At Hague Dental, we have always worked hard to keep our engineering service charges fair, transparent and competitive, while maintaining the high standards of service our customers have come to expect.
Like many businesses, we continue to face significant increases in operating costs, particularly those associated with running our engineering fleet. Rising fuel prices, parking charges and other vehicle-related expenses have placed considerable pressure on the cost of delivering our services.
We have absorbed these rising costs for as long as possible, delaying any adjustments to minimise the impact on our customers. Unfortunately, with operational costs continuing to rise, we have reached a point where a modest increase to our engineering rates, along with a small change to our charging structure, has become unavoidable.
We appreciate that our customers are also facing increasing financial pressures, and we want to reassure you that we have kept these adjustments to an absolute minimum.
The following changes will take effect from 1 November 2026.
Call-Out Charges
Call-out charges will increase by £10.00 + VAT across the following zones:
Call-Out Zone | New Rate (excl. VAT) |
Zone A1 – Central London | £160 |
Zone A2 – Outer London | £150 |
Zone A3 – Greater London | £140 |
Zone B – South of Cambridge (excluding London) | £130 |
Zone C – Midlands and North | £100 |
Labour Charges
Our standard engineering labour rate will increase by £10.00 to £130.00 + VAT per hour for Zones A1 – B, and by £10.00 to £100.00 + VAT per hour for Zone C (1 hr min, then 15-min increments rounded up).
Dial-in services: Revised labour rate of £160.00 + VAT per hour (1 hr min, then 15-min increments rounded up)
Changes to Parking Charges
Historically, Hague Dental has included engineer travel expenses, such as parking, tolls and ULEZ charges, within our fixed call-out rates.
However, with parking costs increasing significantly, parking charges will now be charged separately, in addition to the standard call-out and labour fees.
Where possible, we kindly ask customers to provide on-site parking or suitable parking permits for our engineers. This will help avoid unnecessary additional charges.
Any parking costs included in quotations will be estimates only. The final amount will be based on the actual parking expense incurred and reflected on your invoice, with VAT applied.
Our Continued Commitment to You
We sincerely regret having to introduce these increases, particularly at a time when we know many dental practices are managing their own rising costs.
This is not a decision we have taken lightly. We have held off for as long as we reasonably could, but these adjustments are necessary to ensure we can continue to invest in our engineering team and deliver the prompt response times and a dependable service to keep your practice running smoothly.
Thank you for your understanding, loyalty and continued trust in Hague Dental. We genuinely value the relationships we have built with our customers and remain committed to supporting you and your practice.
John Cawley
Managing Director
