Criminal Overpricing by national franchise

[Zeespark]

Yes pretty much. The company would have a qualified superviser that is supposed to go round checking jobs, but obviously this hasnt happened or has been severely neglected in this instance.

AndyGuinness

 

[Larnacaman]

Thanks Zeespark, ....understand a little more how the system works now...

Does seem to be a bit of a scam element to these scheme providers though, from what i'm understanding and picking up from the various threads and posts i'm reading...

They certainly know how to generate money!!! ...haha!!!

 

[Zeespark]

That appears to be their primary objective these days bud, almost like the DNO's in alot of ways. Zero pride going into anything they do now.

AndyGuinness

 

[Larnacaman]

Alas, ....It's sad, but that fact has been coming accross about the DNOs very clearly in the posts here.

For all there faults, the old leccy boards did look after there systems, and most certainly had far higher standards of workmanship and service than the present set-ups have. And one things for SURE!! They wouldn't ever connect their service supply to an ungrounded installation...lol!!!

We all know what happens when pride in ones company is sorely lacking!!!!!

 

[davetheglitz]

Just a quick note as an ex-employee - Mr Electric used to do Homeserve - but Homeserve set up their own franchise. A Mr Electric franchise used to cost around 26k and had Homeserve as their main client at around 50 - 60 pounds a job. Homeserve franchises went at around 40k. Inevitably to meet these overheads and the cut head office takes means that economies have to be made to convert business - employing monkeys, bullies and flim-flams included - people who work for nothing or hustle unknowing and gullible customers for extra jobs!

Not all Mr Electric/Homeserve franchises work like this - some have service at the heart - but inevitably the most successful ones do and would be held up as the panacea by accountants. Couldn't live with the ethos. Glad to be self employed now!

 

[kme]

Excuse my ignorance, as i don't really have much idea as to how and what these scheme providers actually do or provide. So what happens for these larger companies then, ...is it just the company as a whole that is accredited, without the individual electricians actually being assessed in any way??

Yes pretty much. The company would have a qualified superviser that is supposed to go round checking jobs, but obviously this hasnt happened or has been severely neglected in this instance.AndyGuinness

I showed this whole thread to my AE on my assessment, as I wanted to understand how "his" company could be happy with such a state of affairs; and was quizzing about the way the franchises are assessed.

Apparently; although the "head office" are AC; the franchises can be AC OR DI - but each franchise is assessed individually.

However, as we`ve discussed previously, DI assessments are more about the

 

[gordy71]

Last year i was working at a house where this same company had been in a month earlier and changed the consumer unit and rewired the garage. He started at 8 and was done by 12... Whats more the tails had been installed back to front so polarity in the whole house was wrong. I first fixed my job then realised when i came to isolate the circuit i was working on that the polarity was wrong could have been blown to bits, but according to their technical helpline i was in the wrong for starting the job! Obviously no testing carried out yet full certificate was issued, none of the results were correct and the lady paid 900 quid for the pleasure!

 

[Larnacaman]

And what is the lady intending to do about it now ???

 

[gordy71]

I stayed back and made sure he put the problem right, advised her to make a complaint to the NIC and told her i could vouch for it but dont think anything came of it.

 

[Larnacaman]

Haha, ....I bet he wasn't in at 8 and out by 12 doing the remedials.

That sounds about right, in nothing coming from it. ....But then i think, if you don't or not prepared to kick hard enough, that's generally the case!!

If i'd paid 900 quid for 4 hours work and it ended up a load of rubbish, i'd be kicking-up merry hell...lol!!!