What does 'removal' mean? Dispute advice please

[Disquieted]

Hi,

I've just had a job done and am withholding part of the payment pending resolution.

I had new tiles fitted in my house and the tiler, as part of the quote, agreed to the 'removal' of the old tiles. He did this - but left them all in a (tidy) pile in my back garden! He contends that he only agreed to remove them from the floor, I understood that removal included taking them away. After all, if I asked someone to remove a tree I wouldn't expect them to just cut it down, I would expect them to take it away. That is implicit.

The tiler maintains that he never meant to take them away and that this would cost extra. Could someone please advise?

Thank you,

DQ.

 

[White Room]

I take it that removal is removing tiles from there fixed position as in floor etc but this should have been made clear from the start, if the tiler has'nt a waste transfer licence for his van then he can't take them anywhere due to the fact he gets stopped and is caught it can be a hefty fine.

Removing waste can be expensive as I found to my misfortune.

 

[radim]

removal means taking tiles of the wall, floor.
taking them to skips will be extra charge as he has to pay for disposal.

 

[Qwerty]

As above. Removal is removal, disposal is disposal. I remove, not dispose. Skips & bin men do that. I list it clearly in my T&C's though

 

[mike1979]

I remove and don't dispose don't be mean and pay the poor bloke

 

[jonnyc]

Sounds like a misunderstanding.the clue might be in the word remove albeit a tree or a tile.you think remove means taking up and removing from your property.tiler or tree surgeon might see that as just removing from its location .could still be in your property .

 

[Dougs Third Go]

as all others, removal (in my opinion) means to remove them from their fixed state.

 

[mma]

Pay up!!!!!!!

 

[One Day]

Removal is not disposal.
I can't imagine anyone risking getting caught carrying trade waste nowadays.

If I were in this situation I would probably suggest my customer retain £50 to cover the cost of a mini skip and chalk it down to experience.
He should have covered this in his quote's terms and conditions really.
A misunderstanding but no reason to fall out.

 

[One Day]

Pay up!!!!!!!

Subtle and tactful! Nice.

 

[Diggy]

Same here, removal means from the wall or floor but not take them away.
The latter would be 'Disposal' in my opinion. After all, it is your rubbish.

Diggy

 

[cam_low]

£50 for a mini skip impish !!! get me one please...need it for next weeks job haha !

 

[White Room]

Or could try a Hippo bag...

 

[mma]

Or could try going to the tip!!

 

[The D]

it will cost you nothing to put it in your car and take it to the tip after all it is your rubbish but it is not your money so give that to the tiler and say sorry for withholding it in the first place

 

[John Benton]

Agreed, if a skip is required, not always though, I list it as part of the costs in a quote. I always state particularly for small jobs i.e. floor tile removal, that I will bag up in rubble sacks so the customer can take them to the local tip fort he cost of fuel only. If they want me to remove and dispose, then the customer pays me to do it. You shouldn't withhold payment because of this. Your analogy about the tree is a good one though. I've got a guy to come and remove AND dispose of 2 conifers in my garden including removal and disposal of stump and roots. Got a price for it and I know exactly what will get done in that price.

 

[Chalker]

Sorry to go against the trend, but if if I quoted for removal of tiles. It would be removed from the property.!

 

[Andy Allen]

how pathetic trying to twist words,..... remove, dispose.......just go to screw fix, get some rubble sacks chuck it in the car and take it to the tip.........AND PAY THE TILER !!!

 

[AliGage]

Removal = unfix tiles from substrate.
Disposal = Get rid of/take to tip/clear from site.
As someone has already pointed out it costs us to dispose of trade waste.

 

[Sean Page]

As above, removal means to remove them from the wall or floor ready for the new tiles. I don't know many trades now that are licenced waste carriers as the added costs would need to be passed onto the customer in the long run.

 

[Disquieted]

how pathetic trying to twist words,..... remove, dispose.......just go to screw fix, get some rubble sacks chuck it in the car and take it to the tip.........AND PAY THE TILER !!!

I am not trying to twist words at all and am certainly not trying to screw the guy over - I have paid all except £100 of a £3K job. I work away from home and gave the tiler the keys to my house to carry out the work. I thought I was contracting for a comprehensive service so was a little dismayed to see a big pile of tiles in my garden on my return.

 

[One Day]

Sorry to go against the trend, but if if I quoted for removal of tiles. It would be removed from the property.!

Aah see? It's all your fault!

 

[Ajax123]

I am not trying to twist words at all and am certainly not trying to screw the guy over - I have paid all except £100 of a £3K job. I work away from home and gave the tiler the keys to my house to carry out the work. I thought I was contracting for a comprehensive service so was a little dismayed to see a big pile of tiles in my garden on my return.

i suspect there here has been some confusion due to lack of clarity on both sides. I personally would expect removal to simply mean take the existing tiles off of the substrate. If they were to be disposed of that would be an extra service. None of us know what was said by whom or what was quoted for or contracted but the simple fact us that the tiler, in order to take the tiles away himself must have a waste carriers licence. This is pretty rare amongst tilers so I would not generally expect to see him dispose of the tiles unless it's in a skip hired for the purpose.

 

[widler]

I always put ' remove all tiles and all rubbish to be removed from site and kept clean'
Or something along those lines , or sometimes i dig there garden up and bury the rubbish ( or the customer if they don't pay up 😉 )

 

[Andy Allen]

I am not trying to twist words at all and am certainly not trying to screw the guy over - I have paid all except £100 of a £3K job. I work away from home and gave the tiler the keys to my house to carry out the work. I thought I was contracting for a comprehensive service so was a little dismayed to see a big pile of tiles in my garden on my return.

Why not just get s skip then..?

Really do think your making a mountain out of a mole hill...

 

[Disquieted]

Why not just get s skip then..?

Really do think your making a mountain out of a mole hill...

Thanks for the advice - I will do just that. I will inform the tiler that I will be using the retained £100 to pay for a skip.

 

[Dan]

Removal is removing them meaning not to tile over them and leave them in place.

Disposal is disposing of them. And those carrying waste need a special license and all sorts of things. It's not just a case of sticking them in the van and taking them to the tip.

Though you can actually take them yourself as you're the council tax payer paying for that service.

I wouldn't withhold payment because that could backfire if this went to court. You're meant to pay in full and then argue this via the courts really. You could end up paying legal fees if he goes through small claims court.

For the sake of £100 on a £3000 job. Just pay the £30 quid for the skip yourself and stop wasting your time on the net.

 

[Andy Allen]

Thanks for the advice - I will do just that. I will inform the tiler that I will be using the retained £100 to pay for a skip.

Lets hope the tiler is not as petty as you are. Or you could be spending a long time looking over your shoulder. .

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Thanks for the advice - I will do just that. I will inform the tiler that I will be using the retained £100 to pay for a skip.

Pretty pathetic response but as usual the customer thinks they are always right!
You do realise you're guarantee to any work completed is now null and void as you failed to complete your side of the contract in failing to fully pay the agreed amount.
Funny but I'am beginning to warm to your tiler, no suggestion that your not happy with his work just a complaint that he 'stacked' the tiles in your garden.
Reminds me of a customer who complained I'd emptied my waste water in his garden ( a piece of waste ground) he obviously expected me to take it home in my van. It's cases like this that should be in the forum thread 'customers from hell'!

 

[One Day]

Well done guys. :hurray:
In 3 pages a lot of you have managed to alienate the customer here and probably ruin the chances of the tiler getting an amiable outcome.
Other downside is the customer will now label tilers as pack-animals and will leave here with a bad experience.
A little diplomacy and tact would have gone a long way.....

 

[peterwhayward]

Sorry to go against the trend, but if if I quoted for removal of tiles. It would be removed from the property.!

Just out of interest do you have the appropriate licence to carry refuse from a job.?.