J
jjnr78
Its not been a great start to the week, so what better way to spend an evening than by having a rant! Let me paint the picture; I help my dad run his electrical business that has been trading over 30 years. Since coming on board I have fought everyday with the old-school ways of thinking and running of the business. I’m proud to say that I stuck to my guns and ever since Part P was introduced we have played the legitimate game whilst a great many around us didn’t bother and still haven’t. Today we are Approved Contractors, MCS for Solar and on our way to some Cedia recognition. We are also product trained in quite a few control systems etc. I have also rebranded the company with shirts, vans, stationary, testing software all consistent. This has had a significant cost implication which has been spread over nearly 10 years, but obviously annual costs in memberships etc. I still face opposition to my ambitions within our small company which is draining, but you have to believe right? Well, today I learned that the whole team is being made redundant as we cannot afford to employ people. Everyone will be reemployed as a subbie. I was stunned. It turns out that the owner’s salary was just over £20k and the business is in Hertfordshire- not a decent wage for senior manager with over 40 years experience. We have already shed 1 employee this year, but this news really hurt. To be honest, I knew matters weren’t brilliant, but this has really whacked my plans of growing the business. Now here’s the gripe; we are an honest company that have contributed year on year and carried out work the correct way, to high standards, to the letter of the regs with transparent pricing, but it clearly doesn’t always pay to operate like this and something needs to be done about it on a macro level.
The government has royally shafted people and companies like ours. I never thought we would be so affected by the migration of eastern European labour, but it has completely slaughtered our business in the last 12 months. How are UK businesses supposed to compete with firms that are mostly repatriating their earnings when the standard of living is so vastly different. It costs about £5k for a house in Romania! My mortgage alone is £1500/ month. Add to this the ridiculous number of training centres qualifying “electricians” with a couple of months of classroom study and the domestic market is a joke. I spoke with the local Building Control manager about how Part P is policed and it simply isn’t. Its different from 1 council to the next and it makes a mockery of the scheme
I left a career in the City to retrain and help change the perception of our game, but everywhere I turn is what seems to be a shut door. I won’t even approach the subject of Solar, where I will just put it down to unfortunate timing on our part.
I would never encourage anyone to enter into this game, even if some aspects are enjoyable as you simply cannot compete these days and earn a good living. And I thought the government were supposed to encourage entrepreneurialism?
The government has royally shafted people and companies like ours. I never thought we would be so affected by the migration of eastern European labour, but it has completely slaughtered our business in the last 12 months. How are UK businesses supposed to compete with firms that are mostly repatriating their earnings when the standard of living is so vastly different. It costs about £5k for a house in Romania! My mortgage alone is £1500/ month. Add to this the ridiculous number of training centres qualifying “electricians” with a couple of months of classroom study and the domestic market is a joke. I spoke with the local Building Control manager about how Part P is policed and it simply isn’t. Its different from 1 council to the next and it makes a mockery of the scheme
I left a career in the City to retrain and help change the perception of our game, but everywhere I turn is what seems to be a shut door. I won’t even approach the subject of Solar, where I will just put it down to unfortunate timing on our part.
I would never encourage anyone to enter into this game, even if some aspects are enjoyable as you simply cannot compete these days and earn a good living. And I thought the government were supposed to encourage entrepreneurialism?
- :banghead: