Dubious plumbing company takes advantage of emergency situations Customer asked to pay 4,000 francs for an hour and a half's work
Nasty scam: a plumbing company is apparently taking advantage of customers who are in a difficult situation. They are not given a quote and are told to pay completely exorbitant prices in cash on the spot.
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- Dubious tradesmen profit from their customers' emergency situations.
- An SRF report focuses on the company Adventus Switzerland, which uses a questionable business model to put customers under pressure.
- Hundreds of francs are quickly collected for simple jobs that can be completed in just a few minutes.
Necessity is the mother of invention, emergency situations sometimes make people greedy: Adventus Schweiz GmbH is said to take advantage of many a customer's predicament to charge exorbitant prices, as reported by the SRF consumer magazine "Espresso".
Trustworthy and cost-effective, with transparent communication: this is how the company presents itself on its website. However, those affected report dubious business practices and horrendous prices.
4000 francs for an hour and a half's work
A pensioner from Basel contacted the company because the drain in his kitchen was blocked. The fitter had him sign a form, but did not provide a cost estimate. After a quarter of an hour's work, the senior citizen was presented with the bill: 535 francs, payable immediately.
Something similar happened to a 29-year-old man from Zurich whose apartment had problems with the sewage. He informed the caretaker, who in turn commissioned Adventus Switzerland. Two employees gave an estimate of CHF 1,200, but after an hour and a half's work they demanded CHF 4,000.
The examples cited by SRF are consistent with reports on the Internet. Many reviews of Adventus Schweiz GmbH talk about being ripped off and having to pay the horrendous bills under pressure. Among other things, the company operates the websites www.adventus-schweiz.ch and www.sanitaer-notfall.ch as well as www.schluesseldienst-hilfe.ch for emergencies with apartment keys.
Dubious companies are not an isolated case
According to SRF, the Adventus management did not wish to comment on its business practices. Email inquiries remained unanswered and the company could not be reached by telephone.
Unfortunately, Christian Brogli from Suissetec, the association of building technicians, confirmed to SRF that some dubious companies have turned emergencies into a business model. Dubious companies often send two employees to charge higher costs and intimidate customers.
Consumer protection also warns against dubious companies and provides useful tips in a guide to protect yourself from unpleasant surprises in difficult situations.
These are the most important tips from Consumer Protection
- Look out for reputable providers of emergency services such as pipe cleaning and locksmiths before an emergency occurs.
- Keep calm and, if possible, contact the property manager or caretaker first.
- If you are looking for a company on the Internet: Look for local telephone numbers and compare price lists on the websites.
- If no price list is available: Ask for a quote over the phone. Reputable companies are able to do this.
- If cash payment has not been agreed in advance, insist on payment by invoice. If the tradesman puts pressure on you, contact the police if necessary.
