issues with customer and cost of parking when on jobs!!!

[Gavin John Hyde]

Walked out of a job today, customer lives in residents only permit zone in middle of town, I make it clear in the terms and conditions they sign that they will where required provide a permit for duration of works or they cost will be added to invoice. Bath has lots of zones where some are residents only, others are residents and paid for.
Get to the property today and the woman says I cant have a visitors permit to park on her street as she can only have 100 visitors permits per year for the property from council and she would prefer to keep them for when her son is home from university as he likes to park outside as he doesn't like to park his car in an unsafe area.
So I explain that given the road is residents only between 8am-6pm without a means for people to pay to park there who dont live on the road she either gives me a permit as per the t and c's agreed before hand or the work doesn't happen. On other zones I would have added parking to the invoice. She was adamant I couldn't have a permit and wanted me to park 1/4 of a mile down the road in a different area then shift tools, equipment etc to save using one of her precious permits. i told her she was having a laugh when the road outside is empty and said no thanks then walked out and drove home.
Half hour later I get a phone call asking if i have parked yet! my response inst repeatable but she got the message that I will not be installing her kitchen down lights or cabinet lighting for her, neither will I be installing the new oven and hob.
That didn't go down to well as yesterday she had the old kitchen appliances taken away with the rubbish from the kitchen fitters. So now she has a kitchen without cooker, hob or lights!
She says I am unprofessional and have poor customer service skills and should be banned from working as this is the best bit being niceic registered ' you are a disgrace to niceic and i will be complaining to your company about you' that really made me laugh as she thinks niceic is the name of my company!? so clearly hadnt read the paperwork, I said go ahead and complain im one of the good guys you dont want to meet the cowboys out there.. being a one man outfit I am not too bothered.Ah well, you win some you loose some.

 

[Octopus]

Guildford has similar issues BUT they have an "allowance" for trades peoples vehicles so they don't lose the "visitors" permits ............ this seems to work OK

 

[Dave OCD]

Well her son is a student, you can't possibly expect him to have to walk more than 5 yards surely ? Most unprofessional !

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Guildford has similar issues BUT they have an "allowance" for trades peoples vehicles so they don't lose the "visitors" permits ............ this seems to work OK

Most of Bath is okay, the various zones are covered by the tradesman permit that I have. I just text my reg plate and zone to the council and i am good for the day. There are some parts of town that are sort of semi private roads. they are part of a residents association with wealthy well connected folk who decide on the communal gardens, lights etc...and its residents only and nobody else unless you have a visitors permit! which she wouldn't give me as explained above.

 

[Dave OCD]

She sounds really arrogant to me, selfish too.

 

[peterhyper]

I absolutely agree with you for walking off the job, I won't work for anyone who won't guarantee me a permit in those circumstances and I will only take the job on if I can park near the house not a mile away (although I personally wouldn't swear at a customer assuming that's what you did).

I got a call out from a woman to go to some private flats some months back who assured me I could park behind the flats with no restrictions, when I got there it was restricted parking and get towed zone away etc. So I called her and she said said she thought it would be okay (lying cow she knew it wouldn't be). She said I could park on the yellow lines outside her flats, but I told her that you can't park on them until 6.30pm and that was hours away, but she insisted it would be fine, so I asked her to immediately transfer £50 into my bank account and if I get a ticket that covered it and if I didn't I would deduct the £50 from my cost. She blankly refused to pay a penny so I just drove off.

 

[The Ghost]

Yes indeed parking is a real blight at some locations I work. I have not yet come to blows with any customers over it. One time I had to re-arrange work as there was absolutely nowhere to park at 7 a.m. it was a bit embarrasing really but nothing I could do about it. I think it is a shame that the council make no provision for this. The loss of work must be high nationally.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I didnt swear at her but left her without any doubt about how out of order she was being and how she is the one who loses out. I only became abrupt and quite sharp when she raised her voice.

 

[stevethesparks]

Working in care home/flats, the customer told me I could park in her disabled spot. What she didn't explain is that it is shared with her neighbour. That is the only time the phone number on the side of my van has been used - to tell me to move.

 

[Dave OCD]

I was asked to move my van off a ladies drive and out into the road because her son was on his way home for lunch 'and doesn't like to park outside'.

 

[richy3333]

Good for you matey. I'd have walked away too. Some customers just aint worth the hassle.

 

[123]

@Gavin John Hyde it sounds like you dodged a bit of a bullet there. If customer was being that unreasonable regarding parking, then further issues with the job and payment may well have followed

 

[MJPD29]

I fully agree with you you did the right thing sounds like a horrifially difficult customer not worth it

 

[Andy78]

Can't imagine having to park more than 20 yards from a job, or having to pay for permits.
Much less stressful living in a Northern backwater

 

[NDG Elecs]

Well done Gavin, like it mate!

Worst parking I had was for a beach bungalow nestled in sand dunes in Northumberland. I was doing some joinery work there. Car park was at the local golf course approx 1/2 a mile away. Had to lug ladders power tools materials and everything over three walks. Felt like I had done a full days graft by 9am.
Worst bit was if I forgot one simple little item which resulted in a 30 minute walk to get it. I tried to visualise the jobs from start to finish to make sure I had everything. Won't be back there any time soon!

 

[Strima]

Used to get parking issues all the time in central London. Often it was just cheaper to pay the fine.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

@Gavin John Hyde it sounds like you dodged a bit of a bullet there. If customer was being that unreasonable regarding parking, then further issues with the job and payment may well have followed

I have just been talking about this to a mate and it turns out he is good friends with her ex husband who she took to the cleaners during the divorce couple years back. she had 2 kids, after a couple years together she decided she wanted out. she married well and went from literally nothing to a gilded life and changed once she had money from her ex who was a stockbroker- who co-incidentally is now a farmer after fancying a career change! . she now tries to live it up like some oligarch but by all accounts is burning through the cash a bit quick and her ex husband has taken steps to make sure she gets no more out of him. She kept the house in the divorce due to having the kids. My mate laughed his head off when I said who it was... He said she will marry again at some point for the money. she isn't daft and knows what she is doing. So i think you are right... I did dodge a bullet, shame her ex didnt

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Used to get parking issues all the time in central London. Often it was just cheaper to pay the fine.

In some areas of London the fine if paid within 7 days at the discounted rate is believe it or not cheaper than paying for the days parking!! so it pays to take the risk on getting a ticket and if you do pay it within 7 days and be better off. If you dont get a ticket then its win win.

 

[Strima]

Used to get parking issues all the time in central London. Often it was just cheaper to pay the fine.

In some areas of London the fine if paid within 7 days at the discounted rate is believe it or not cheaper than paying for the days parking!! so it pays to take the risk on getting a ticket and if you do pay it within 7 days and be better off. If you dont get a ticket then its win win.

Except Islington, they're just C****.....

 

[7029 dave]

This boils my wee, cost me £160 because of this in a parking fine, never again.!

 

[danzor]

Try getting tradesman parking in London... you pay £50 for the privelage

 

[Toneyz]

Try getting tradesman parking in London... you pay £50 for the privelage

How long does the waiver last? if just for a day as posted cheaper to get a ticket may be worth as someone else said offering a returnable deposit.

 

[derek]

Perhaps what you could have done is agree in advance in writing that the client is happy for you to park a mile away and pay for the time it takes to transport your tools from your vehicle to her house, then you take a couple of boxes walking slowly there and back then a couple more then another journey, obviously having a break each time you get back to your car so after 4 hours of transporting your tools to her house you then tell her you have to start packing up now and spend another 4 hours slowly moving all your gear back to your vehicle.

 

[myristate]

Central Edinburgh. Parking costs £32.50. Parking fine £30.00 if paid within 14 days. Just take the fine. parking charges are criminal!

 

[baldelectrician]

I stay in East Ayrshire and if we are at a job and constantly going back and forward to the van we call the roads alliance and let them know we are working.
They let the attendants know and leave us alone
It was one of the parking attendants who told us to call the office to sort things out and even gave us their number.
Bearing in mind it is an SNP council here (apparently won an award for best UK council last year) and they try and help business.
No parking costs after 5pm Monday - Friday anywhere and no weekend parking charges in council car parks (only on street where it is 80p per hour)

 

[Squid]

Try getting tradesman parking in London... you pay £50 for the privelage

Agree, for the flat build I think it cost me £3200 and don't bother getting a residents bay suspended for a skip as the cost is out of this world seeing the price Thames Water charged me for the installation of a new water pipe.

 

[Squid]

She had better inform student son to bring his stash of Pot Noodles with him as she won't be cooking him any food.

Well done mate, the way I look at it is you make the life of any trades person working on your house easier, supply with water, tea and biscuits and don't stand there looking over their shoulders as then you as a customer are treated well and not over charged.

 

[Strima]

Had some windows done recently and kept the lads supplied with brews. Things is they keep on rocking up when working in the area for a brew if their customer is being tight...

 

[Squid]

Had some windows done recently and kept the lads supplied with brews. Things is they keep on rocking up when working in the area for a brew if their customer is being tight...

Tell the wife to draw the curtains when getting dressed in the mornings..........

 

[JOURNEYMAN]

I wonder if the client will actually call the NICEIC and complain (doubt it) and whether or not the NICEIC defend their members who under the circumstances make a reasonable well thought out practical request for access/parking to be considered in advance of the work or just not get involved.

 

[Cadgey123]

Her son can’t be doing much studying if he is home every 3 days to use the 100 permits she has for him!!
Well done, I would have done he same and walked off as well. If that’s what you got about parking, imagine what she would have moaned about on the job.

 

[Strima]

Tell the wife to draw the curtains when getting dressed in the mornings..........

That would scare them off!!!

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I wonder if the client will actually call the NICEIC and complain (doubt it) and whether or not the NICEIC defend their members who under the circumstances make a reasonable well thought out practical request for access/parking to be considered in advance of the work or just not get involved.

The NICEIC would in first instance i believe tell her to contact myself to find resolution, but since I never actually started any work I would assume the NICEIC would say nothing to do with us.

 

[Squid]

I bet said son is doing a sh1te degree as well and is most probs one of these new fangled snowflakes.

 

[Squid]

That would scare them off!!!

We'll be the judge of that, chop chop with the *photos...... ;o))))))




*gets eye bleach ready ;o)))))

 

[brianmoooore]

Rarely work in urban areas, and haven't tested it for at least ten years, but the rules and regs associated with double yellow lines specify an exemption for those "engaged in the maintenance and installation of water and electricity", or some similar wording.
On one occasion I was working at the end of a local High street, where there was a bus sized double yellow lined lay bye alongside the road. Arrived on the first morning to see the Chippy unloading his van and being hassled by a bad tempered traffic warden, who wouldn't let up until he had moved his van to a car park a hundred yards away. At this point, I pulled into the bay, was totally ignored by the warden, as if I was invisible, and parked there the whole day, and every other day, until the job was finished.
On another occasion, I was working in a very narrow yellow lined street, which also had a small van sized lay bye at one point along it, in which I parked. After a day or two, I encountered, and got into a stand up argument with a prod nosed neighbour over my parking arrangements. I politely told her to foxtrot oscar, and went back to work.
An hour later two plod arrive in a car, and tell me to move. I politely explained to them that I believed I was legally parked. They admitted they had no idea what I was on about, but they would go away and check. They never came back, and I parked in the same place for the two weeks or so that the job took.
On a third occasion, I used an ordinary car for the job since there wasn't much room to park a van, yellow lines or not. As soon as I had parked, I spotted a traffic warden heading up the street towards me, as fast as his little legs would move, notebook in hand, and a look of disappointment came over his face, when I explained that I was an electrician working in a shop a few yards away. I was causing a bit of an obstruction, but by this time a delivery van had moved on from right opposite the shop, so with the warden's blessing, I moved on to the yellow lines there.

 

[Gasinspect]

Councils vary, Richmond had a traders scheme that was reasonable, Hounslow had no provision at all. Worked for some letting agents so often property was empty so no householder to not get "visitor" permits from. Wrote to councillors, was told they "would consider it" - end of story. Was in fortunate position i could afford to turn down any jobs in Hounslow and just worked in Richmond.

 

[Chris1234]

You lot wouldn’t like being a maintenance engineer on a large site then, lots of walking!

 

[telectrix]

You lot wouldn’t like being a maintenance engineer on a large site then, lots of walking!

buy a mobility scooter.