the remote and I'll consider replacing the pcb
        
        cameldownunder on 05/11/2023 - 13:11
        
        @helpme: True, the plumber did something. What I was trying to say is that they try to get even more work/money out of you.
        
        In your case, he went straight for the Jugular
        
        " it's best replace it before summer cause it'll be even more expensive and we can't guarantee we can get the part'
        
        Exactly here is the "needed URGENT repair, otherwise it will break and cost tens of thousands of dollars" I was referring to.
        
        CurlCurl on 04/11/2023 - 21:01
        
        +1
        
        @helpme: Did you ever receive the coffee you complained about in this thread?
        
        https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/785623
        
        MS Paint on 04/11/2023 - 21:20
        
        +1
        
        @CurlCurl: If you take that coffee to a mechanic and they tell you it's actually tea do you need to pay for it?
        
        CurlCurl on 05/11/2023 - 08:14
        
        -1
        
        @MS Paint:
        
        If you take THAT coffee to a mechanic and they tell you it's actually tea do you need to pay for it?
        
        Sorry can't answer your question as helpme hasn't confirmed THAT coffee has arrived.
        
        cameldownunder on 05/11/2023 - 13:14
        
        -1
        
        @MS Paint: If you take an item past its "Use By date" to the cashier, as W or C, do you get it for free ? Absolutely.
        
        Ramrunner on 01/12/2023 - 16:35
        
        @helpme: To take a shit he would have had to look at it. Pay the hypothetical plumber as well please.
      - SlickMick on 05/11/2023 - 17:54
        
        +1
        
        @helpme: That fee that you're happy to pay to the guy that gave you the solution, but didn't - give that to the guy you engaged to fix the problem despite his initial diagnosis being wrong. You're square, everyone's happy.
    - johnno07 on 05/11/2023 - 08:56
      
      +2
      
      While the tradie is potentially dodgy/shit at his job, I 100% agree that laziness like this should have a cost. I mean, if he'd replaced the PCB and charged you for it (and the callout) you would have had no idea and been out of pocket even more. OP just take it as a $200 lesson to actually do some cursory Googling before calling out a tradie - you'll learn something and save a shitload of money.
      - bowdo on 05/11/2023 - 10:46
        
        +4
        
        @johnno07: What if had been technology illiterate Nanna?
        
        I don't see why some people are so keen to exhonerate this contractor for clearly dodgy practices. Apparently ignorance or inability to conduct basic troubleshooting is tacit approval to be bamboozled by contractors. A Current Affair get justice boners for this kind of stuff.
        
        johnno07 on 05/11/2023 - 20:01
        
        @bowdo: Given the OP is whingeposting on OzBargain I assumed they were not a tech-illiterate nana. There is a big difference between inability and just being lazy.
      - SlickMick on 05/11/2023 - 17:56
        
        @johnno07: Yep, even incompetent tradies get paid. The idea is try to avoid them and pick the competent ones, but we can be incompetent at picking tradies sometimes. There is a $200 tax on that.
  - ddilrat on 05/11/2023 - 08:48
    
    +2
    
    Nah he sent you a dodgy photo. Call him out and dont pay
loulou1 on 04/11/2023 - 08:57

+8

Did you call the first tradie? Did he come out? Pay the call out fee
- helpme on 04/11/2023 - 08:58
  
  Why when the call out fee was wrong, didn't help, and possibly an attempt to get me to replace the PCB costing thousands of dollars? Why was an experience air conditioner repair man unable to repair the remote?
  - Mokr on 04/11/2023 - 09:15
    
    I mean if he did replace the PCB it would have worked though
    - helpme on 04/11/2023 - 09:21
      
      sure, just about as much as replacing any other part…it just had to be the most expensive one
    - rumblytangara on 04/11/2023 - 10:18
      
      +4
      
      If he replaced the PCB then he would have had to re-pair it to a new or existing remote anyway, which was the actual required step.
      
      This is like asking someone to repair an indicator light, and they sell you a new car after telling you that the engine is also completely wrecked after pulling out the spark plugs to prove it . Sure, 'technically' it solves the issue, but should you need to buy a new car?

Do I Have to Pay This Tradie?

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