I finished a job months ago , now the customer says somethings not working. Do I charge ?

[123bill]

So a few months back I fitted an outside socket , the customer has messaged me saying it doesn’t work and I need to come and fix it etc. do I charge ? As it was all working fine when I left. Thanks

 

[davesparks]

Less than 12 months it is within warranty and you don't charge for fixing it.

Aside from that there is the professional embarrassment of doing a job that goes wrong so quickly!

 

[Dan]

As above unless its something broken that wasn't anything to do with your work then it surely has to be under standard guarantees.

 

[bill01803]

Have they been charging a car from it?

 

[James]

I think a phone call in the first instance would be a wise start.
Find out if there is a reason it stopped working.
Get the customer to check No breakers or rcd have tripped.

 

[buzzlightyear]

So a few months back I fitted an outside socket , the customer has messaged me saying it doesn’t work and I need to come and fix it etc. do I charge ? As it was all working fine when I left.

As above, just think about it, if it is some thing out of our control, then charge for it.
If worked before why does it work Now.

 

[DPG]

You definitely need to find out what the problem is, and determine whether it is your liability or something the customer has done.

Did you supply the socket or did customer buy it?

 

[123bill]

So after a conversation, it seems as if the connections have come loose. Basically it’s an outside socket that’s spurred from an existing outside socket. The furthest one (which I installed) is working however the one which was existing which I spurred from is not working.

 

[James]

Take a new socket with you.

 

[Dan]

So nothing to do with your work at all then?

 

[LukeD]

Make it crystal clear that a charge is made should it be NOTHING to do with the actual work you did . And get them to confirm they understand . Dont work for free

 

[LukeD]

So after a conversation, it seems as if the connections have come loose. Basically it’s an outside socket that’s spurred from an existing outside socket. The furthest one (which I installed) is working however the one which was existing which I spurred from is not working.

But you worked on it....might have to suck this one up ?

 

[DefyG]

it seems as if the connections have come loose.

Your connections in 'spurring' from it?

As #12 you may have to 'suck this one up'!

 

[Dan]

If its a quick connection and then a happy customer just swallow your pride take this one on your chin as experience.

#12 for me too.

 

[davesparks]

So after a conversation, it seems as if the connections have come loose. Basically it’s an outside socket that’s spurred from an existing outside socket. The furthest one (which I installed) is working however the one which was existing which I spurred from is not working.

So connections you worked on have become loose?

That's not good, that's very not good, personally I would be going back and putting it right free of charge as soon as possible.

I would be very upset knowing that a connection I made had failed and caused a fault. In the part of the industry I work in that kind of thing would very quickly damage my reputation and cause me all worlds of very expensive trouble.

 

[LukeD]

So connections you worked on have become loose?

That's not good, that's very not good, personally I would be going back and putting it right free of charge as soon as possible.

I would be very upset knowing that a connection I made had failed and caused a fault. In the part of the industry I work in that kind of thing would very quickly damage my reputation and cause me all worlds of very expensive trouble.

Thats the issue .Anything you directly touch becomes your responsibility . So in simple terms .... There is a 4 way wago connection and only 3 terminals are been used and you are then using the 4th . Its important to know the other 3 connections are GOOD . As any blame afterwards is going to be hard to fight . But we get paid for this so its not like we are doing something for free !

 

[littlespark]

I think it needs investigating before pointing a finger.

All the OP has to go on is that the socket he worked on to extend the circuit has stopped working, but the extension is still on.

If a cable has come loose, I would expect both outlets to stop… just thinking out loud.

Has the customer tried other appliances in the “faulty” socket, or indeed tried a different appliance?

It may be what they’re plugging in has the fault and not the outlet. ?


Socket switches can go bad as well, and we can’t lay the blame solely on the sparky….

Someone mentioned earlier if it had been used to charge a vehicle? That can reduce a sockets lifespan considerably….. (same can be said for hot tubs)


It’s not a case of “sucking it up” …… but to visit the job as a freebie, just to investigate and repair the fault….whatever the cause…. Might lead to further work.

 

[DefyG]

The OP has already said its a loose connection so faulty socket/appliance is unlikely.
Presumably it was the customer has opened the socket to establish its a loose connection as the OP hasn't revisited yet?

I suspect the conductors whilst loose may still be touching one another, hence the other sockets still working.
But all hypothetical until OP re-visits!

 

[littlespark]

The OP has already said its a loose connection so faulty socket/appliance is unlikely.
Presumably it was the customer has opened the socket to establish its a loose connection as the OP hasn't revisited yet?

I suspect the conductors whilst loose may still be touching one another, hence the other sockets still working.
But all hypothetical until OP re-visits!

And this is where arguments start between customer and electrician.

I certainly wouldn’t be happy if someone else tried a repair a fault then said it was my fault…. Especially not an untrained customer.

That comes down to “well, who touched it last?”


I would hope the customer would contact me first to say it wasn’t working, I would go through the simple steps over the phone, such as checking the breaker…. Then advise them to turn off the circuit until I could go to it.

 

[LukeD]

And this is where arguments start between customer and electrician.

I certainly wouldn’t be happy if someone else tried a repair a fault then said it was my fault…. Especially not an untrained customer.

That comes down to “well, who touched it last?”


I would hope the customer would contact me first to say it wasn’t working, I would go through the simple steps over the phone, such as checking the breaker…. Then advise them to turn off the circuit until I could go to it.

exactly . The moment someone touches it...all bets are off. I did a job yonks and yonks ago. I knew it was perfect .1x months later I get a call saying part of it is not working .I turn up and ask if anyone has touched things .The visuals look fine, no breakers gone etc .Then 20 mins later one of the kids mentions that "dad did something and there was a bang " !!! turned out he had gone into the loft to add a TV aerial booster and had done the old twist and wrap in tape thing and not done it well . He looked very unhappy as he was charged the call out . I hate people that just cannot just be honest