Broken Breaker. A Tale of Tool Hire.

The story has concluded.

All the gear has now been picked up and they've had the drill fixed. They stopped 50 quid out of my deposit - 40 for parts and 10 for labour. I thought it was a bit steep, but since they already had my money, I wasn't in a good bargaining position. If I'd have had more time I'd have argued the toss endlessly but as it was I just grumbled and paid.

Presumably, they had already given up any hope of repeat business...

Cheers,

Colin.

Reply to
Colin Stamp
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Why don't you name them here?...

Reply to
tony sayer

On Thursday 27 June 2013 17:02 Colin Stamp wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Name please...

Reply to
Tim Watts

It's The Milton Keynes branch of M&J :-

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Cheers,

Colin.

Reply to
Colin Stamp

If it's a chain, I'd contact head office and complain. Might just be a local manager making a bit on the side.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

M&J is a chain - they have a branch here.

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

And it could be a subtler scam than first appeared - scare with 500 quid bill, obviously faked. Then the 50 quid one will get paid without a blink.

Reply to
Clive George

The thought had occurred to me too, but more with the 50 quid bill as a consolation prize should the big one fail.

My guess though, is that they really did spot the damage first when the breaker came back from me (whether it had been there all along we'll never know). They noted that I was a DIYer who probably wouldn't be a big loss if I got pissed off and they decided to try it on. Cheeky bastards.

Cheers,

Colin.

Reply to
Colin Stamp

That is dangerous, they could quite easily and justifiably add further hire charges, and penalties for late return.

Reply to
Fredxx

I'm temptedt to write them ans ask the MK branch if they have any ex-rental Makita ratty old breakers for sale.

Reply to
Grimly Curmudgeon

Colin Stamp put finger to keyboard:

You should ask to see the repaired drill.

Reply to
Scion

If it's a sensible scam, they'll have a bust part hanging around to put on to show the punter it's bust, and a good one to put back on for the actual rental.

Reply to
Clive George

Clive George put finger to keyboard:

True - but that's more effort than simply telling the customer he broke it and they fixed it. Path of least resistance and all that.

Reply to
Scion

So you tell then to f*ck off.

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

So they hang on to his 200 quid.

Reply to
Roger Mills

So he hangs on to their several grand Genie.

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

If it were me I'd find out who the managing director is and put the case to him in writing. Also I believe they have a trade association and probably like many it exists for the benefit of its members but one might hope that they see cases like this in a differing light and might ask their member to adhere to their rules of practice..

Seems to me the branch manager is either on the make or fiddle somewhere..

I've not hired from that firm but the few I have done so with I've had very good service from. One in Wisbech we had a faulty breaker from not only did they come out in a van with a replacement they were very perfuse with apologies and refunded half the rental charge as compensation not that we were actually inconvenienced that much if at all;!....

Reply to
tony sayer

By now we can be sure that the total cost to the company far exceeds the £50 they made out of you.

Reply to
dom

Assuming that the company actually saw the £50....!

Reply to
Bob Eager

Yep. They'll lose more than that in business from me alone. It's a shame but now the trust has gone, there's no way to salvage any kind of business relationship.

Cheers,

Colin.

Reply to
Colin Stamp

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