The Housewrights Inc. Overcharging, rude unprofessional behaviors, gouging, Angola, Indiana

A few days before Christmas 2012, our sew pipe broke and our house was flooded with sewage. I called The Housewrights, Inc., a plumbing company, at approximately 11:00 and I went back to work and left my retired husband with the mess. The Housewrights plumber arrived at approximately 12:30 according to my husband. When I arrived home at 3:00, he was gone. I asked where he was and he said that he went to dinner about an hour and a half ago.  My husband said that the plumber was really rude to him and was bossing him around like a minimum wage employee instead of the home owner.  He had my husband hauling buckets and reaching down into the sump pump pit. I told my husband to stay away from him when he returns. He returned about 3:30. He cut the bolts on our toilet and then sat in the bathroom for at least 30 minutes giving instructions to someone about puting a furnace in. He came out of the bathroom at 4:30 and said that he ran into dirt so the main sewer line must be broke. He went out in the garage and talked with the employees from the cleaning company for another half hour and then left about 5:00.

The next morning I called The Housewrights and told them that the very rude man needed to come and get his equipment as I was firing him and going with another company.  I told the woman that I talked to why I was firing him. I did not know at the time that the rude lazy plumber was the owner of the company.

I promptly received a bill charging me for 4 1/2 hours work at $95.00 per hour for a total of $534.00 which included use of his equipment too. He called it emergency repair rate even though it was a Wednesday and he arrived at 12:30, took a 2 hour lunch and left before 5:00. He was angry because I fired him so he gouged me with an unreasonable bill.

I talked to several other plumbers in the area and found out that the going rate for Angola is $65.00 per hour and anything done on a week day between 8 and 5 is not considered emergency service. I paid him the amounts indicated on his bill for the use of his equipment and then paid him $65.00 per hour for the actual work time. I paid him over $300.00. He filed a small claim in court.

I paid him the remainder of the money and $102.00 court fees as I did not want to go to court. He may have gouged me for $636.00 but his poor business ways will cost him thousands in the end.

I have told everyone in my neighborhood, co-workers, family, friends, contractors, store clerks, etc. Everywhere I go in this small town, I tell them my story. I know a lot of people.