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Consumer Complaints and Complaint Interpretation

Within in any city, state or federal law there are always the possibilities for different interpretations and resulting confusion of the terms and conditions contained therein.

One of the major focuses of the Texas State Plumbing Licensing Law and the Rules governing it relates to consumer complaints revolving around the price of the work performed, or contractual disagreements. The Texas Plumbing Board operates under the premise that whatever the complaint filed from anyone the Board looks at the health, safety and representation of work by the contractor related to the job. Contractual financial agreements are not the area of concern that is considered by the board unless there is evidence of misrepresentation of materials or workmanship. On the Board’s website is this explanation of the what the Board does:

“Considerations For Homeowners and Consumers When Selecting a Plumber or a Plumbing Contractor:

“The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners is the state agency responsible for enforcing the Plumbing License Law and Board Rules which includes examining, licensing, and regulating individuals involved in installing, repairing, or inspecting plumbing in the State of Texas. This

is truly a task of public health protection since injury and death can be and actually have been the result of unqualified individuals improperly installing, repairing, or inspecting a potable water supply, sewage disposal system, natural gas supply, hospital medical gases, or the venting of carbon monoxide fumes and other noxious gases from water heaters and similar fixtures. A properly installed or repaired plumbing system can run into a considerable expense. A homeowner or other consumer should consider the following when selecting a plumber or plumbing

contractor: Obtain the name of the Responsible Master Plumber for the company (The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners licenses individuals, not companies). Check with the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners' Enforcement Division at (800) 845-6584 to see if: the plumber is properly licensed and if the plumber has had any valid complaints filed against his or her license. Check with your local municipal plumbing inspection department to determine: if any complaints have been filed that were not filed with TSBPE if the company has met the requirements to do business in your city if the work to be performed requires a permit and inspection from the city. The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners does not regulate prices

charged by plumbers. (PAMCA Emphasis) Obtain several price estimates before committing to one and make sure that all warranties and cost estimates are in writing. Whether or not the estimate is for one price for the complete and final job or an hourly rate, it should be detailed enough so that the consumer understands exactly what work is to be performed and how the company expects to be paid. Obtain references and actually verify the references for previous customer satisfaction before choosing a plumber or plumbing contractor.”

In the event the issue over repair works occurs in cities of 5,000 or less or those without a municipal code, the State Plumbing Board has no jurisdiction for inspection or validation of the work performed by non-licensed plumbers.

If a contractor feels like any inspection or inspector has warned them, ticketed them, or treated them unfairly, or that the issue is over the price of the job only, they should report this immediately to the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners in Austin.

PAMCA held its annual Plumbing Code Class with a presentation by the City of Houston Chief Plumbing Inspector John Roth. Participating companies received valuable information on a number of critical issues in the industry. Participating companies included: Arrow Plumbing, Space City Plumbing, Wil-Co Plumbing, Aqua Plumbing, Church Services, Allright Inspectors, Lister Plumbing, Jarrell Plumbing, Dynamic Plumbing, Spedale Plumbing, Schneider Plumbing, Leo’s Plumbing, Asher Plumbing, Lea Plumbing, Hernandez-Monreal Plumbing, Walker-Hale, Quality Heating A/C and Plumbing and Plumber Trainer.

The City of Houston is currently operating under three different codes: for one and two family residential dwellings-The International Plumbing Code, commercial/schools/multi-family and other - The Uniform Plumbing Code and The Energy Code.

Street Cut Permits was explained when and how they must be used within the City of Houston. If a multi-family property is using a master gas meter, their regulatory agency is the Texas Railroad Commission.

Other issues discussed included: fireplace installation utilizing gas falls under the plumbing license, and gas piping and gas connections cannot be installed by a fireplace company. The Texas Railroad Commission is the responsible agency for master meter gas systems. The Insurance Board was given the authority to regulate one and two bedroom homes related to fire protection systems. Only licensed plumbers and water treatment specialists can deal with cross connections. Two other issues discussed wither Street Cut Permits and Med Gas Systems.