A Word Of Warning To All Tradesmen

[ProDave]

I was doing a job for a self employed mechanic and we got talking about how's business etc and got onto bad debts.

He recounted a storey where he did £600 work to someone's car (he works from home in the garage alongside his house)

The guy didn't pay.

It ended up in court.

The guy's defence was "prove you did the work to my car"  the judge asked for the proof.

All he could provide was the receipts for the parts he had fitted. But that was not Proof that he actually did the work.

The case was dismissed and he never got paid.

I wonder if this could ever happen to us in our trade?

Should we be photographing all our work as proof we actually did it?

 

[Andy™]

well i do keep my digicam in my pocket, and i often do take photos on a lot of jobs (not so much on smaller jobs, but usually on larger jobs. sometimes its just a quick photo of connections or something incase i forget what goes where etc)

 

[Steve3948]

We all learn by our mistakes.

When I first went self employed I was asked to quote for a rewire, the guy said phone me tomorrow with the price.

The next day I phoned him with the price and he said can you start Monday, this was the Thursday of week before.

Not wanting to lose it I swapped work load around and said yes, he said don't bother sending quote it's all good see you next Monday.

Did job and the guy offered me 50% of what we agreed and said if you want the rest you will have to take me to court.

I went to court and lost, main problem was I could not show materials booked to job, now when we purchase materials they all have job reference on priced invoice from merchants.

Never made that mistake again, even the smallest of jobs have written estimates or quotations, and we accept no job without written confirmation from client.

 

[ProDave]

There are some rotten bar stewards about that know just how to get away with things.

 

[Evans Electric]

The only answer to that Dave  is a contract between the parties for every job .    ELECSA  did send me some examples , a simple one page jobby ,

I'll scan it onto the thread .   If its something you'd want to copy I can email it . 

Now I just need to find them . :C

 

[Evans Electric]

You could always make your own to a similar layout.    I've never actually used them TBH    

 

[Manator]

We use a proper contract, its one of those plain English types and supported by FMB. Proof is the first thing anyone will ask for. If you have a signature then you have proof.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Written agreements are standard procedure throughout the business world.....

OR payment up front before the goods or services are provided..

Take you car to most main dealer type establishments and you have to sign a contract agreement before they start work...

Often it seems its only electricians who think it is beneath their status to be bothered with a bit of extra paperwork...

The vast majority of my work has always been only after signed written agreement...

with no significant material purchases made without a signed agreement from the customer detailing when they would like the work to commence..

Basically all  but the smallest jobs...  

(which are normally paid in cash upon completion  e.g.  swap a lamp or replace faulty dimmer switch less than £100 or less than 1 hours work..)

are only done after formal written agreement which includes full payment terms etc..

That was one of the pieces of advice that several books about self employment gave before I started up on my own back in 1999.. 

Seems to have worked well so far with only two customer who have delayed payment (with various excuses)..

But so far never had anyone fully refuse to pay!

Its not that hard to knock up a simple (or detailed) written agreement for any customer..

Your name address

Their name address

Schedule of work

Cost (estimate or quote)

dotted line to sign on & date

Guinness

 

[batty]

At least 50% of my work is for a regular builder other work is recommendation or previous customers. I suppose this thing could happen but anything in life is a risk. I hate paperwork so the less paperwork the better. 

 

[Doc Hudson]

A good established working relationship is a two way transaction. The client does not want to lose a good reliable electrician and the electrician does not want to lose a good client. So between them they maintain a good service response and timely payments. It is the one off, urgent, large job to a relative stranger where the biggest dangers lie.

Doc H.

 

[m4tty]

Im the same as batty. Least paperwork the better. Most work is recommendation or repeat or from few builders.

So far ive only been knocked once which was for <£100 pir 2 circuit's in a social club. Turned out the bloke who rung me had knocked previous spark so would not sign off. Told me some rubbish about sparky having depression problems family probs. Muggins here fell for it and gave him cert before payment. more careful now

Have tried twice to contact him (unsuccessfully) for a price on an extension / sit down chat / visit cashpoint for payment with interest

Im not a fighting person but anyone who intentionally knocks people deserves a good beating

Cheers