It's true we are a bunch of rip offs!

[Guest111]

got a call to an old farmhouse the other day,breaker tripping on downstairs sockets.So off I went and on arrival found the usual mish mash that is common on farms,there was some pvc and some rubber wiring naturally the circuit in question was in rubber,well aint it always lol.The fault was a dead short on the phase to neutral which I quickly traced to a fault on the ring main in an unknown location.I advised the farmer that it needed rewiring as it was well passed it's best and the insulation was brittle,and being late at night arranged a temp supply for his freezers,advising that I'd ring back in the morning with a price for the job.He wasn't too happy about this due to potential damage to his decoration(wallet more like) anyway the following day he rang up to let me know that he had repaired it himself and did not need me after all,curious as to how he'd achieved this I received the following answer " well it was easy,I just kept resetting the breaker and eventually it stayed in".I muttered something about smoke alarms and fire insurance and hung up,obviously the guy is now convinced that all sparkys are rip off merchants!

 

[diditrain]

Hope you got paid for your time so far

 

[Scornio]

Can't you report? Leaving this knowing the danger will leave you responsible.

 

[Guest111]

Can't you report? Leaving this knowing the danger will leave you responsible.

I made it quite clear to him what the potential consequences were at the time of the visit,this was in front of witnesses so it's up to him now if it all goes pear shaped well he was warned.

 

[Scornio]

I think to cover your back a tad more would be to write an email explaining just how serious the wiring is and what risk he may be imposing on others. Otherwise it would sit on my mind.

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

I think to cover your back a tad more would be to write an email explaining just how serious the wiring is and what risk he may be imposing on others. Otherwise it would sit on my mind.

I agree always cover your back. Plus then when it's all goes wrong he will still have your contact details to put it right.

 

[Farmelectrics]

The whole world including farmers are cheating I'm turning into a bitter old man lol but it's true every were you go it's full of people at it oh and bull ****ters just join in ha ha

 

[silverfox1]

The whole world including farmers are cheating I'm turning into a bitter old man lol but it's true every were you go it's full of people at it oh and bull ****ters just join in ha ha

I tend to agree with your comments farm so maybe I'm a bitter old man too. Oh and agree bull****t is the new language of the UK. lol

 

[kingeri]

Can't you report? Leaving this knowing the danger will leave you responsible.

Not true at all. You cannot force someone to have work done. He certainly is not responsible in the slightest.

 

[telectrix]

but when it's documented in black and white that the customer refused rectification of the fault, then his arse is well and truly covered when the house burns down.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

got a call to an old farmhouse the other day,breaker tripping on downstairs sockets.So off I went and on arrival found the usual mish mash that is common on farms,there was some pvc and some rubber wiring naturally the circuit in question was in rubber,well aint it always lol.The fault was a dead short on the phase to neutral which I quickly traced to a fault on the ring main in an unknown location.I advised the farmer that it needed rewiring as it was well passed it's best and the insulation was brittle,and being late at night arranged a temp supply for his freezers,advising that I'd ring back in the morning with a price for the job.He wasn't too happy about this due to potential damage to his decoration(wallet more like) anyway the following day he rang up to let me know that he had repaired it himself and did not need me after all,curious as to how he'd achieved this I received the following answer " well it was easy,I just kept resetting the breaker and eventually it stayed in".I muttered something about smoke alarms and fire insurance and hung up,obviously the guy is now convinced that all sparkys are rip off merchants!

Phil mate...
get your money for your time and leave this turnip to sit in his fields.....

 

[Scornio]

All I'm saying is that, god for forbid anything happens... Everyone's --- would be twitching, you would feel a lot happier knowing you gave the option and strongly advised what actions should be taken. Whether or not its your responsibility.

 

[telectrix]

sounds like fred the farmer has blown off the short circuit, probably destroying the cpc of the circuit and/or splitting the RFC. and the MCB is probably shot as well.

 

[GMES]

Agree with Scornio on this one get an email sent off and keep your copy, it is ok saying you warned him in front of witnesses, but if the witnesses were is friends then in the event of a fire etc, they will all suddenly become deaf dumb and blind . protect your arse and leave him to fall on his.

 

[Guest55]

Can't you report? Leaving this knowing the danger will leave you responsible.

your kidding right ?
so 50 year old wiring perishes and its somehow phils fault because he visited the property once ?
yeah right.

 

[Knobhead]

I’d be inclined to put you’re findings in writing Phil.

 

[guest119]

A similar situation way back in 1984 happened to me.
A lighting showroom, you know the type, lights hanging everywhere and lit, you can barely see the ceiling.
While I cannot exactly remember the fault im sure it was something like a consumer unit on one of the levels connected to earth as the neutral was lost.
Anyway no e mails in those days so it was a recorded delivery letter outlining the situation and confirming I wouldn fix it because they were famous bad payers.
Heard nothing more but I was amazed to see it in ruins inc the flats above some 6 weeks later, destroyed by fire.
Phewwwwwwwwwww.

Boydy

 

[oldtimer]

your kidding right ?
so 50 year old wiring perishes and its somehow phils fault because he visited the property once ?
yeah right.

Have to agree with Biff here whats all this cover your arse stuff they some talk on here it sounds like last man frees all well is does not and he cannot be held responsible for 50 year old wiring.

I have just upgraded an intruder alarm where the customer says yea yea I know you are going to comment on my electrics you being a spark because I know I need a rewire so me says nope you want me to fix the alarm and thats what I will do because you already know you have problems . It never stopped him and the family flying away to Spain for 2 weeks so if they think a holiday is more important than a rewire then fine they are the ones living with it not me

 

[Flanders]

Its OK saying your not to blame and it very unlikely you will be,but for the sake of writing a 30 second email it may save you a day in court when it all goes belly and the farm burns down to the ground .

 

[oldtimer]

I think you have to realise that there is no legal obligation to update your electrics as British does not want to be seen as the nanny state nope like everything else its the insurance companies that run things like say a certain type of resteruant owner where they cannot get insured unless they have had fire ,electric and gas certs signed off.

I come across this a lot where I may think you cannot live like this but its not my decission like I have said before a lot of Joe Public don't care what box they have under the stairs but they do care on their £3k summer holiday their £1.5k mid winter break and that shiny metal thing sitting in the drive that costs between £10-£20k not forgetting about the yearly £600 valeting costs and all summed up in one word priorities and the more you push it with them the more they blame you for trying to rip them off.