Gentlemen it`s no good

[mrsparky]

Moaning about these companies who charge 59 pence and so on for pat testing,something has to be done now.They need to be reported to rogue traders,the nic,health and safety,tradeing standards now.They are paying people who have no electrical knowledge absolute peanuts this is how the big companies are getting away with this,they have to be stoped now so you know what to do now get on the phone and fire in complaints after complaints it`s the only way forward to stop these cowboys do it now.

 

[J@mes]

Two threads crying over mass PAT testing?

 

[ian.settle1]

Moaning about these companies who charge 59 pence and so on for pat testing,something has to be done now.They need to be reported to rogue traders,the nic,health and safety,tradeing standards now.They are paying people who have no electrical knowledge absolute peanuts this is how the big companies are getting away with this,they have to be stoped now so you know what to do now get on the phone and fire in complaints after complaints it`s the only way forward to stop these cowboys do it now.

Who do you complainto if you keep firing them off?

 

[chrisgc]

Cant complain unless there is some proof otherwise if you make allegations you could end up in court yourself.

I know what you mean though about the cheap pat testing.

Its ok to charge less if you have contract to do so many hundreds of items etc but silly to charge pence.

Not much you can do as at the end of the day companies want to save money - unfortunately whatever profession your in there will always be someone under cutting someone else.

If you want to be more expensive then guess you have to offer some kind of other service free or simply tell them the perspective clients that your more thorough with your inspection and you have good references.

There are still companies who will stick with someone who is more expensive because they know they are getting a good service.

 

[Jimmy Boy]

I do the PAT in house so time/cost isn't an issue to me, there's no one else there competent to do the job, I make a brisk job but thorough I test all the IEC leads separately at least first time around I have the Metral nice bit of kit, holds 10K of results, does the OP not see what the issue is ? This isn't about quality most companies see Health and Safety as a non profit making Ball ache as long as they can pass the buck under the Electricity at work Act if someone gets a bum winder that's all they care about, in that context would you pay 50p an item or £1 ??

 

[Patman]

I find alot of Companies can charge less because they claw back costs aginst other services or even products they supply. Good example is medical equipment suppliers - can charge an arm and a leg for equipment as costs get passed up the line, then come in at £1 a pop for appliance testing as an add on.

 

[IQ Electrical]

I do the PAT in house so time/cost isn't an issue to me, there's no one else there competent to do the job, I make a brisk job but thorough I test all the IEC leads separately at least first time around I have the Metral nice bit of kit, holds 10K of results, does the OP not see what the issue is ? This isn't about quality most companies see Health and Safety as a non profit making Ball ache as long as they can pass the buck under the Electricity at work Act if someone gets a bum winder that's all they care about, in that context would you pay 50p an item or £1 ??

I think Steve just about sums it up, do the companies actually CARE if the job is thorough or not, or is it just a process of risk transfer?

So you transfer your risk at £1.00 per item or at £0.50 per item? No brainer.

 

[UNG]

So you transfer your risk at £1.00 per item or at £0.50 per item? No brainer.

Not sure how you transfer risk you have only asked them to test the equipment on a specific day as with an MOT on your vehicle it does not guarantee it's continued safety for the next 12 months only at the time it was done

 

[IQ Electrical]

Of course you don't guarantee it's safety for 12 months but you're saying 'this item of equipment is suitable for continued use', much the same as a 'satisfactory' assessment on a Periodic Inspection Report and that is risk transfer as far as your professional indemnity insurance is concerned!

 

[Jimmy Boy]

All companies do PAT work as well as PIR's because they HAVE to NOT because they want to, as long as they can pull Regulation 29 of the EWR 1989 out they know they are in the clear even if there is an injury, and the other reason of course more prominent now is No win No fee culture, insurance companies are waking up to lazy policy holders as they are picking up the tab for their lack of due diligence.

 

[tomxhug]

I used to charge £2 per item, £80 for 20 or less appliances, If people didnt like it,oh well. I generally got a call next time as the original company had gone bust.

Stick to your prices, its not worth the stress.

I have also heard of tester doing 250+ appliances a day! I would not want my family to work in those offices.

 

[DurhamSparky]

"I have also heard of tester doing 250+ appliances a day! I would not want my family to work in those offices."

depends on how long the day was???

In a hotel managed to knock out 25 an hour!! class 2 lamps and radios along with class 2 dvd players don't take much to do chap! especially when the plugs are moulded and have easy out fuse carrier! much the same as IEC leads..! i leave connected to the pc do my test and count the items as 2 separate items and they are also moulder plugs as well!

 

[tomxhug]

"I have also heard of tester doing 250+ appliances a day! I would not want my family to work in those offices."

depends on how long the day was???

In a hotel managed to knock out 25 an hour!! class 2 lamps and radios along with class 2 dvd players don't take much to do chap! especially when the plugs are moulded and have easy out fuse carrier! much the same as IEC leads..! i leave connected to the pc do my test and count the items as 2 separate items and they are also moulder plugs as well!

Fair point But this was an office with desks and people.

 

[Patman]

Can't believe what I'm reading here. Does that mean you do earth bond tests on IT equipment at 25 amps, or are the IEC leads getting a test at 100mA?
Either way one of the items isn't being tested as per Code of Practice. So then you charge twice for one inspection and test ? !!

 

[DurhamSparky]

miss quoted my self...! i test the PC at 100ma Correctly (dont want no counter claims for faulty PC) and then leave the IEC "plug" Connected to my Machine and disconnect from PC and plug it into the back of Pat tester and run a 25A test on it...! then undo and away i go! slap a sticker check for 5A Fuse (normally) and move to next!

the office in question was partially empty and i did half then chucked every one to the other side!