Faulty light, do I charge customer to replace

[Happygrumpysparks]

Hi,

I installed a security light 8mths ago, customer has informed me the light is only partially working.

Customer wants a replacement or upgrade and he will pay cost of upgraded fitting.

Where do I stand with this regards it being a manufactures Defect and not a fault of my installation. Do I charge labour or not?

 

[rich bevan]

part should be fit for purpose and should last. I would speak to your supplier and try and bill them for your labour. defo not the customer. its hardly there fault and a bit of good will goes a long way.

 

[rolyberkin]

Who supplied the original light?

 

[Octopus]

Within the first year you should take responsibility for all parts you supply...... If the customer supplied it then the cost of your time should be charged imho

 

[sparksburnout]

This is always a tricky area. 8 months is poor, but I don't think you will get any joy from the supplier other then replacing the original fitting. I try to get the customer to supply the light if at all possible, but if not I use a supplier that I know will not argue the ----, TLC are brilliant for that. I think you are quite justified in at least "going halves" with the customer if you explain the costs and so on. I don't think it is fair to expect us to just come and swap it out for nothing. If he is just covering the higher cost of the fitting you are still on a loser. If it was a regular good customer I would probably just swallow it but not if it was someone that I will never see again.

 

[Diddy]

I disagree sparksburnout....Your markup should cover your guarantee. I always try to avoid customers who want to supply their own stuff....I view these people with deep suspicion ha ha .....I suppose in the great ecosystem that means our target customers do not overlap lol.
Seriously though if your markup does not cover you returning to the odd job now and again the there is a problem which is either 1. Your markup is not enough or 2. Your supplier is supplying you with tat.

 

[sparksburnout]

I disagree sparksburnout....Your markup should cover your guarantee. I always try to avoid customers who want to supply their own stuff....I view these people with deep suspicion ha ha .....I suppose in the great ecosystem that means our target customers do not overlap lol.
Seriously though if your markup does not cover you returning to the odd job now and again the there is a problem which is either 1. Your markup is not enough or 2. Your supplier is supplying you with tat.

Or 3. my customers are tighter than yours.

 

[rolyberkin]

If you supplied then do free of charge if the customer supplied then apply a labour charge.

I put this on my written quote estimate before I do the job that way when they use cheap and nasty fittings you know will fail in a short period of time you can say smugly I told you so!

I would play by ear if it is around the corner and a like for like change then probably no charge as a good will gesture, all depending on how much work involved.

 

[sparksburnout]

If you supplied then do free of charge if the customer supplied then apply a labour charge.

I put this on my written quote estimate before I do the job that way when they use cheap and nasty fittings you know will fail in a short period of time you can say smugly I told you so!

I would play by ear if it is around the corner and a like for like change then probably no charge as a good will gesture, all depending on how much work involved.

Exactly. If its a regular customer or just round the corner then yeah fine. If it's some tight *** who has tried to squeeze the last two quid out of the price then........

 

[Diddy]

Or 3. my customers are tighter than yours.

Could well be the case mate lol. Although mines are tighter than yours when it comes to replacing installed items supplied by me lol. Im not knocking you mate ...not at all you follow the business model that works for you. I wonder what the split is of people in general ie those who supply the customers with parts and labour and guarantee all and the model you and others run by which is basically a limited guarantee.

 

[sparksburnout]

Could well be the case mate lol. Although mines are tighter than yours when it comes to replacing installed items supplied by me lol. Im not knocking you mate ...not at all you follow the business model that works for you. I wonder what the split is of people in general ie those who supply the customers with parts and labour and guarantee all and the model you and others run by which is basically a limited guarantee.

TBH i took a decision a while ago to try and insist that customers get their own light fittings, internal and external. It does have the downside that you end up with some carp to try and fit (well known Swedish stuff for example), but if its too bad i just tell them its not fit for purpose. On the up side though, you have no headaches when it fails, and if they insist on going cheap and cheerful then they just pay twice to have it installed on top of the hassle of getting it replaced. If they are struggling then I just provide them with a link for the particular item, for example LED floods. I used to get cheesed off spending hours choosing a particular item and then Mrs customer says "ohhh is a bit bigger than I had expected"

 

[telectrix]

i'd relpace FOC within the 12 months. though if it was 30 miles away i's ask customer to wait till i had other work in the area, as long as the job was not urgent.

 

[sparksburnout]

Ah Ive just realised what i said there........Yeah i get those comments anyway
lol

 

[Octopus]

Maybe the OP will come back ad clarify the situation ... soon!

 

[Happygrumpysparks]

OK,

Firstly, thank you for everyone's input.

The customer supplied the light, the light is under warranty and he is arranging its replacement.

Ive taken on board what has been said. I'm going to pop back and change out for the replacement at no cost. It's not far from me and for the sake of 30minutes gives a good reflection on my service

Ive learned a lesson, some items I purchase online which I'll no longer do. Mainly as I need the locality if returning to a wholesaler if anything goes faulty.

 

[buzzlightyear]

you say customer saying only partially working, what is it a candle. you need to go and see
the sec light if possible take a replacement if found faulty replace.
if a customer supplying and you are supplying labour
tuff s****t.

 

[Octopus]

OK,

Firstly, thank you for everyone's input.

The customer supplied the light, the light is under warranty and he is arranging its replacement.

Ive taken on board what has been said. I'm going to pop back and change out for the replacement at no cost. It's not far from me and for the sake of 30minutes gives a good reflection on my service

Ive learned a lesson, some items I purchase online which I'll no longer do. Mainly as I need the locality if returning to a wholesaler if anything goes faulty.

Good man - for the feedback and thanks - its much more worth while being a contributor when a decent response is posted..

As for purchases, I do about 99% through local wholesalers, who have never let me down and never quibble about warranty repairs - as you build local relationships it will pay off ..... as for the 1% I source remotely these are normally for parts I can't get locally.

Saving a few pennies on the web..... not worth it in the long run IMHO, unless its a new tool!

 

[davesparks]

I'm curious as to what 'partially working' means, and where the suggestion of an upgraded fitting came from?

Does this mean that the fitting is not working as the customer intended rather than there actually being a problem?

 

[Happygrumpysparks]

Hi Dave,

Ive not seen the issue, just explained how the light was only outputting 25% and that he would like to upgrade to a brighter light.

I'm going to have a look one evening.

 

[buzzlightyear]

you are saying how the light was only outputting 25% and that he would like to upgrade to a brighter light.
customer supplied the light, the light is under warranty and he is arranging its replacement
tell him you will be charging him for the new fitting to be replaced
having you not supplied the fitting .
have you told him you are charging for replacement .