I have a new plumber whom I like very much but at times he and his wife don’t communicate enough with me. I had a hot water tank leak a few weeks ago and he came to fix it. I didn’t realize he was putting a whole new one in – which I do believe needed to be done. When I got the bill, it was for a lot of money. I talked to his wife not questioning the bill but that I wasn’t consulted in the process. She and her husband were contrite and concerned.

Now I needed some toilet repairs and had him come to look at them while I was away. She emailed me and said that the toilet in my room wasn’t working properly because of calcification and that James had replaced it – free of charge! That was lovely but the toilet he put in is larger and takes up more room in a small bathroom.

Do I say anything about it or should I not look a gift toilet in the mouth (as it were)? It seems a bit churlish to say anything but there is a communication problem again.