Free safety checks, then scaring customers into having work done.

[jedisparks]

Sorry, long post..
Hi all just wanted to get a few opinions if poss.

An elderly (80s) couple round the corner from me were approached by a company who suggested they should have a "free electrical safety check". They went ahead with this. When the chap came around and did the visual only safety check he picked up on the usual sort of things that you would expect from a 30 year old installation. He then proceeded to push and sell the remedial works to the couple. The lady even asked if he would stop as it was frightening her abit with the talk of fire etc. apparently he just went on and on for ages.

Feeling like their saftey was at iminent risk they handed over a deposit for the work.

After the guy had left, they realised that they had been pushed into it and decided to cancel the work.

This is where they contacted me for a second opinion and to see what i think.

The quote they were given included; A new dual RCD board, bonding to oil, replace 6 socket outlets and replace 1 light switch. quote was just under a grand.

Im certainly not the cheapest spark around (who wants to be?) and i thought it looked more like 500 squid or there abouts (bonding to oil would have taken half hour tops). about a day and a half labour, easy.

I took a closer look at the installtion myself and did a few tests. What astonished me was that the chap who did his visual inspection did not spot that there is still quite alot of rubber cable still in use on the ring main. On his check list sheet he noted that the installation consisted of PVC cables and no mention of rubber at all. IMO theres no point upgrading the board etc if you still have rubber cabling in use, regardless of its condition, it is beyind its expected safe working life.

Anyway i suppose what im asking is;
do folks agree with the kind tactics employed by companies like this?
does anyone work for a firm like this?
Should they go ahead with a board change with the rubber cabling in use?
should i have kept my nose out of it?

Sorry for the long post.

thanks in advance for any replies.

 

[High Tower]

What was the outcome??

 

[sheriff78]

I recieved an invitation for a free visual electrical inspection if my fuse board was rewireable. They use it to scare old people and then rip them off. I also got my hands on a BG landlord electrical saftey inspection. They basically took a few earth fault loops on the easy things like cooker socket and kitchen ring, they spent less than 2 hours and charged them £120+VAT. The DB wasnt labelled so they just put circuit not found for all the circuits. They have a small print that says 'This is not an electrical test certificate and that your property should be tested regulary' These big companys should be fined for misleading customers

 

[Sparky Ninja]

What was the outcome??

Two other 'specialists' were called in and it was decided that misrepresentation was afoot. All reports (including mine) recognised that the installation was 'dated' and would need updating in the coming years. The IR readings forced me to suggest 5 years to next inspection.
So although the method of obtaining the work needed questioning, the fact the work would soon be needed meant she couldn't dispute it??
I don't know if SEC had any fines or anything as all doors got closed when that came up.
Last I heard was the son was going to take them to court. Apparently they asked her to sign permit sheets frequently, of which, the tallying up invoices were masked within?

 

[Phil]

i think its disgusting to go round scaring anyone into having work done let alone the elderly.
tbh we could all go round and find some sort of fault with most installations, the way we handle delivering the news to the home owner is a skill and especially when they are vulnerable. i don`t have any grandparents left but if i did and some scrote came round scaring them i would not be impressed. tbh i would contact t standards and watchdog myself and let them find out ho the hard sell goes and have words with them

 

[Sparky Ninja]

Just fitted as much of the jargon as I can into a single scan.

Most of gumpf is in there...

 

[sheriff78]

That is very similar to the one i recieved. I like the way they say most electricians would charge around £75 for this. I would love it if i got paid £75 every time i went to quote an out of date system! They are part of the NICEIC so maybe its worth taking it up with them. They used the same trick on my grandparents and charged them £1000 for a small DB and upgrading the bonding(no floor boards lifted, just mini trunking everywhere Probably a £500 job if you done it properly(lifting floor boards)