what can be done for non payment

[alpha spark]

Did a EICR last week for someone who rung me. The phone call was I need a cert for a house I've recently bought in order to let it out. I said no probs it's

 

[Andy™]

Do you have anything in writing?

 

[alpha spark]

Only my invoice normally all my work I do I know the people or if not they pay me on completion of the works

 

[Andy™]

your a bit more limited then. One reason for getting a signed contract

did you give him a written quote/estimate or verbal?

Have you give him the EICR yet?

 

[alpha spark]

Just over phone yeah I've posted it to him

 

[Andy™]

Just over phone yeah I've posted it to him

bad idea on the posting EICR, should have kept it until it was paid for (or met him and give him it when he paid).

best you can do is send him the invoice, if he doesnt pay you could try small claims court. without any contracts & only verbal quote, it would be a little more awkward to prove what was said / agree'd to, but the fact he let you in to do the works could work your way

then there is also the doorstep selling regs which may apply. how many days between you giving quote & him accepting, to you doing the work?

 

[steptoe]

he is within his rights, he doesnt have to pay you until he gets his report/certificate, its simply 'unsatisfactory' , depending on the results of course.

then, and only then, can you chase up payment, although without a contract it will be hard for you to prove he actually agreed to pay you until its satisfactory.

 

[Steve3948]

I think he or you may have confused him, as most still term it as a certificate, so when you said you would give him a report and he said he just wanted the certificate, your EICR is what he was after.

Did the installation have any C1 or C2, or was it satisfactory, in which case the EICR is all he's after and no doubt he will pay in due course.

You may need to get used to 30-60-90 day payments in this game.

 

[alpha spark]

It had c1 c2 and c3s in Ive said the c1 and 2s need attention I'll give him a ring in the week and see what happens from there

 

[NozSpark]

What did you do about the C1's Alpha?

Fix them or leave the circuit isolated and issue a Danger notice?

 

[steptoe]

thats why I charge for my PIRs the way I do, but most of mine are recommendation, and anything requiring more expense gets covered by the client,

I repair ALL C1s during the test, and anything minor like stickers/labels, cracked switches are included, to some extent.

 

[Doc Hudson]

This highlights the subtle difference between being an elelctrician and being a business man/woman.Doc H.

 

[sellers]

The main thing is do not worry. Make sure you complete the job as agreed, ie. give the EICR to the customer.

Issue the invoice with your payment terms and wait. If the time expires issue a second invoice with 14days to pay otherwise further action will be taken. If still no joy, google money claim online and start a claim. Its very very easy!

A verbal agreement is still a contract.

 

[batty]

This confuses me you a doing an EICR or PIR for

 

[Smilers]

I know a builder that when he doesn't get paid him and a cohort attended the non paying offenders house and paints the outside with creosote- try getting that off of brick!!

 

[ProDave]

This is a tricky one. As I see it, there's a bit of a difference between what the customer wanted, and what the customer got.

At the moment he has an unsatisfactory EICR which is no use to him for letting the house, i.e it does NOT say the wiring is safe.

What he wanted was a satisfactory EICR.

Now the problem is, you want payment for the EICR, then you will do the remedial work and ask for payment for that.

On the other hand, I'm willing to bet the customer is waiting for the quote, and if it's reasonable, will ask you to do the remedial work and then pay for the whole lot together.

The key thing here is to communicate with your customer so you both understand each other.

This also highlights why, where I can, I will do "simple" remedials at the time of the EICR so it's all done and dusted in one visit. e.g I would have at least tried to identify and fix the broken ring neutral rather than just leave it.

As for genuine non payers, I usually find (after giving them a reasonable time to pay) a letter stating if it's not paid in 14 days, you will hand it over to a debt collection agency usually does the trick.

Also, your invoice should state terms and conditions. Mine say payment must be made within 30 days, otherwise I will charge interest a 4% above the BOE base rate until payment is received.

 

[Evans Electric]

I'd be surprised if he pays you M8 .

Sounds like a typical know it all merchant banker who is used to getting his own way , all he wanted was a "Satisfactory" cert , not interested in recifying any faults !!!

 

[sellers]

I am one who won't do any remedial work at the scene.

We are hammered down on our price so much theres no room to do it. If its going to take me 5mins then yes, but any longer and it gets noted down. After all it is a report.

 

[NozSpark]

I'm with Sellers on this.

If it's a quick easy fix (without too many other C1's or C2's) then it'll get done, otherwise I'll leave the circuit isolated at the CU and issue a Danger notice

 

[Andy™]

quick and easy fix then ill do it, otherwise its just noted and unsatisfactory if necessary