Free electrical checks

[ASHCOLE]

Ive noticed a few company's including mr electric offering 'free' electrical safety checks. Been wondering how that would be a good thing for business other than persuading the customers to have work done eg fuseboard upgrade, bonding etc. Anybody on here offer this to their customers?

 

[telectrix]

thinking about it, work is dead at the moment. but would not go down the route of hard selling unnecessary gear just to make a few quid. would give good sound advice and go from there.

 

[ASHCOLE]

Yeah, wouldnt do that myself personally. Just wondering what mr electric etc get from it. Nothing is free, they must be getting something out of it?

 

[telectrix]

they offer a free safety check and then use high pressure sales tactics, scaring the elderly, say if they got a rewireable fuse board, no rcd, then they are told it's dangerous, a fire hazard, and it's the law that they have it replaced at a cost of around £800. one such firm was exposed on rogue traders not long ago, as although the old rewireables are not up to current standards, they are not inherently dangerous. scare tactics and sales orientated sharks.

 

[Kamikaze]

Ive noticed a few company's including mr electric offering 'free' electrical safety checks. Been wondering how that would be a good thing for business other than persuading the customers to have work done eg fuseboard upgrade, bonding etc. Anybody on here offer this to their customers?

Words of wisdom: No one should approach the temple of electrical science with the soul of a money changer.

 

[SirKit Breaker]

they offer a free safety check and then use high pressure sales tactics, scaring the elderly, say if they got a rewireable fuse board, no rcd, then they are told it's dangerous, a fire hazard, and it's the law that they have it replaced at a cost of around £800. one such firm was exposed on rogue traders not long ago, as although the old rewireables are not up to current standards, they are not inherently dangerous. scare tactics and sales orientated sharks.

Excellent post my learned friend, couldn't have put it better myself.

Cheers...........Howard

 

[SirKit Breaker]

I don't do free, unless it is for one of my established customers when they are looking to purchase more property. I go along and give an opinion of what we may need to do electrically, so it is in my best interests.

Apart from that it is free quotes, and whilst i am there i check over the basic's and advise accordingly.

Cheers..............Howard

 

[nickblake]

Same here howard i may give a discount on remidials following a periodic if i get the work , but like has been said ive seen the resaults of a flash in the pan electrical safety check where the following pics came from passed a electrical safty land lords test

 

[telectrix]

nick. you got my desk in pic 3

 

[SPARTYKUS]

View attachment 4790Same here howard i may give a discount on remidials following a periodic if i get the work , but like has beenView attachment 4789 said ive seen the resaults of a flash in the pan electrical safety check where the following pics came from passed a electrical safty land lords testView attachment 4788

Love it.

Just done a PIR for a neighbour (owns house his 94 year old mother in law lives in).

All rewireables apart from the odd cartridge 1361.....bonding magnificent (0.04, 0.03 Ohms) but no cpc to lights (BUT all class 2 and nylon lugs at switches).... All in all really tip top for a 30-40 year old installation.

No RCD's obviously but I passed it


(ok I'm replacing the socket in the garage with one.....)

 

[mayfair]

I understand all be it from a far that this Mr Electric oufit are not very popular (Understatment me thinks) but give them credit they are constantly plugging away for work for their franchise holders, Its not right to frighten people or to mislead but they are doing there best to keep busy. We see on the forum day after day sparky's with no work. Mr Electric are trying to survive in hard times and seem to have some very strong marketing behind them. Sorry guys please dont hate me, its just what it looks like, looking in from outside the UK.

 

[Dcf]

Hydro contracting tried the same stunt as mr electric by sending out fliers through doors and scaring all the old ladies into main bonding and fuse board upgrades which were usually carried out be the cheapest subbies they could get.oh and tried to insinuate that all the local sparks were cowboy drongos as well into the bargain .

 

[chiplard]

Personally i cannot see the problem with offering free electrical checks if they are done correctly and the right advice given. If you have no work and all you are doing is waiting for the phone to ring then at least it gets you doing something. You may only pick up 1 job for every 10 you look at but surely that's another recommendation that may lead to other jobs.

Its called being proactive, and if you do it right and do it fair then good luck to you.

 

[SirKit Breaker]

Love it.

Just done a PIR for a neighbour (owns house his 94 year old mother in law lives in).

All rewireables apart from the odd cartridge 1361.....bonding magnificent (0.04, 0.03 Ohms) but no cpc to lights (BUT all class 2 and nylon lugs at switches).... All in all really tip top for a 30-40 year old installation.

No RCD's obviously but I passed it


(ok I'm replacing the socket in the garage with one.....)

I would have done the same. If it was compliant when it was installed, then as long as you get the correct results, then there is nothing wrong.....unless MR Electric visits, or the 5 day wonder who tried to give Durham a lesson calls

Cheers.........Howard

 

[nickblake]

probabley doen the same as long as the fuse box had a plastic back and the fuse cover on it , with a reccomendation that RCD's be installed