Unreasonably high invoice bill from an electrician

[AlexanderSmi123]

Good afternoon everyone, I am Alex and I'm new here.

I am posting this to ask for advice with how I should approach this situation.

We called in an electrician, and as confirmed in writing by messages, the original request was to change the socket covers and change lightbulbs through the flat (1 bedroom flat). After completing the job, the electrician sends us an invoice which lists the labour and material costs, and a rough breakdown of the works done. The final bill is OVER £2,000 (almost all of it labour) and lists 30 hours of work. On top of the requested works, it also details a lot of other works, which were not requested nor authorised by us, including various tests and other changes. To make the situation more difficult, we were away during this time as the flat was under renovation and could not confirm what works exactly have been at the time.

Given this extremely unreasonable bill, what is the best way to approach the situation?

Any help would be appreciated, and thank you for your advice.

 

[westward10]

Cope with the fact they are working by themselves.

It isn't about coping with working by themselves it is about lone working whereby an incident would go unnoticed because they are alone. Your examples are individuals lone working amongst other members of the public, they are not alone. To use the word "cope" suggests they are not competent to work by themselves and that is not the issue and if it were that is something completely different.

 

[timhoward]

Cope with the fact they are working by themselves.

It's just common sense though isn't it. Since I've had an assistant (fairly recent thing) I've been ultra-aware of my responsibility to make sure he gets home at end of day.
We recently had a fault find and CU change job that was an hour's drive into the middle of nowhere with zero phone reception, and unoccupied. No neighbours anywhere near. Even though there wasn't enough continuous work for two I decided we were both going as if anything had happened, either of us (alone) wouldn't be missed until that evening. At end of day it was a very unusual situation and better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Mike Johnson]

There are 3.1 million sole traders in the UK are they all at risk? There are exceptions of course as Tim points out above, but insisting that you do not work alone is in most instances not viable or makes financial sense.

 

[Risteard]

I worked for someone who would not tolerate lone working and it isn't just about an accident happening during the work being carried out. Anything can happen like heart attacks, strokes etc... and whilst your colleague may not be able to help medically they can call for assistance.

This is precisely the issue. I had the HSE out with me a number of years ago to offer advice about RAMS (gratis in fairness to them), and these were some of the points made. It's difficult to argue with the logic too.

 

[Dustydazzler]

I work 99% on my own , so who foots my ladder when im fitting the outside vent to the 3rd floor bathroom

 

[mainline]

There are 3.1 million sole traders in the UK are they all at risk? There are exceptions of course as Tim points out above, but insisting that you do not work alone is in most instances not viable or makes financial sense.

You are taking it to the extreme by saying everyone.



Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, you must manage the risk to lone workers, think about who will be involved and which hazards could harm those working alone.

 

[davesparks]

There are 3.1 million sole traders in the UK are they all at risk?

Yes, every person alive is at risk of something.

But that's not the point here, the point is that we can take measures to reduce the risk to people.

 

[LukeD]

You are taking it to the extreme by saying everyone.



Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, you must manage the risk to lone workers, think about who will be involved and which hazards could harm those working alone.

we are becoming very "american" and litigation is well on the rise . As mentioned ,I have via work and she is also a friend access to the UK's highest ranked employment lawyer . The issues she has seen and worked on over the last 30 years is unreal and the changes recently are madness .So, Yes an EMPLOYER really has to be on the ball as a simple mistake can cost them their whole business or most of their savings . WHy? well, not because they are in the "wrong" .But because their lawyers will have to advice them to "payout" in most cases .As the cost to defend /instruct Barrister etc etc might not be worth it as the chances are they will lose. Its like people are going out to find a "Accident " etc and chance their luck as just about any claim under £17k is classed as "might as well just pay out" ... Its super sad . And there is a HUGE rise in "sexual abuse /assault " cases and careers are been wrecked by employees just "making a claim" against a director etc etc. Some where the evidence is SO STRONG against the claimant .Yet the company does not want it to go to court etc etc .Payouts of 80k and more just been paid to make the matter go away . So yes, the madness of "elf and safety" is real and if you employ anyone now, dont take it lightly !

 

[pc1966]

I would think that most employers now have to think about the lone working risks and address them as far as reasonably possible. In some cases it is just getting another person to call in from time to time to check, or maybe using CCTV at a remote site so the service person can be watched arriving and safely departing again.

A university we had plans to work with had the use of some app for lone staff that they had to respond every hour or two or an alarm was raised. At my previous job at another university many years ago a colleague (who usually worked shifts) had a fit and we needed to get an ambulance/medical assistance. Thankfully it happened while there were folks around. After that we made some arrangements that the other guys who did evening shifts would have friend or family checking up on them by phone just in case.

 

[DPG]

I would think that most employers now have to think about the lone working risks and address them as far as reasonably possible. In some cases it is just getting another person to call in from time to time to check, or maybe using CCTV at a remote site so the service person can be watched arriving and safely departing again.

A university we had plans to work with had the use of some app for lone staff that they had to respond every hour or two or an alarm was raised. At my previous job at another university many years ago a colleague (who usually worked shifts) had a fit and we needed to get an ambulance/medical assistance. Thankfully it happened while there were folks around. After that we made some arrangements that the other guys who did evening shifts would have friend or family checking up on them by phone just in case.

That's a good point - a lot of places use lone-worker apps these days.

 

[MDJ]

Makes you wonder how postman, bus drivers and most couriers cope.

They are not stood on ladders by themselves with nobody footing them, they are not doing any jobs which need 2 people, sparks often do Mike, just saying

 

[Mike Johnson]

I am so glad I am retired and don't have to deal with people who will find any excuse not to do a job.

My attitude was you never work off a ladder, it's for access only, plenty of other means of getting to a work face.

 

[westward10]

I am so glad I am retired and don't have to deal with people who will find any excuse not to do a job.

My attitude was you never work off a ladder, it's for access only, plenty of other means of getting to a work face.

The majority of people are not looking for excuses not to work and that is not the point it is about a duty of care to your staff. One company I worked for were fine with lone working which suited me fine and they kept in constant contact but another would not tolerate it and it had nothing to do with finding excuses.

 

[Mike Johnson]

It's about attitude to work and getting on with the job in hand, the point is each member of staff/workforce have a responsibility for their own safety, what did we do before the advent of mobile phones and apps?

 

[westward10]

It's about attitude to work and getting on with the job in hand, the point is each member of staff/workforce have a responsibility for their own safety, what did we do before the advent of mobile phones and apps?

It is nothing to do with attitude to work or getting on with the job.

 

[LukeD]

soon it will be a Min of 3 people per job .....!! Some of us will laugh and think its all pathetic and we will be right. But lawyers always tend to be the winners now and its crazy . I can see many people STOPPING employing anyone as it really can be the death of a business if you get a 'wrogun" who is out for a "claim".

 

[davesparks]

It's about attitude to work and getting on with the job in hand, the point is each member of staff/workforce have a responsibility for their own safety,

And a responsibility for the safety of others around them.
It's not just getting on with the the job, it is getting on with the job in as safe a manner as possible and everyone going home alive and well at the end of the day.

what did we do before the advent of mobile phones and apps?

Radio or pager based lone working systems were used, and in some cases still are.

Before mobile phones and then smart phones it was harder to monitor lone working the way we can now. But now technology has improved and so we are better able to keep workers safe.

To be blunt, before we had mobile phones and apps more people died at work. This is not to say that mobile phones are responsible for the reduction in deaths but advances in technology in that area have definatelly helped.

 

[mainline]

My attitude was you never work off a ladder, it's for access only

Lucky you were never a window cleaner then, by the time you put the scaffolding away the windows would be dirty again

 

[James]

Been a long time since I have seen a window cleaner up a ladder
, its another one of the “people used to do that” things, like the workers sitting on a beam eating lunch whilst building a sky scraper.

 

[mainline]

Been a long time since I have seen a window cleaner up a ladder
, its another one of the “people used to do that” things, like the workers sitting on a beam eating lunch whilst building a sky scraper.

Even with all the new technologies that are out there, traditional window cleaning is still the best way to guarantee that streak free finish that all window cleaners are aiming to get.

Ladders in situations where other means of access or water fed poles are not suitable.
For example, low level windows, tight access situations and inside building cleaning.
When carrying out window cleaning with ladders, operatives work with “buckets on a belt” making it possible to keep three points of contact with the ladder at all times. All ladders are fitted with anti slip devices, or footed by another operative.

Industry standard window cleaners ladders are to the specification below:
Pointed top fitted with white rubber block (105mm wide) and a tapered/splayed base

Manufactured from hollow seamless aluminium extrusions with radiuses corners for extra strength.
Rungs of 24mm diameter serrated tube fitted through stiles at a rise of 250mm by a special locking method to prevent turning and for increased strength.
Ends of ladder stiles fitted with rubber plugs.



A few years ago, the Work at Height Regulations changed – a lot of people thought that window cleaners were not allowed to use ladders any more. They are, and the Health and Safety Executive gives guidance for ladder usage.