Well known Electrical & Gas Company

bigbaddave · Aug 1, 2014

Not mentioning any names here but had issues with a install today in which the suppliers tails here damaged, I say damaged they were 10mm max and the insulation literally crumbled off the copper.. without disconnecting I was able to get a reading of 234 against the Insulated tail... and cpc on the consumer unit. This fitted and a EIC from a NICEIC DI issued 6 month ago.. Well after a 30 min convo on the phone someone acknowledges its there equipment and someone will be out.. So 2 hours later a guy turn up..

Guy - Whats the fault?
Me Tails need Changing there dangerous
Guy- Erm **** (Word Changed due to swearing) im a gas fitter
Me - Erm The fault was clearly explained on the phone
Guy - I know but im training to be a sparky
Me - Oh
Guy - Ill have a go
Me - ERM
Guy - Could you do it and ill give you £15
Me Erm No
Guy - Ok ill have a go
Me - Erm ok
Guy i have this sleeving stuff in the van ill use that and tape it
Me - Really?
Guy yeah will be fine
Me Ok
15 Mins later
Guy im done
Me - really pal that rough
Guy Oh look i said im a gas fitter ill ring a sparky, Oh and ill smashed the main fuse cover so you will have to ring the DNO
Me NO CHANCE
Guy but they will have to replace
Me i know but you ****ed it you fix
Guy oh but i dont have any further jobs so should be finished.

Anyway I lose all faith at this point and leave it untill the sparky turns up..

Anyway he changed tails and sorted DNO.. I have old tails pre and post his patch up so will post them

ferg · Aug 2, 2014

This is all I have to say..

[ElectriciansForums.net] Well known Electrical & Gas Company

uksparks · Aug 2, 2014

You know what, you are not along in this, I had someone out from an energy supplier that was three letters long and didn't end in OFF...

I said there was an issue with the teleswitch, he was there 3 and half hours just poking around with a screwdriver at everything, cut all the seals, left them all off, asking me if it was safely isolated, he didn't check him self, hadn't got a clue, it was embarrassing to say the least, actually he was quite dangerous.

He didn't know the first thing about any of it, he didn't really know what he was doing.

Guest77 · Aug 2, 2014

bigbaddave said:
Not mentioning any names here but had issues with a install today in which the suppliers tails here damaged, I say damaged they were 10mm max and the insulation literally crumbled off the copper.. without disconnecting I was able to get a reading of 234 against the Insulated tail... and cpc on the consumer unit. This fitted and a EIC from a NICEIC DI issued 6 month ago.. Well after a 30 min convo on the phone someone acknowledges its there equipment and someone will be out.. So 2 hours later a guy turn up..

Guy - Whats the fault?
Me Tails need Changing there dangerous
Guy- Erm **** (Word Changed due to swearing) im a gas fitter
Me - Erm The fault was clearly explained on the phone
Guy - I know but im training to be a sparky
Me - Oh
Guy - Ill have a go
Me - ERM
Guy - Could you do it and ill give you £15
Me Erm No
Guy - Ok ill have a go
Me - Erm ok
Guy i have this sleeving stuff in the van ill use that and tape it
Me - Really?
Guy yeah will be fine
Me Ok
15 Mins later
Guy im done
Me - really pal that rough
Guy Oh look i said im a gas fitter ill ring a sparky, Oh and ill smashed the main fuse cover so you will have to ring the DNO
Me NO CHANCE
Guy but they will have to replace
Me i know but you ****ed it you fix
Guy oh but i dont have any further jobs so should be finished.

Anyway I lose all faith at this point and leave it untill the sparky turns up..

Anyway he changed tails and sorted DNO.. I have old tails pre and post his patch up so will post them

Dave your a mate so I will be gentle, why the fluck did you allow a gas fitter to mess about with your tails, I would have thrown him out of the house, phoned BG and insisted they sent a competant Electrician around, the trade is now lower than a snakes belly, sending a gas fitter around, appalling, I hope you gave them a hard time.

Engineer54 · Aug 2, 2014

Think that it's well known by now, that these so-called meter fitters are basically any fool pulled off the street and given 2 or 3 day's training in a classroom and a couple of day's shadowing an equally inept and poorly trained meter fitter.

Back in the days of the old regional boards the meter guy's were all time served electricians. They went on to meter installs/replacements (light duties) at the very end of their career/time with the board. Some were much younger but on light duties convalescing after an accident or illness...
Whatever way you look at it, it's a far cry to what you are seeing now, where every aspect/division of the old regional boards, is being farmed out to the cheapest bidder....

Engineer54 · Aug 2, 2014

I would have thrown him out of the house, phoned BG and insisted they sent a competant Electrician around, the trade is now lower than a snakes belly, sending a gas fitter around, appalling,

That's the point, the DNO's don't get involved with meter fitting any more they have farmed that side of things out to yet another private company!!!!

mechelec · Aug 2, 2014

Believe me the DNO's have as much trouble with suppliers meter fitters as everyone else. They will look for any excuse not to fit a meter even broken sealing lugs on cut outs !

7029 dave · Aug 2, 2014

Engineer54 said:
Think that it's well known by now, that these so-called meter fitters are basically any fool pulled off the street and given 2 or 3 day's training in a classroom and a couple of day's shadowing an equally inept and poorly trained meter fitter.

Back in the days of the old regional boards the meter guy's were all time served electricians. They went on to meter installs/replacements (light duties) at the very end of their career/time with the board. Some were much younger but on light duties convalescing after an accident or illness...
Whatever way you look at it, it's a far cry to what you are seeing now, where every aspect/division of the old regional boards, is being farmed out to the cheapest bidder....

DO YOU MIND ENG, not all of us are. lol

telectrix · Aug 2, 2014

what makes my blood boil is adverts for jobs for meter fitters that state ( and i quote ). only persons with experience of fitting meters need apply. electricians are not suitable for this post. ( wonder if that should have read Electrical Trainee's )

7029 dave · Aug 2, 2014

We have quite a lot of Electricians metering, also a few that are not, I get all the new guys to train up. Some are very good fitters.

driverman · Aug 2, 2014

Engineer54 said:
That's the point, the DNO's don't get involved with meter fitting any more they have farmed that side of things out to yet another private company!!!!

Not really farmed out as such.......government policy to split the old electricity boards up.

bigbaddave · Aug 2, 2014

MDJ said:
Dave your a mate so I will be gentle, why the fluck did you allow a gas fitter to mess about with your tails, I would have thrown him out of the house, phoned BG and insisted they sent a competant Electrician around, the trade is now lower than a snakes belly, sending a gas fitter around, appalling, I hope you gave them a hard time.

On this occasion I was trying to do things by the book, The DNO passed me onto the supply which in this case B Gas. And to why I didnt ring the company.. Well kept checking my phone to make sure it wasnt April 1st. I was half expecting Harry Hill to pop his head in the door or the chuckle brothers

Geordie Spark · Aug 2, 2014

Es wird auf ausdrücklichen Befehl des Kommandanten Dan verboten, den Begriff "Electrical Trainee" unter der Androhung des zu Bett geschickt, ohne Kakao zu verwenden.