Advice regarding new installation needed

[PeacefulWarrior]

Hello all. I will try to keep this short and hopefully sweet:
I finished a house rewire recently. I am supposed to issue an NICEIC certificate. The owner of the house owes me some money for part of the work(£2000). He initially agreed to pay the money owed, but he has now turned around and says he hasn't got the money(or will) to pay any more. He is saying that I can sue him if I want, as he has a friend who is a top lawyer and that he will go and get the certificate from another electrician. When I mentioned Building Control and following proper procedure, he said he doesn't give a monkey's about them. The house was recently bought, in order to be renovated and sold on for a profit. He already has offers coming in and he needs the electrical certification in order to sell the house asap. Can he just delete me out of the equation and get an EICR of someone else?

Has anyone been a similar predicament? What would be the best thing to do, if you were me?

Thanks in advance for any helpful advice.

 

[Dillb]

Theres a alot I skim read there, but do you have any proof of acknowledgement that they owe you the money in writing e.g text email letter?

 

[Sparky Pat]

Speak to a solicitor and see if you can put a charge on the property.

 

[PeacefulWarrior]

Yes Dill, I have some proof: a cheeky email asking for an invoice of £1000 to be sent out, 3 days after an agreement was reached(over the phone) that £2000 more will be paid before the certificate is issued. I replied to that email, asking for confirmation that the amount was wrong and re-stating the correct amount. I was again called on the phone, to be told that he has changed his mind and that's all he is willing to pay, if not, he will be getting a cert of someone else. Good thing is, I still have access to the property and the electrical installation is still being worked on(hehe). I decide when it's complete. I spoke to NICEIC and the rules are thus: on completion, a certificate should be issued. I asked: 'how long after completion, exactly?' She said that preferably after the work on that installation has ceased and after leaving the property. Still, that allows for debate. But even so, I am the one who determines when the installation is complete, which is very good. After the cert has been issued, building control needs to be notified, within 29 days, she said. Again, not bad. It looks like the ball is in my court for now and I decide what needs to be done next. Once the last batch of money for the remedial works has been paid, I will proceed with finishing the install. Until then, the work has been stopped, due to breach of contract on their part. Hence, work will resume upon payment. Hence, it is up to them to pay. The decide how long they want to play silly buggers, I don't have £650 investment on the market, waiting to be sold, but them.
Then, once the money is with me, I will put the finishing touches to the install. How will it be before that happens? Hard to tell, as there have been only verbal contracts made until now. And even those change from one day to the next ;-). So, they better keep me sweet.
Now, once install is complete, I will be required(by the NICEIC rules)to issue a certificate for that property. I will and then send them a separate invoice for certification. That should level the playing field a bit and put everyone in their proper place. Tea, anyone ? Good thinking too, Sparky Pat, I like how you think. Will look into it.

 

[Leesparkykent]

I got chipped for 2k on extras once...I played nice and said I need to test the installation to issue certification. Once I had access I cut the whole lot out, pulling the cables as hard as I could so they pinged back up the stud walls. I would love to know how much it cost him to put right....I bet it was at least 4-6K as the place was finished/being snagged. It’s satisfying to know it ended up costing him more than the 2k worth of extras I was billing for.

 

[PeacefulWarrior]

Trying to edit here, but it won't let me anymore. Anyone else has that problem? I meant £650K invested, of course . And by the way, how much is the going rate for an EIC and a fire alarm cert these days?

 

[Wilko]

My concern for you is around the leverage you think you may have. With £2000 being owed to you and the need to sell, the Owner and Builder may come up with a cunning way to complete the works and certify without you. I'd get legal advice.

 

[Strima]

Now, once install is complete, I will be required(by the NICEIC rules)to issue a certificate for that property.

That'll be BS7671 not the NICEIC, currently Chapter 63.

 

[PeacefulWarrior]

Good thinking Wilko. The good news on that is that the builder is on my side. He is the only one who paid me what I was owed, as far as we are concerned. They owe him some money too and they effectively kicked him out of future projects, blaming him for everything wrong under the sun, including their wives cheating on them. Not a happy builder there either, after one disgruntled electrician. He is trying to recuperate a few grand they owe him and we have agreed on a common plan of getting the money back, even if it means going through the courts. Maybe that's why I am still being optimistic ;-). Still have a few aces up my sleeve, even if that fails(spoiler: I have intimate knowledge of the house and the built it underwent during the last months, with pictures to back me up as evidence). Let's just say that the new owners will be more than interested to see what they have purchased, that lies beneath the skin ;-). A court action of that kind against the seller might take years and cost many pounds in damages. Will they still be up for a fight if that came to light? I didn't think so. Only reason I am unwilling to(but not beyond able to) use that trump yet is because the builder himself will be affected, due to him having overseen the project. Let's just hope things don't escalate to that degree. I stand to lose 2k? They stand to lose ?????K. Then damages . It's always a good idea to take pictures of the various stages of work, when in a job, even though they have nothing to do with your trade. I like sightseeing.

 

[Toneyz]

You’re an NICEIC member?
Do you have a contract for the work?

Time for the NICEIC legal people to earn the money you pay for your CPS money!

You will have to explain that to me as far as I know the NICEIC will not get involved in financial disputes they may (or associate company)
give free basic legal advice if that's what you are referring to.

 

[Octopus]

And by the way, how much is the going rate for an EIC and a fire alarm cert these days?

£2K if he phones me

 

[PeacefulWarrior]

Lol Murdock. Yes, that sounds about right

 

[Octopus]

Lol Murdock. Yes, that sounds about right

I hope you've learnt a lot from this thread ........

 

[buzzlightyear]

I will give this op some advice and to all the spark's now I had a customer who would not play ball .so this what I did
not paying .register the work to your address .and see what they say then . and see what their solicitor says .on the test sheet not signed and unpaid

 

[camerabloke]

Wouldn’t it be horrible if his water was turned off at the stopcock and then filled with postmix.

 

[Deuce]

He can't complete a sale of the house if he doesn't own part of it. A key question is whether or not your bill includes materials?

If it does, if you ensured his solicitor knows about the outstanding debt and/or any dispute surrounding it, that would need to be resolved prior the sale. Unless the buyers accept the fact that post sale you could take action to pull the materials in question. Why would any buyer want that..

It wouldn't take very much to uncover the solicitor he is using if he already has offers on the table..