Estate agent and money

[chris day]

hello guys

I recently had an estate agent contact me asking for an EICR be carried out, I sent them a detailed quotation with terms and conditions.
These conditions stated £200 will cover the first 10 circuits then £20 for every circuit thereafter.
After spending a day grafting away nocking out 20 circuits i decided to make sure the client is aware there are 60 circuits remaining so please ensure the costs have been aloud for on my return.

I am now no longer getting any response from them and I have the agreed terms communicated by email.

What shall I do to recoup the costs of the day already spent should this wall of silence continue?

 

[Octopus]

80 circuits in what sort of property?

If you have their go-ahead by email, then you have the "right" to bill them for the time spent, that said they could argue that you haven't finished the work.

My advice is avoid Estate Agents ...........

 

[Toneyz]

Have you got anything in writing/email agreeing terms and job instruction.

 

[chris day]

Have you got anything in writing/email agreeing terms and job instruction.[/QUOTE

Yes everything is via email and the estate agent said they are happy with the terms via email.
I have always stayed away from estate agents, I am asking to confirm a date to go back so if they continue to ignore i am unsure on the next step

 

[123]

Same question as Murdoch, 80 circuits in what sort of property?

 

[123]

And if they continue to ignore your emails/contact, invoice them for works so far completed.

 

[chris day]

Same question as Murdoch, 80 circuits in what sort of property?

Apologies the property in question is a block of flats, landlord ownes the entire block including communal areas.
Each flat contains a 5 way DB

 

[kingeri]

I'd go back and un-test the lot.

 

[chris day]

Haha

 

[ferg]

If you got the go ahead in writing then that's about as much as you can ask for really.

Is there anything they have agreed to that they have not done?

 

[snowhead]

So basically that's 16 flats and the Landlords Communal for £1600.

They may be waiting for confirmation from the Landlord.

Email them again, politely, asking them to confirm they are aware of the costs.
Stating if don't get a response you'll invoice for work so far and call it a day.

 

[FatAlan]

Did you and they know the total number of circuits at the start?

 

[buzzlightyear]

when you sent them a email and they agreed by email . that email In the eyes of the law is binding .even if it is with estate agent .

 

[123]

I don't do too many EICR's and certainly none on a block of flats - what's the correct way do them, would it be 1 EICR per flat and a 17th for Landlord/Communal?

 

[The Ghost]

A lot of additional sheets. Main DB(s) then all the submains identified as flat nos and labelled DB subs. etc.

 

[westward10]

Depends on the set up, I would do one per dwelling, one for the communal. Distribution would be dependant on the set up but would probably incorporate into each dwelling.

 

[chris day]

Did you and they know the total number of circuits at the start?

Via email I asked for a circuit count however we then agreed on the £20 for every circuit found, i would imagine the estate agent is just asking the building owner, its my nature to always prepare for problems

 

[chris day]

Depends on the set up, I would do one per dwelling, one for the communal. Distribution would be dependant on the set up but would probably incorporate into each dwelling.

I agree however when I asked they wanted one for the entire building which possibly is not the best idea,m

 

[chris day]

I don't do too many EICR's and certainly none on a block of flats - what's the correct way do them, would it be 1 EICR per flat and a 17th for Landlord/Communal?

I agree I think this would be the best thing however they wanted one very for the entire building, maybe is should explain in more details as I don't think they know what they want

 

[buzzlightyear]

did you tested it by you self.

 

[westward10]

Why don't you pay them a visit.

 

[chris day]

did you tested it by you self.

Yes i started on my own testing them

 

[Toneyz]

I don't do too many EICR's and certainly none on a block of flats - what's the correct way do them, would it be 1 EICR per flat and a 17th for Landlord/Communal?

What is a 17th for Landlord/Communal ?.

 

[123]

What is a 17th for Landlord/Communal ?.

A 17th EICR (as in number of them)
16 flats in total

 

[Toneyz]

A 17th EICR (as in number of them)
16 flats in total

Ok thanks I see what you mean now.

 

[Leesparkykent]

I would go in to the estate agent and ask what's happening.

 

[The Ghost]

Depends on the set up

Sounds like a lot more paperwork.

 

[bigspark17]

I don't do too many EICR's and certainly none on a block of flats - what's the correct way do them, would it be 1 EICR per flat and a 17th for Landlord/Communal?

I agree however when I asked they wanted one for the entire building which possibly is not the best idea,m

I would do one eicr per DNO supply. If the property is served from one DNO then only one EICR.

 

[Octopus]

So you do 1 EICR for 16 flats and the communal services.

A couple of flats have issues.... So the whole lot is unsatisfactory ....

With decent certificate software, individual Certs would be better AND then you can invoice in smaller chunks of work ...

 

[The Ghost]

So do you do that in commercial premises. Issue cert for each DB bit by bit?

 

[westward10]

Sounds like a lot more paperwork.

It is the most sensible thing to do a Report per dwelling. Someone wants to know the condition of No18 you give them its Report and not a document they have to search through. We tested Trellick Tower in London about ten years ago, all separate Reports.

 

[Octopus]

So do you do that in commercial premises. Issue cert for each DB bit by bit?

p

One commercial property would have 1 EICR, irrespective of the number of DBs

This block of flats is 16 flats and 1 communal

 

[The Ghost]

I can see the sense in that if people actually are interested enough to read them, haven't met many. But of course we did find that on doing 66 units various tenants did want their EICR separated for insurance purposes. It was not a problem to identify the part of the report but would have been neater if they were all separate in retrospect. Will take note of the above.

 

[westward10]

p

One commercial property would have 1 EICR, irrespective of the number of DBs

This block of flats is 16 flats and 1 communal

It would be dependant on size and the nature of the site, beginning of this year we did a periodic of just under 900 circuits all from a single source. There were several buildings ranging from office space, domestic, public and surgical. Each building had its own Report with another for the mains distribution it just made sense due to the different environments and ease of reading.

 

[The Ghost]

Trellick tower? Wasn't that the one that had a fire in April this year?

 

[The Ghost]

900?!

 

[westward10]

Trellick tower? Wasn't that the one that had a fire in April this year?

Yes it was on the upper floors, not guilty. Fascinating place a proper mix of life and a prime example of the planners dream going wrong. If you are into reading you should try High Rise by J Ballard as it was based on Trellick and portrays brilliantly the dream going wrong just as it did at Trellick.

 

[buzzlightyear]

personally I think you have bitten more then you can chewed .on testing that property .for one man band .the reason possible they might knock you.

 

[dmxtothemax]

Can you withdraw the EICR ?

 

[PEG]

Can you withdraw the EICR ?

That is a very Catholic thing,to suggest...

 

[NDG Elecs]

Both landlords and letting agents will often not read the small print. You say you did a detailed quotation, but that obviously cannot cover doubled up circuits in CUs etc. If you based the quote on 16 flats x5 ccts and that was agreed then crack on I say. I would only do another 20 at the most though before getting paid upfront for works done before carrying out the rest.

Are the agents and or landlord aware what an EICR is? Sometimes they have a misguided belief that remedial works are included within the pricing. Pay the agents a visit, and if all good, ask for email confirmation before proceeding further.

Good luck!

 

[chris day]

personally I think you have bitten more then you can chewed .on testing that property .for one man band .the reason possible they might knock you.

For the price they are paying I am not overly concerned about doubled up circuits although good point.

I feel that is not the reason as they has no idea about my business structure when they called, 80 circuits I can nock out in 3 days.

 

[Octopus]

I feel that is not the reason as they has no idea about my business structure when they called, 80 circuits I can nock out in 3 days.

with 17 flats involved.............. how could you guarantee access?

 

[chris day]

My quotation explains the process and reasons behind the EICR so they don't have any excuses .
I don't think they know what they are doing as they want once certificate.
Every flat has faults so I won't worry about failing a healthy flat, because one flat could catch fire it would affect the rest so they could argue one dangerous flat endangers all the flats, hence grenfell.

 

[chris day]

They very kindly gave me the keys, I wish payment was as straight forward

 

[Billsays]

They very kindly gave me the keys, I wish payment was as straight forward

Well if you still have the keys I wouldn’t worry too much about getting paid.

 

[sparx northeast]

A lot of additional sheets. Main DB(s) then all the submains identified as flat nos and labelled DB subs. etc.

17 meters i.e. 16 flats and the landlords DB = 17 certificates - Simples

 

[sparx northeast]

A lot of additional sheets. Main DB(s) then all the submains identified as flat nos and labelled DB subs. etc.

17 meters i.e. 16 flats and the landlords DB = 17 certificates - Simples