Cowboys

Mike C · Jul 21, 2011

Its time well all got together to stop the man in the pub doing house rewire's etc, its killing the industry.

allaramsden · Jul 21, 2011

I wholeheartdly agree. I for one am sick of giving estimates only to be undercut by some "cash in hand merchant"

Des 56 · Jul 21, 2011

They will never be able to stop diy electrics and the cheap job done by the pub guy,even if they wanted too
Its un enforceable, as shown by that crappy part p nonesense (especially here, where its hardly got any attention at all )

Let them get on with it,but bring in very stiff and enforced test and inspection,that has a much better chance of being regulated

liliputjamman · Jul 21, 2011

How?
Part P is pretty conclusive - If cowboys and the Public want to bypass it then they will BUT at there peril.

malcolmsanford · Jul 21, 2011

Des 56 said:
They will never be able to stop diy electrics and the cheap job done by the pub guy,even if they wanted too
Its un enforceable, as shown by that crappy part p nonesense (especially here, where its hardly got any attention at all )

Let them get on with it,but bring in very stiff and enforced test and inspection,that has a much better chance of being regulated

Before the advent of internet, forums and the communication age, I remember sitting a a gear head technical room and talking with a lad whose dad was an electrical contractor in our area, and he was telling me that his dad was spitting feathers as he quoted to do a new wire project on a set of 6 houses, and was under cut by a guy who was cash in hand etc etc .............this was 1975'ish, so it's nothing new lads, and as Des said it will never change.

oldtimer · Jul 21, 2011

Listen I hate to say this but it will always happen yes we do want to chase these clowns out of the trade and I now get customers who now ask me if I can show them my qualifications ie SJIB card that I have now scanned and I am quite hapy to send it before I even look at the job.

Best thing that can happen is that the public get better educated so these type of jobs are reduced mind you a customer was telling me in Germany and France you have to get permissission for alterationss to your property and if it is found that you did not go via a business then you have to pay a fine and the tax bill of the value of the job so cowboys have been virtually eradicated

Mike C · Jul 21, 2011

Yes I understand that, my point is We spend a lot of money and time to get NICEIC approved, just to let cowboys undercut us, it's about time the goverment made it Law to stop this happening.

liliputjamman said:
How?
Part P is pretty conclusive - If cowboys and the Public want to bypass it then they will BUT at there peril.

Mike C · Jul 21, 2011

Well its about time we followed Europ after all we are susposed to be part of it

Des 56 · Jul 21, 2011

Mike C said:
Yes I understand that, my point is We spend a lot of money and time to get NICEIC approved, just to let cowboys undercut us, it's about time the goverment made it Law to stop this happening.

To put it a little callously
The corpse count is no where near high enough or significant enough

oldtimer · Jul 21, 2011

Mike C said:
Well its about time we followed Europ after all we are susposed to be part of it

Deary Dear follow Europe you will have a pile of Civil Servants spluttering in their tea Why ? because thats their job Jings you will want us to embrace the European Employment act that we bailled out of 23 years ago just think who would want better legal protection for your job Mmmmmmmmmmmm.

But to be realistic the faster we stop taking this island mentality and make sure our politicians protect us and not them the better for everyone just think if the black economy went legit we would not have a debt problem.

fabsparks · Jul 21, 2011

I think that registered electrical installers (as with gas) would be the best way forward.

Merv · Jul 21, 2011

To read this thread, you'd think that Part P is there simply to try and provide electricians with more work.
Is that what it was intended for all along?

oldtimer · Jul 21, 2011

fabsparks said:
I think that registered electrical installers (as with gas) would be the best way forward.

We already have this ie JIB

Adam W · Jul 21, 2011

Mike C said:
it's about time the goverment made it Law to stop this happening.

I can't see that having much effect, at least not in my lifetime, while people can still remember the good old days when you could save some money by doing it yourself.
I get the impression that a lot of customers are more interested in saving money than complying with legislation - they just want the lights and sockets to work and are quite happy to use reputable tradesmen for a free estimate to give to the local 'beat the lowest legitimate estimate by £20' guy.
I don't think you can ever put a stop to 'the guy in the pub' because he's difficult to track down - you don't know where he lives, you've only got his mobile number, you don't even know his last name.
When the brown stuff hits the fan 'Stella Dave' will just find himself a new local and possibly get a new pay as you go SIM.

BlueToBits · Jul 21, 2011

Adam W said:
....
I don't think you can ever put a stop to 'the guy in the pub' because he's difficult to track down - you don't know where he lives, you've only got his mobile number, you don't even know his last name.....

I thought this is what Part P is supposed to be doing. Making all (most) work accountable with names, addresses and certificates?