Pimlico Plumbers

Type| Domestic service provider
Industry| Plumbing, electrical wiring, heating, roofing
Founded| 1979 (1979)[1]
Headquarters| London, England

Key people

| Charlie Mullins (Founder)
Revenue|  £43.27m (2020) [2]
Owner| KKR & Co.
Parent| Neighborly Inc. Waco, Texas, USA
Website| www.pimlicoplumbers.com
A Pimlico Plumbers van

Pimlico Plumbers is a London-based plumbing firm established in 1979.[1] With revenues of £20m as of 2015, it is London's largest independent plumbing company.[3]

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Publicity
* 3 Legal issues
* 4 Community involvement and Brexit stance
* 5 Financials
* 6 References
* 7 External links

## History

Pimlico Plumbers was established in 1979 by Charlie Mullins (born December 1952),[4] who left school at 15 with no qualifications and began work as a plumber.

In September 2021, Mullins sold a 90% shareholding of Pimlico Plumbers to US home services group Neighborly in a deal worth between £125 million and £145 million.[5] At the point of sale, the business had revenues of $70 million and employed over 400 people.[5] Mullins' son, Scott Mullins, remains Chief Executive with a 10% stake.[5] Mullins has lived in Costa del Sol since 2021.[6]

## Publicity

The company owns more than 100 plumbing-related number plates, fitted to its fleet of vehicles, such as LO 02 OLD (Loo too old), BOG1, DRA1N, W4TER and others.[6][7] It gained considerable publicity through its employment of Buster Martin, who claimed to be Britain's oldest worker, cleaning vans part-time until his death in 2011.[8] The firm's boss presented BBC Three show Britain's Best Young Plumber,[9] and has appeared on Secret Millionaire.[10]

## Legal issues

In 2009, the firm was involved in a legal dispute with Steve Cosser, an Australian TV executive accused of industrial espionage in stealing Pimlico's client list after establishing a rival firm, Service Corps, using ex-Pimlico staff. Services Corps collapsed in January 2010 with debts of £100,000 before the case was settled.[11]

The company also had a dispute with rival firm Aspect over Trustpilot ratings.[12]

On 10 February 2017, in the Court of Appeal, a plumber who had initiated an Employment Tribunal case against the company in 2011[13] was found to have "worker" status for the purposes of various employment protection rights, notwithstanding that he had been engaged as a self-employed individual. Pimlico Plumbers argued the plumber was an independent contractor but the Court of Appeal determined he was a worker with some employment rights.[14][15][16] The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom subsequently granted Pimlico permission to appeal,[17] which, following a hearing on 20 and 21 February 2018, was unanimously dismissed.[13]

## Community involvement and Brexit stance

The firm has been involved in a scheme in aid of the big society with the renovation of the Streatham Youth Centre.[18] This was organised along with Wickes, A4e, and the Co-Sponsorship Agency.

In 2018, the company was criticised for erecting a large "Bollocks to Brexit" sign on top of their premises in Waterloo. Mullins defended the use of the sign, referring to the Sex Pistols' 1977 album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols as precedent for being able to legally display the word in public.[19]

## Financials

In November 2010, Mullins reported that he was considering floating the firm, with a £50m valuation, in order to fund a nationwide expansion.[20] The firm's turnover was £18.2 million in 2013, with profits of more than £1,000,000.[21]

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Wall, Emma (28 May 2013). "Charlie Mullins: How I made my first million". The Daily Telegraph (London). https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/10079391/Charlie-Mullins-How-I-made-my-first-million.html. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
2. ↑ "Pimlico Plumbers reports pre-tax profit increase in 2020". 17 December 2020. https://www.hvpmag.co.uk/Pimlico-Plumbers-reports-pre-tax-profit-increase-in-2020/12236.
3. ↑ Stuart, Derrick. "Christmas is back in business." Conference and Incentive Travel. June 2011. 26. ABI/Inform Complete. Web. 11 Jul. 2011
4. ↑ "Charles MULLINS – Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)". https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/CfoCpxLHi0TFfZcq7IuorUjwP3A/appointments.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Thomas, Daniel (2021-09-20). "Mullins sells Pimlico Plumbers to US company Neighborly". Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/7b5bb2a0-bdbe-438f-9353-d2c2adbb4ebc.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Andrew Clark and Richard Fletcher. "Business". The Times. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/article398946.ece.
7. ↑ "Corporate Identity: Number Plates :: Pimlico Plumbers". About-us.pimlicoplumbers.com. 2013-10-17. Archived from the original on 2013-08-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20130816023017/http://about-us.pimlicoplumbers.com/corporate-identity/number-plates. Retrieved 2015-07-16.
8. ↑ "Buster Martin: Book of Condolences :: Pimlico Plumbers". About-us.pimlicoplumbers.com. Archived from the original on 2011-04-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20110423070524/http://about-us.pimlicoplumbers.com/condolences-for-buster. Retrieved 2015-07-16.
9. ↑ "Britain's Best Young Plumber boss throws kitchen sink at The Apprentice". The Guardian. 1 December 2010. https://www.theguardian.com/media/mediamonkeyblog/2010/dec/01/britains-best-young-plumber-the-apprentice. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
10. ↑ [1] (archived link, July 15, 2014)
11. ↑ Moore, Matthew (2010-01-11). "Plumbing firm accused of stealing celebrity clients from rival goes out of business". Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/6968969/Plumbing-firm-accused-of-stealing-celebrity-clients-from-rival-goes-out-of-business.html. Retrieved 2015-07-16.
12. ↑ "Pimlico Plumbers plunges into legal action against rival". https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/11078928/Pimlico-Plumbers-plunges-into-legal-action-against-rival.html.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Judgment in Pimlico Plumbers Ltd and another (Appellants) v Smith (Respondent) – The Supreme Court". https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2017-0053.html.
14. ↑ Ritvik Carvalho (10 February 2017). "UK court backs plumber in new challenge to 'gig' economy". Reuters. http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-jobs-plumber-idUKKBN15P22V. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
15. ↑ Kevin Peachey (10 February 2017). "Plumber wins workers' rights battle against Pimlico Plumbers". BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38931211. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
16. ↑ ﻿Pimlico Plumbers v Smith﻿ (Report). Court of Appeal (Civil Division). 10 February 2017. Case No: A2/2015/0196 Citation: [2017] EWCA Civ 51. https://www.judiciary.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/pimlico-plumbers-v-smith.pdf. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
17. ↑ "Permission to appeal decision in Pimlico Plumbers Ltd and another (Appellants) v Smith (Respondent) – The Supreme Court". https://www.supremecourt.uk/news/permission-to-appeal-decision-in-pimlico-plumbers-ltd-and-another-v-smith.html.
18. ↑ [2]
19. ↑ "Millionaire refuses to take down 'Bollocks to Brexit' poster". The Guardian. 5 October 2018. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/oct/05/millionaire-refuses-take-down-bollocks-brexit-poster. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
20. ↑ "Charlie Mullins on Pimlico Plumbers float". Real Business. 2010-11-08. http://realbusiness.co.uk/leadership/charlie_mullins_on_pimlico_plumbers_float. Retrieved 2015-07-16.
21. ↑ "Login". The Times. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/support_services/article6122199.ece.

## External links

* Official website

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