Trial delayed for plumbers accused of scams

A major trial involving 17 plumbers accused of scamming customers over a five-year period has been delayed until January next year.

Plumbers overcharging for simple tasks is nothing new - but the examples due to heard in court including that of a plumber accused of demanding €10,000 as a deposit to unblock a toilet.

Some 17 people are being prosecuted for misleading at least 256 customers between 2020 and this year. According to the Hal-Vilvoorde public prosecutor’s office, the defendants used intimidation, threatening language and aggressive commercial practices.

“Almost all the victims were asked to pay for the ‘repair’ immediately, by credit card or in cash,” the office said. “If they refused, the repair was cancelled, or the customer was threatened. Some victims were physically threatened, one of them with an angle grinder.”

The prosecution also pointed to the exorbitant rates charged by the defendants. Prices often skyrocketed compared to the initial amount agreed with the customer.

One client was charged €900 just to replace a tap. Another victim had to pay a €10,000 deposit to unblock a toilet, even though the initial quote was only €500.

In other cases, the defrauded customers claim they were misinformed about the nature of the actual problem and had to pay for additional parts. In many cases, the claimants say the work carried out by the plumbers did not even guarantee a permanent solution to the damage.