John wrote:
"goddess" wrote in message
...

About six weeks ago I had a new bath and shower fitted. The other
day the bath taps came loose and I am now able to lift the taps up
and twist them around!! This has caused leaking through to my
kitchen ceiling as water has being getting through. Tonight the
plumber who fitted the bathroom came back to have a look and said
that both of the plastic nuts seem to have broken (one of them into
three pieces) and says that it is our fault for buying taps from
homebase and that the taps he would've supplied would have come with
metal nuts and this wouldn't have happened!

The taps from Homebase may have come with a plastic nut but if he
felt they were so unreliable why didn't he suggest swapping the
plastic nuts for metal ones, which can be purchased seperately?

I argued with him but he wouldn't back down that two nuts wouldn't
just break of their own accord through me just using a tap as a tap!
He was having none of it and said that he would charge me £40 to
replace them!! It's a load of codswallop if you ask me!

I agree

I think he broke them when he put them on which resulted in him
putting sealant around the taps so that they would temporarily stay
in place.

Ask him why he HAD to do this as it is not normal practice

I wouldn't agree with that. Taps don't always fit the holes provided
perfectly, especially when replacing the taps but not the bath/basin/sink,
so a little silicone/LSX prevents splashed/pooled water going past the tap
base.

Secondly, many taps are fitted with flexibles which don't give the rigidity
of copper pipe, so a little silicone/LSX helps to stop them moving without
having to over tighten the backnut.

I use it routinely although its an added (albeit small) expense, just to be
on the safe side. Its never going to do any harm.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk