Yet another spark robbing customers!

[D Skelton]

Just got back from a customer who has asked me to quote for rectifying some issues brought to light during a recent inspection. The customer came to me because the previous spark had let him down and failed to turn up when supposed to on four different occasions.

Turns out this NIC 'approved' contractor had given the customer a PIR instead of EICR and made up a bunch of pony recommendations and codes in order to get more work. I'm slightly confused as to why he didn't follow through with his robbery as it seems it would have been easy money but essentially, the customer now knows he may as well have been given a blank piece of paper and I have now been tasked with providing yet another report for the customer, at more expense. At least this time it will be worth something!

Here's an example of some of the codes given:

- No RCD protection - Code 2? (not needed as install is pre 16th)
- No circuit charts - Code 2?
- Non working light - Code 1???????
- Old DB needs removing - Code 1? (Bearing in mind it was dead and not connected to anything)
- Three cracked sockets - Code 1 (made up)
- Exposed wires in light fitting - Code 1 (made up)

And after all of this, there was not a cross or a LIM in sight on the schedule of inspections?!?!? Surely if there are exposed live wires, the requirements for basic protection haven't been met at least?

Shame as this customer can't exchange his lease with the new buyer without the report which is being requested by the freeholder before he is prepared to sign the relevant paperwork.

I'm just ranting now because I hate robbing ba****ds and it just goes to show, yet again, that being an NIC 'approved' contractor, or for that matter an approved contractor with any of the other scam schemes isn't worth the paper it's written on!

I've got the details of the contractor. Name, address and phone number and have been given free reign to do as I please with those details as soon as I'm finished with the customer. Oh am I hoping to have some fun!!!

 

[trev]

i agree mate there is a problem with the trade and the public who go to b n q and carry on with there own electrical work,

Oh come on mate, it's not just our trade you can buy anything in there just about. Even pipework, radiators and boilers!
Every construction trade is affected by them, always has been and always will and there's not a damn thing you me or anyone else can do about it. Even before they came about there were DIY shops in my home town, probably your's too so it's always happened.
Not wanting to start a bunfight here but do you do your own decorating or do you use the services of a reputable time served painter and decorator?

 

[Plonker 3]

Exactly, almost all the electrical wholesalers round here also sell for cash too, so it really isn't possible to stop the general public buying electrical goods.

 

[Dave 85]

Seems no one's got any get up and go these days! You're telling me you'd try kicking my arse for pointing out your shoddy work? If I carried out cack work and got called out on it I'd be ashamed, I certainly wouldn't be kicking anyones arse, and if I did, well, just shows what a mug I'd be and I'd deserve the jail time I got for it!

If by dropping a letter round some geezers house two roads down is going to provoke him into kicking off about it then at least his hospital stay will keep him from robbing people for a few weeks.

Like I said, the country is in a mess, and so is our profession, and if dropping a letter round someones house stands even the slightest change of changing something then I'll do it, coz no one else is gonna do anything about it. And even if it changes nothing, at least I can hold my head up high knowing that I've tried! We all moan about the problems in this industry, but how many of us are actually prepared to do something about it???

The way I see it, if you aren't prepared to at least try and find a solution, then you're part of the problem.

D Skelton Im confused.......
Are you a violent thug or a do-gooder? You seem to be claiming to be both.....

 

[trev]

Yeah you can be Dave, remember the Guardian Angels that came over from New York a few years back and were patrolling the tube in London on the pretext of safeguarding passengers?
I reckon they were just up for a bit pagga meself but they claimed to be do gooders

 

[Dave 85]

It was pretty obvious he didn't give a crap, description of work was 'shower'

Tonkatoy, forgive me if Im wrong but if my memory serves correctly you are the guy who argued on a previous thread that you would be willing to do a C/U change and leave it with no main bonding if the client wasn't willing to pay extra for bonding when you quoted.
As I said on that thread, I wouldn't do this myself, but I have no problem if thats what you wanna do, its up to you, Im not going to lose any sleep or go snitching just cos I dont think its fair.

Yet you go snitching when someone does a C/U change and doesn't record test results for the old install.....
Pot kettle black?

 

[Dave 85]

Yeah you can be Dave, remember the Guardian Angels that came over from New York a few years back and were patrolling the tube in London on the pretext of safeguarding passengers?
I reckon they were just up for a bit pagga meself but they claimed to be do gooders

Cant say I remember trev I was just a nipper back then but I just looked em up, seems like we could do with a few of them around these days, not that I ever go to inner cities mind.

 

[D Skelton]

D Skelton Im confused.......
Are you a violent thug or a do-gooder? You seem to be claiming to be both.....

I'm someone concerened about theives putting a bad name to our trade and If someone is going to try and kick my head in for pointing that out then I'll happily defend myself.

At no point have I hinted that I'm gonna go round bashing up crap electricians?!

Can't really see how I'm claiming to be a violent thug?

 

[D Skelton]

And to those of you with the attitude 'It's got nothing to do with you, leave it alone', have a read of this thread:

forged quals dangerous work long story but worth the read

I caught a rogue trader red handed, got the money back for the customer (all be it only the original £45), had trading standards on to him and now he's disappeared!

The guy was a regular advertiser on local websites and in local papers and I've no doubt that this criminal has nicked loads of work off local, decent, honest, hard working sparks by undercutting them hugely and I've seen or heard nothing of him since. More work for us, customer happy and better off for it and a rogue sparks seems to have stopped trading.

Or maybe I should have just kept my mouth shut and let things carry on as usual???

Whether I'm helping someone out for £45 or £45,000, at least I can say I'm part of the solution!

 

[Guest55]

I was once advised (by an NIC assessor) that a non working light could be put as a C1 on the basis that if it isn't a lamp then it could give rise to an immediate problem somewhere on the circuit.

Thats one of the most stupid justifications of using a code 1 fault i've ever heard.
Assessor would get laughed off my site for coming out with that.

 

[Guest55]

Or maybe I should have just kept my mouth shut and let things carry on as usual???

No , you should advise your customer to take action using the systems already in place to deal with this issue.
For example written complaints to the local authority and scheme provider.

So , if i did an inspection on an installation that you had previously tested and recorded different defect codes , is it ok if i come banging at your door with a letter saying how rubbish i think you are ?

 

[madseb]

i have read through this thread begining to end.
and i have to say if your not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
its our duty as upstanding tradesmen to uphold our living.

god knows we are not getting any help from the like s of the nic ect.

so if we all did our bit in exposing all the cowboys. we could all justify charging for an honest days work.

 

[madseb]

and in turn the cowboys would start to realise that they would actually be found out and reported. in turn paying the consiquences for thier actions.


i have a dream........ lol

 

[D Skelton]

No , you should advise your customer to take action using the systems already in place to deal with this issue.
For example written complaints to the local authority and scheme provider.

What systems?!?!? There are none, no one cares!

So , if i did an inspection on an installation that you had previously tested and recorded different defect codes , is it ok if i come banging at your door with a letter saying how rubbish i think you are ?

If I had recorded a few different codes, maybe not been very professional with the paperwork then no, however if I had made a dozen problems up, charged the customer £150 for a worthless piece of paper and coded everything wrong then I'd only have myself to blame if you were to confront me about it.

You don't hear the criminals confronted by Matt Alright and Dom Littlewood complaining do you? Coz they only have themselves to blame!

And there is a vast difference between being unprofessional, unqualified or inexperienced and being fraudulent in my opinion.

 

[trev]

So report away, LABC will do nothing, CPS operators will do nothing, Trading Standards will do nothing.
One of the biggest cowboys in my town rides around in a van plastered in NICEIC, FMB, C&G logos and according to the rules he is competent.

 

[hasel5]

to much time on hands and not working ?