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Buy Local but Buy Smart

Letter to the Editor for September 2, 2010 edition

(Updated: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 12:00 AM)

Dear Editor,

It is said that there's a new sucker every day. On this occasion it was me; it could have just as easily have been you.

I recently needed a plumber so I consulted my local phone book and fell for one of the nice ads in the yellow pages.

I was delighted that they could come out that day even though this was in no way an emergency. The job was minor although surprise, surprise, even though the plumber arrived in what looked to be a well-equipped van he would still need to go into Oakhurst for a part, on the clock of course, I live right in town so I wasn't too concerned although when presented with the bill it became apparent that I should have been. A call-out fee of $92.50 had been added to the bill and not incorporated in the already astronomical hourly rate. The parts used had been grossly inflated in price and to add insult to injury there was an $11 vehicle operation surcharge. I contacted the owner right away to question his pricing and ask if the call-out fee and the vehicle surcharge could be reconsidered but he could not see anything unreasonable with his pricing.

The Better Business Bureau disagrees and due to several other similar and unresolved complaints has rated this particular business an "F." The lesson to be learned here is by all means "buy local" but buy smart. Consult your neighbors, friends and people in the trade for an honest referral. It turns out that everyone already knew about this particular plumber and his price-gouging ways; everyone except this sucker and the new one born every day.

Melanie Coventry, Oakhurst