Can We Quote You On That?

I have to have the windscreen on my car replaced, so my husband takes it to a repairer to obtain a quote. They write the quote on one of their business cards and my husband comes home.

After we sort out our finances, my husband takes the car back to have the work completed. As our financial situation at the time is not great, we have enough money in our account on this day to cover the work as quoted and not a cent more. When my husband goes to pay, he doesn’t pay attention to the cost; he just hands over his card. It is declined. He then realises he has been charged more than what was quoted, so he queries it.

The employee who gave him the quote confirms that the lower price is correct, so my husband pays the lower price, gets his receipt, and leaves. When he gives me the paperwork, I notice that the invoice and receipt have different prices. My husband tells me what happened and we think that’s it.

But no. Today, my husband received a phone call from an admin person at the repairer.

Admin: “I am just going through our books and I notice that your invoice doesn’t match what you paid.”

Husband: “Yes, that’s because you tried to charge me the wrong amount at first. It was higher than the quoted price, so it was adjusted.”

Admin: “But we ran your card twice.”

Husband: “Yes. We didn’t have enough money in our account to cover the higher price, so when you went to charge me that, the card was declined.”

Admin: “Okay, but the receipt and invoice still don’t match.”

Husband: “Yes…”

Admin: “And we ran your card twice.”

My husband explains again why that happened.

Admin: “But the card went through okay the second time?”

Husband: *Getting annoyed* “Yes, because the second time, I was charged the quoted price, which was cheaper than the first price you tried to charge me. We only had enough money in the account to cover the lower price.”

Admin: “But how was I supposed to know that?”

Husband: “I don’t know.”

Admin: “Somebody should have told me or left a note!”

Husband: “Probably.”

Admin: “The invoices and receipts need to match!”

Husband: “Um, okay, well, if that’s all…”

Admin: “Okay, thank you. Goodbye.”

Husband: *To me* “I’m not sure what she expected me to do about it. I don’t work there. It’s not my job to make sure their invoices and receipts match or to leave notes for her!”