Total Trade Services - Wales

[sparky3366]

the knees have gone on all my jeans lol...

 

[Scott F]

"Its Grim up North "

 

[sparky3366]

You're not kidding...

 

[Paul.M]

Double post. But if you can't talk about this company on the open forum please pm me so I don't make a mistake and sign up with these guys.

 

[Paul.M]

I've applied to this company and received an e-mail pre interview application form. I've also called a couple of local sparks that I know and one of them worked for total trades and has nothing but bad things to say about them. They dont pay up, expect too much per day, promise a van and tester but don't deliver and don't pay back the full fuel. This could be one persons bad experience and it would be good to hear another side of the story. Anyone on here got anything good to say about them?

 

[Scott F]

I get the feeling that its the equivalent to a pot wash in a restaurant Basically >>>> money .......

conditions with staff turnover very high and they probably pay about £12 an hour and you pay your

own tax etc . Now I am not knocking anyone for that . I amy be joining them or the like very soon

but we know as soon as something better comes along poo , hot and brick spring to mind

 

[new2011]

Just wondering if anyone has heard of total trade services?

anyone worked for them or with them?

good or bad experience?

cheers

yes mate i've had the miss fortune to work for this shambolic company .
take my advise and dont touch them with a ****ty stick . on paper you appear to have the chance to make a decent wage ... think again !
from the inept way they handle the administrative side of things to the constant chasing of unpaid fuel money ( which your expected to put up with a four week turn around that never transpires ) .
the only comparison i can give is running at a wall with your head down .
be warned this is a total trade disgrace and a con from top to bottom .

 

[eagles]

hi,i worked for a company between 2004-2007 (Newcastle upon Tyne)who sub contracted to total trade services,we covered the whole of the north east and started even doing Scotland to Leeds,there was me and a mate installing 3 x heaters, 1 x e7 time clock to immersion heater,if no immersion supply was there or cable not up to standard,new circuit would have to be installed.Upgrading of Main earth which was 80% of the time a tt system,and 10mm2 to water.It was job and knock for us,which meant early starts to beat traffic and load up with heaters and BRICKS!.Total Trade would always phone up to see how we were doing to try and give us more work or snagging off previous contractors that wouldn't be anywhere near the job or on our way home.I pushed for more money off boss but he always said that Total Trade still owed him money and wasn't getting fuel allowance.In the end he had to stop doing work for them because didn't get paid.At the beginning i think the boss made money but Total Trade just want more and more work done with no extra pay.

 

[Paul.M]

This is what I've heard in the Yorkshire area. This company advertise every week on the gov job web site for loads of different areas in the UK and that's because after a couple of weeks the sparkys walk due to not being paid. Be careful if you sign up with them.

 

[sparky3366]

I was supposed to start with them on monday but they rang me to start today...easy job as long as i get paid lol

 

[robsparky1975]

Take some energy pills youll need them. Basic health and safety stuff.
Its scarey how many people there taking on when theyve only been given work till april. Theyll get more after but probly not as much as they have now. People will be laid off.

Am i right in thinking this firm is doing warmfront/eaga contract?

 

[sparky3366]

yes but warmfront finishes soon...

 

[Paul.M]

If I was you I would write down every minute, every mile and every penny that you put into the tank. Keep fuel receipts and mileage and also take a photo of each install you do. This all may sound like over kill but I wish I did all this with the last firm I worked for, it would make the money chasing easier. Hope it works for you I really do, just don't get caught with your pants down. Good luck.

 

[sparky3366]

nice big diary and memory card...already done

 

[robsparky1975]

Its all up in the air at the moment,66% of government funding to be slashed,thats gonna be even more people out if work,i do work on this scheme down south,not gonna say which firm on a public forum but im a bit fed up,got made redundant last august,got employed again october and now facing redundancy again,and all with the birth of our new born girl,who knows whats gonna happen,i can only cross my fingers,toes and gentlemans sausage,this govt and their predecessors have done us all no favours.

 

[new2011]

mate your obviously not listening to what is said , but good luck and i look forward to your negative press on the company sometime in the coming months . dont be fooled by the first few weeks or the first pay cheque , it goes down hill from there

 

[nwsparky1]

I've worked for the company for the last four years. Not the easiest of rides in all honesty, but let me tell you some of the issues I've had....

a) Fuel:- Got to pay for it youself and claim back.
What's not said on here though is that they DO give you an up front allowance. I get it in my bank account two weeks later like clockwork. The only time I have an issue is when I send in my paperwork late. Who's fault is that? Their's?

b) Yeah there are issues with turning up on site etc. and there are no clocks/programmers that the plumbers have left behind and it is a bit of a mission to get one. I do believe them though that if they had to pay for an extra one on every job it would mean they aren't in business. Is that their problem or is it the plumber not doing their side of the bargin?

c) When you leave them they don't pay you your full wages. I believe this is true and actually agree with it. The amount of crap I've had to go back and fix because of to**ers who don't do a proper job and then f**k off is ridiculous. Why should they get paid when they aren't doing it properly. The company holds back final pay until every job is inspected and then pays it as the inspections are done. I fully accept this in the current climate.

I've been given my work past April now..... so don't understand the April comments?

All too easy to sit at home and criticise. I wouldn't have been here for four years if they didn't do something right. What I have seen is people who come and go and take an adversarial approach with the company - guess what - they get the same back. Those of us who have been here a while and work with them have a good relationship. Let the to**ers go as far as I am concerned.

If any of us want a job near home, paid loads, for doing 7 or 8 hours a day..... those days are long gone and the sooner everyone realises that the better.

As for them advertising in London..... I've seen the advert. Why criticise when the advert clearly says "you will be travelling away in the North of England"? Eh? Sorry, don't get it.

 

[Electricalserv]

I've worked for the company for the last four years. Not the easiest of rides in all honesty, but let me tell you some of the issues I've had....

a) Fuel:- Got to pay for it youself and claim back.
What's not said on here though is that they DO give you an up front allowance. I get it in my bank account two weeks later like clockwork. The only time I have an issue is when I send in my paperwork late. Who's fault is that? Their's?

b) Yeah there are issues with turning up on site etc. and there are no clocks/programmers that the plumbers have left behind and it is a bit of a mission to get one. I do believe them though that if they had to pay for an extra one on every job it would mean they aren't in business. Is that their problem or is it the plumber not doing their side of the bargin?

c) When you leave them they don't pay you your full wages. I believe this is true and actually agree with it. The amount of crap I've had to go back and fix because of to**ers who don't do a proper job and then f**k off is ridiculous. Why should they get paid when they aren't doing it properly. The company holds back final pay until every job is inspected and then pays it as the inspections are done. I fully accept this in the current climate.

I've been given my work past April now..... so don't understand the April comments?

All too easy to sit at home and criticise. I wouldn't have been here for four years if they didn't do something right. What I have seen is people who come and go and take an adversarial approach with the company - guess what - they get the same back. Those of us who have been here a while and work with them have a good relationship. Let the to**ers go as far as I am concerned.

If any of us want a job near home, paid loads, for doing 7 or 8 hours a day..... those days are long gone and the sooner everyone realises that the better.

As for them advertising in London..... I've seen the advert. Why criticise when the advert clearly says "you will be travelling away in the North of England"? Eh? Sorry, don't get it.

Its a con mate they will take anyone with ONLY the 17th and a crb check. I didn't even attend the induction....interview was far too easy and everyone got a fecking job. Thats why they get monkeys not finishing off work...

DO NOT LOWER YOURSELF AS AN ELECTRICIAN TO WORK FOR THESE GUYS!!

 

[nwsparky1]

Its a con mate they will take anyone with ONLY the 17th and a crb check. I didn't even attend the induction....interview was far too easy and everyone got a fecking job. Thats why they get monkeys not finishing off work...

DO NOT LOWER YOURSELF AS AN ELECTRICIAN TO WORK FOR THESE GUYS!!

Good call! Dole is always better!!!!!

 

[Scott F]

I believe you both have made fair points and at the end of the day its down to the individual and

what they are prepared to do.If it s good for you Nw sparky then good on you mate. Decent

professional workers are in the minority in my opinion.But electricalserv has a fair point too.