Terms & Conditions | Defender Plumbing

Terms & Conditions

Effective for all bookings made with Defender Plumbing.

These Terms & Conditions apply to all work carried out by Defender Plumbing, a trading name of DEFENDER NETWORK SOLUTIONS LTD (Company No. 16422145), registered in England & Wales.

By requesting attendance, booking an appointment, or permitting work to commence on your property, you confirm that you have read and agreed to these terms in full. These terms form the basis of the contract between you (the customer) and Defender Plumbing & Drainage.

1. Pricing & Charge Structure

All work is charged on a time and materials basis unless a fixed price has been agreed in writing prior to commencement.

Standard labour rate: £98 for the first hour on site.
Additional time: £49 per additional 30 minutes, billed in 30-minute increments.
Out-of-hours / emergency attendance: where offered, pricing is confirmed at the time of booking and is subject to availability. Standard rates apply unless otherwise stated.
Materials: charged at cost plus 25% to cover procurement, handling, and supply.
Travel: attendance within the core service area is included. Travel to locations outside the core area may incur an additional time charge, confirmed at the time of booking.

Time on site is measured from arrival at the property to completion of works, including fault-finding, isolation and drain-down where required, reinstatement, and making good the immediate work area.

2. Older & Existing Pipework — Important Notice

Many residential properties contain older, modified, or non-standard plumbing systems. Until pipework is exposed and systems are isolated, drained, or tested, it is not always possible to predict the full scope of work, time required, or costs involved.

By permitting work to begin, you acknowledge and accept the following:

Pre-existing defects: Concealed or latent defects — including corroded pipework, scaled or seized valves, incompatible fittings, failed joints, unsafe or non-compliant previous installations, or concealed leaks — may only become apparent once work has begun. Defender Plumbing accepts no liability for defects of this nature that pre-exist the works.
Scope changes: Where additional faults or complications are discovered mid-job, you will be informed promptly. The issue and available options will be explained clearly. No additional work will proceed without your verbal or written agreement.
Additional charges: Any additional time and materials required as a result of pre-existing conditions or expanded scope will be chargeable at the standard rates above.
Consequential damage: Where aged or deteriorated pipework, fittings, or fixtures suffer incidental damage during otherwise standard repair work (for example, a corroded valve crumbling when turned, or brittle pipe cracking under normal manipulation), this does not constitute negligence. The cost of remedying such secondary issues is chargeable.
No guarantee on wider system: Works are limited to the agreed repair or replacement scope. No guarantee is given on the wider existing installation beyond the section directly worked on.

Real-world example: A customer books a tap replacement — a straightforward job under normal circumstances. To fit the new taps, the mains water supply must be isolated at the stopcock. On attempting to turn the stopcock, it is found to be seized, passing water, or leaking — a common occurrence in older properties where the valve has not been operated in years. Rectifying or replacing the stopcock is now necessary before any other work can proceed safely. Separately, once the existing pipework beneath the basin is disturbed, a section of corroded or poorly jointed pipe that was previously concealed behind boxing or under the floor begins to weep or fail — pipework that was holding only because it had not been touched. What began as a one-hour tap swap can legitimately become a three or four hour job involving stopcock replacement, pipework repairs, drain-downs, and making good. All additional time and materials arising from pre-existing conditions such as these are chargeable at standard rates. You will always be informed and asked to agree before additional work proceeds — but the additional cost is the customer's responsibility, not a reflection of poor workmanship.

3. Materials — Supply, Warranty & Manufacturer Liability

Where Defender Plumbing supplies materials and parts, these are sourced from reputable trade suppliers. The following terms apply:

Workmanship guarantee: Labour and installation workmanship is guaranteed for 12 months from the date of completion, provided the installation has not been altered, tampered with, or subjected to misuse.
Parts warranty — manufacturer responsibility: Parts and materials supplied by Defender Plumbing carry the manufacturer's own warranty. Where a part fails due to a manufacturing defect after installation, the warranty claim lies with the manufacturer or supplier — not with Defender Plumbing. Defender Plumbing will assist where reasonably practicable in facilitating a warranty claim, but accepts no liability for the cost of the failed part itself.
Return visits following parts failure: Where a manufacturer-faulty part requires removal and replacement, the return visit and labour are fully chargeable at standard rates, regardless of whether the part itself is replaced free of charge under manufacturer warranty. The customer is responsible for the cost of labour to reinstall. This applies to all parts including but not limited to shower pumps, valves, taps, cistern mechanisms, and thermostatic cartridges.
Customer-supplied parts: Where the customer provides their own parts or materials for fitting, no warranty of any kind is provided on those items. Labour time is fully chargeable regardless of part failure, incompatibility, or unsuitability. Return visits to rectify issues arising from customer-supplied parts are chargeable at standard rates.

Example: A shower pump is supplied and installed by Defender Plumbing. The pump fails after six weeks due to an internal manufacturing fault. The pump may be replaced by the manufacturer under their warranty. However, the labour required to return to site, remove the failed unit, and install the replacement is fully chargeable at standard rates. Defender Plumbing is not responsible for the failure of the pump itself.

4. Payment Terms

Payment is due in full before the engineer leaves site. No exceptions are made unless a written agreement to alternative terms has been made prior to work commencing.

Accepted payment methods: bank transfer or card payment.
Cash is not accepted.
A receipt is provided electronically on request.

Non-payment:

Where payment is withheld or refused on completion, the debt becomes immediately due and will incur statutory interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate from the date of completion.
Unpaid debts will be referred to a debt recovery service without further notice. All reasonable recovery costs — including collection fees, legal costs, and court fees — will be added to the outstanding amount and pursued in full.
Defender Plumbing reserves the right to pursue any unpaid amount through the UK County Court small claims process without further notice.

5. Call-Outs, Abortive Visits & Access

If attendance has been made but work cannot proceed due to any of the following, the first hour charge (£98) remains payable in full:

Access to the property or work area cannot be gained.
The water supply cannot be isolated and isolation is required to proceed safely.
The customer does not have authority to authorise works (e.g. tenant without landlord consent).
Site conditions are unsafe or unsuitable.
The customer decides not to proceed after attendance.

Any time spent on site beyond the first hour in these circumstances is chargeable at £49 per 30 minutes.

6. Cancellations

Cancellations with less than 24 hours' notice may be charged at the first hour rate (£98).
Where an emergency or same-day booking is cancelled after the engineer has been dispatched, all time incurred — including travel — remains chargeable.

7. Scope of Works & Exclusions

Defender Plumbing undertakes domestic plumbing and drainage works only.
No gas, boiler, or electrical certification is provided. Any gas-related work will not be undertaken under any circumstances.
Work will not be carried out on unsafe systems or illegal installations.
Where works are found to be outside the scope of competence or safe practice, attendance will be terminated and the visit charged at the standard rate. A referral to an appropriate specialist will be offered where possible.

8. Liability

Defender Plumbing carries full public liability insurance. However, liability is limited as follows:

Liability is capped at the value of the works carried out under the specific job in question.
No liability is accepted for pre-existing defects, latent faults, or conditions present before attendance.
No liability is accepted for consequential or indirect losses arising from plumbing failure, including but not limited to damage to décor, flooring, furniture, or contents.
No liability is accepted for manufacturer defects in parts or materials, whether supplied by Defender Plumbing or the customer.
These limitations do not affect your statutory rights under UK consumer law.

9. Photography & Marketing Imagery

Defender Plumbing may photograph work carried out on your property for the purposes of sales, marketing, and business promotion — including use on social media, the company website, directory listings, and other marketing materials.

Photographs will be limited to the work area and will not include identifiable personal belongings, people, or information that could identify your property or address.
By permitting work to commence, you consent to photography of the works for the purposes described above, unless you notify the engineer before work begins that you do not consent.
If you wish to withdraw consent after work has been completed, contact us and any identifiable images will be removed from active marketing use within a reasonable timeframe.
Images will not be sold to third parties or used for any purpose beyond the promotion of Defender Plumbing & Drainage.

10. Data & Communications

Communication is primarily handled by phone. Any information voluntarily shared by the customer (including photographs or written descriptions via SMS or messaging) may be retained for job records and dispute resolution purposes in accordance with UK GDPR.

Your contact details will not be sold, shared, or used for marketing without your consent.

11. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of England & Wales. Any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England & Wales.

Booking or permitting work to begin confirms your acceptance of these terms.

If you have any questions about these Terms & Conditions before booking, please call 07908 794 527 (Mon–Sat, 8am–6pm).