Overcharged by electrician
- Thread starter Hazel Barrett
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It's been in place for about 7 years ...
Risteard
Senior Member
There is actually strong evidence now that lone working is always a risk, and whilst many of us frequently do it, we perhaps shouldn't. (Even if there isn't live working; working at heights etc.)
In my factory days it was the 'norm' to work in pairs on electrics. and that was 30 years ago.
We could all sit here and say "£540 seems a bit steep" but that doesn't help anyone. If your service contract is with British Gas then they should have been approached to fix the fault (which they were) then if your tenant wasn't happy with the work then British Gas should have been given the chance to make amends, whether the same electrician or a different one, fire brigade or no fire brigade. It's neither the tenant's place to change the particulars of the service contract and appoint their own electrician, nor another electrician's responsibility to come along and clear up British Gas' mess.
If the tenant was the person ordering the work and appointing contractors then they were the person responsible for the price, and should ultimately be responsible for paying it - for all you know it could be a mate of theirs who they're colluding to split your blank cheque with.
If the tenant was the person ordering the work and appointing contractors then they were the person responsible for the price, and should ultimately be responsible for paying it - for all you know it could be a mate of theirs who they're colluding to split your blank cheque with.
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Blimey....
If it got to the point of calling the fire brigade that's a bit more than just swapping a failed RCD in my book!!
:C
Agreed. :Salute
Rob_the_rich
Sock Muncher
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Did the emergency electrician leave your failed rcd? It belongs to you and is your proof of British Gas's shoddy workmanship.
I think you, or the electrician should report the incident to the health and safety executive via RIDDOR http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/concerns.htm this page says that you can phone them. I think they would be interested as the bg electrician was at a place of work, his/her work.
You should also complain to bg, with a copy of the invoice, telling them you have reported the incident to the hse, and that you will be informing the local press. They should cover the bill, with a bit on top for distress and redecorations (if needed).
I think you, or the electrician should report the incident to the health and safety executive via RIDDOR http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/concerns.htm this page says that you can phone them. I think they would be interested as the bg electrician was at a place of work, his/her work.
You should also complain to bg, with a copy of the invoice, telling them you have reported the incident to the hse, and that you will be informing the local press. They should cover the bill, with a bit on top for distress and redecorations (if needed).
Just thought i would point out that there is a load of rubbish been talked about on here..
Fact one; The OP never mentioned the fire brigade initially.
Fact two; The fire brigade do not electrically isolate houses, they put out fires..
Fact three; If there WERE any isolating to be done, it would have been done by the DNO
Fact four; Where the screws were not correctly tightened, the resultant arcing would have overheated and damaged various cables/conductors. These would have need to have been replaced. It was not just a case of "tightening screws"
Fact five; IF the DNO came out to isolate the place [remove the fuses] and then return at a later date to refit them, there would most likely have been a charge for this. How do you know that the electrician has not included this in his bill??
Fact six; If the DNO HAD "isolated" the place, in the circumstances, i would imagine that they they would have been VERY unlikely to restore power until they had seen a proper EICR. No doubt the cost of this EICR was in the final bill too..
Stop whinging, understand that renting out a house is not all profit, and count yourself lucky that you are not on a trip to a coroners court.. All the tenant knew, is that you sent an electrician, the place nearly burnt down, so quite reasonabley they thought they would get one they trusted. Make a big fuss and just dig a bigger hole for yourself...
john..
Fact one; The OP never mentioned the fire brigade initially.
Fact two; The fire brigade do not electrically isolate houses, they put out fires..
Fact three; If there WERE any isolating to be done, it would have been done by the DNO
Fact four; Where the screws were not correctly tightened, the resultant arcing would have overheated and damaged various cables/conductors. These would have need to have been replaced. It was not just a case of "tightening screws"
Fact five; IF the DNO came out to isolate the place [remove the fuses] and then return at a later date to refit them, there would most likely have been a charge for this. How do you know that the electrician has not included this in his bill??
Fact six; If the DNO HAD "isolated" the place, in the circumstances, i would imagine that they they would have been VERY unlikely to restore power until they had seen a proper EICR. No doubt the cost of this EICR was in the final bill too..
Stop whinging, understand that renting out a house is not all profit, and count yourself lucky that you are not on a trip to a coroners court.. All the tenant knew, is that you sent an electrician, the place nearly burnt down, so quite reasonabley they thought they would get one they trusted. Make a big fuss and just dig a bigger hole for yourself...
john..
ruston
Well-known member
I agree , I would just be grateful that no one was hurt and you still have a house that is intact.
The OP has gone strangely quiet.......
5: ive never known DNO to charge for this in all time times ive had them to sililar jobs
6: theyve usually just turned up, put fuse back and left, not interested in any paperwork. on all occasions i have still been on site though
I used to do loads of council fire damage,
and, more often than not I'd be told at which fire station to call to pick up the main fuse that they had pulled,
They would pull the main fuse and screw a plastic cover over the cutout
Risteard
Senior Member
In the south of Ireland if the DSO (ESB) do an emergency disconnection they require the installation to be recertified before they will reenergise.
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I doubt the fire brigade pull fuses now.. The insurance companies might have something to say if they did.. They might though, i could always ask the fire brigade!!
john..
if they thought it necessary, they would
you might get the same sort of answer if you asked an electrician if he cuts seals.
this is in the past 2 years, so I doubt much has changed,
if killing the power is making the job of putting out an electrical fire safer, then I think the fuse is going to get pulled.
tbh, imo, it would make the job of putting out any domestic fire safer.
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