Am I being taken for a ride?

[surreygirl]

I had an electrician come to do a safety check at my property that I let out last week and he has recommended that remedial work should be done at a cost of 2,100 pounds, These are:-

Upgrade of eco 7db
Upgrade of 2 x circuits to RCD protection
Install of isolation point for underfloor heating
identification of points where required
Fusing of points
Enclosure of exposed wiring - these are wires that are not in trunking
Investigation of supply wiring and condition of main isolator and repair
Retermination of required points
cable enclosures

Nothing listed but the sub total is 1,750 plus VAT comes to 2,100

Is that a lot! I last had a test done five years ago, true the wire of the economy 7 is in a situation which is not assessable, however he wants to run a wire from it across the lounge and into the kitchen!

But the amount seems excessive and it is through the Agents who manage the property for me.

Any suggestions would be very helpful.

Many thanks Surreygirl

 

[Pete999]

Reading back through some of the posts, this Electrician isn't one you employed, but one the Agent employed, a stitch up methinks Holmes, a stitchup

 

[surreygirl]

Reading back through some of the posts, this Electrician isn't one you employed, but one the Agent employed, a stitch up methinks Holmes, a stitchup

I agree but I do not have the time to find another electrician I tried rated people and three people came back to me but despite my ringing them I did not get a reply from either except a very nice lady electrician but she was unable to give me a certificate of safety. I suppose I do agree that if he cannot see the cable going from the main box which is outside the flat and the cable from my outside meter runs to the economy 7 which is just in front of the main outside meter and then he is going to run another cable to the meter in the kitchen which has lights cooker shower etc on it. He wants to put a notice in the bathroom that the shower switch is in the kitchen and there are a few wires - not many - that he is going to trunk and then he is going to change the fuses on the underfloor heating. What I do not understand is the price! £2,100 however when he says that if he cannot see the cable he cannot tell if it is safe or not I suppose as far as that is concerned that is true!

I really do not know what to think. I wish I had found an electrician before I let the Agent use his, but I want to thank you all for your advice he has agreed to lower the price based on what you guys told me I was able to question him on the things he was doing, the length of time it would take and the price he was charging, so at least the price is coming down however I do not know by how much based on the invoice he gave me it was 410 pounds to trunk the wiring etc and 1,600 to run a cable from the lounge into the kitchen! He will have to go through the wall obviously but the economy 7 box is in the lounge so he is running a wire from there along the ceiling into the kitchen.

 

[Pete999]

I agree but I do not have the time to find another electrician I tried rated people and three people came back to me but despite my ringing them I did not get a reply from either except a very nice lady electrician but she was unable to give me a certificate of safety. I suppose I do agree that if he cannot see the cable going from the main box which is outside the flat and the cable from my outside meter runs to the economy 7 which is just in front of the main outside meter and then he is going to run another cable to the meter in the kitchen which has lights cooker shower etc on it. He wants to put a notice in the bathroom that the shower switch is in the kitchen and there are a few wires - not many - that he is going to trunk and then he is going to change the fuses on the underfloor heating. What I do not understand is the price! £2,100 however when he says that if he cannot see the cable he cannot tell if it is safe or not I suppose as far as that is concerned that is true!

I really do not know what to think. I wish I had found an electrician before I let the Agent use his, but I want to thank you all for your advice he has agreed to lower the price based on what you guys told me I was able to question him on the things he was doing, the length of time it would take and the price he was charging, so at least the price is coming down however I do not know by how much based on the invoice he gave me it was 410 pounds to trunk the wiring etc and 1,600 to run a cable from the lounge into the kitchen! He will have to go through the wall obviously but the economy 7 box is in the lounge so he is running a wire from there along the ceiling into the kitchen.

I would love to say I would be willing, providing my travel costs were met to come visit, but it would be a waste as I am not registered with a CPScheme.

Surely there are Electrical contractors in your area, apart from rated people.

If he has agreed to lower the price because of what people on this forum has said, that must tell you something

That list I gave you in an earlier post must have yielded some hits for you to try.

Tell the Agent, "Electrician" and Tenant, that you will find an Electrician, who could carry out and EICR, and tell Burke and Hare to do one, you will get the certificate requested by your tenant, but it may take a while until you find someone reputable, when you do don't tell him what has been said, let him form his own opinion, make sure you get someone who belongs to a CPScheme NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA or one of the others there are a few more about.

 

[telectrix]

pete. i have to disagree with you on that post. (only the last bit).you don't need to be in a scam (scheme) such as NICEIC etc. to carry out EICRs. or to do non-notifiable/ remedial work.

@OP. surely you have friends or relatives that have dealt with electricians and can recommend them.

 

[SparkyChick]

I agree with@Pete999 , tell this 'electrician' to do one, don't have him do any work and I'd be looking to get a different managing agent.

What I will say is... you only have to be competent @Pete999 , you don't need to be a member of a scheme to carry out an EICR.

As for his BS about not being able to tell whether the cables are safe... without seeing it, I feel that it is as I've stated, complete BS. If there are no signs of thermal damage where the cables are visible or at their terminations, and you can test them electrically for safety, there is no reason to not issue a certificate... ffs, if that was the case, no one would be issuing certificates and all our wiring would be surface mounted to allow inspection. He's trying to pull a fast one, plain and simple IMHO.

 

[surreygirl]

"That list I gave you in an earlier post must have yielded some hits for you to try"

Yes it did. Thank you very much. It is too late now as I must go back to Spain on Wednesday and I am afraid of safety as he says the underfloor heating has the wrong fuses in!

I think for now the grey trunking is safe, but I am afraid when the tenant uses the underfloor heating.

Yes what you said was a great help. I wrote it all down and questioned him on it and it just turns out that all he is doing is trunking a few wires in grey changing a switch, putting up a note to say the switch for the shower is in the kitchen and that is it! Then the other work he is doing is running the wire from the outside meter - the one you read - to the economy 7 which is in the lounge and the kitchen which is next door to the lounge! The main meter is directly behind the economy 7 meter. The wiring to that would be about four feet and then about 13 feet to the meter in the kitchen.

.[/QUOTE]

 

[Pete999]

pete. i have to disagree with you on that post. you don't need to be in a scam (scheme) such as NICEIC etc. to carry out EICRs. or to do non-notifiable/ remedial work.

@OP. surely you have friends or relatives that have dealt with electricians and can recommend them.

Yes Tel, you are right of course, I realised that after I posted, still don't have all the equipment now, sorry OP for misleading you.

 

[Pete999]

This time the cowboy didn't bite the dust then?

 

[surreygirl]

pete. i have to disagree with you on that post. (only the last bit).you don't need to be in a scam (scheme) such as NICEIC etc. to carry out EICRs. or to do non-notifiable/ remedial work.

@OP. surely you have friends or relatives that have dealt with electricians and can recommend them.

I wish I did but I live in Spain not the UK and have only come over for a few weeks to sort things out for the new tenant moving in. If I had known this was going to happen I would have sorted out an electrician over the internet before I arrivaed but I could not envisage a £2100k bill in a million years.

 

[surreygirl]

I agree with@Pete999 , tell this 'electrician' to do one, don't have him do any work and I'd be looking to get a different managing agent.

What I will say is... you only have to be competent @Pete999 , you don't need to be a member of a scheme to carry out an EICR.

As for his BS about not being able to tell whether the cables are safe... without seeing it, I feel that it is as I've stated, complete BS. If there are no signs of thermal damage where the cables are visible or at their terminations, and you can test them electrically for safety, there is no reason to not issue a certificate... ffs, if that was the case, no one would be issuing certificates and all our wiring would be surface mounted to allow As for his BS about not being able to tell whether the cables are safe... without seeing it, I feel that it is as I've stated, complete BS. If there are no signs of thermal damage where the cables are visible or at their terminations, and you can test them electrically for safety, there is no reason to not issue a certificate... ffs, if that was the case, no one would be issuing certificates and all our wiring would be surface mounted to allow inspection. He's trying to pull a fast one, plain and simple IMHO

You have a point there I will write that in an email right now whilst it is on my mind. You are quite correct in what you say.

Thank you for that.

 

[Pete999]

Been told off already SC don't you start as well, please I've been to Tesco aint that punishment, already.

 

[telectrix]

bet you came out with a few bottles of red,though.

 

[Pete999]

bet you came out with a few bottles of red,though.

1 or 6 Tel cheaper that way 25% off can't be bad, can it?

 

[SparkyChick]

Been told off already SC don't you start as well, please I've been to Tesco aint that punishment, already.

Any super market on a Friday afternoon... you have my sympathies dear

 

[Pete999]

Any super market on a Friday afternoon... you have my sympathies dear

Thanks SC, but unless you have been shopping with Mrs Pete999 you have absolutely no idea of the torment I go through every Friday, it's like pulling teeth whilst undergoing open heart surgery without an anesthetic.

 

[SparkyChick]

Thanks SC, but unless you have been shopping with Mrs Pete999 you have absolutely no idea of the torment I go through every Friday, it's like pulling teeth whilst undergoing open heart surgery without an anesthetic.

Obviously I've not been shopping with your wife, but I've heard enough complaints from Mum and Dad about each other whilst shopping to be able to get a handle on the torment people go through

 

[Pete999]

Obviously I've not been shopping with your wife, but I've heard enough complaints from Mum and Dad about each other whilst shopping to be able to get a handle on the torment people go through

Torment, torment you wait SC your turn will come.

 

[telectrix]

our local Aldi is better because Toolstation is only 100 yards away. and there's a brilliant butty bar on the car park.

 

[Pete999]

Our Tesco has Subway, Jennies, Burger king, Maccy dees, and the best bit some fly by night flea pit in the car park, a wonderful choice, what would yours be?

 

[surreygirl]

Our Tesco has Subway, Jennies, Burger king, Maccy dees, and the best bit some fly by night flea pit in the car park, a wonderful choice, what would yours be?

Well whilst you have all been busy at the supermarkets I have had a reply from the Agent after asking why the wires cannot be checked and this is what the Agent has now come up with and says

"It is not that the wire can’t be checked as it’s in the wall it’s that the wire used can only go 3 meters and at both ends are different there must be a join and he needs to test the join"

I do not understand that at all or why they think that there is a join. As some one has said I have to find another electrician!

 

[SparkyChick]

Torment, torment you wait SC your turn will come.

Not if I stay single it won't.

Our Tesco has Subway, Jennies, Burger king, Maccy dees, and the best bit some fly by night flea pit in the car park, a wonderful choice, what would yours be?

Subway if I'm feeling healthy or Burger King if I'm feeling hungry for a Whopper

 

[SparkyChick]

Well whilst you have all been busy at the supermarkets I have had a reply from the Agent after asking why the wires cannot be checked and this is what the Agent has now come up with and says

"It is not that the wire can’t be checked as it’s in the wall it’s that the wire used can only go 3 meters and at both ends are different there must be a join and he needs to test the join"

I do not understand that at all or why they think that there is a join. As some one has said I have to find another electrician!

The wire used can go much further than that because you can buy it in big reels. So yet more BS.

However, the 3m limit is guidance from the distribution network operators regarding the maximum length of tails from the meter/service head. If the tails are longer than that you should have a switch fuse as the DNO won't guarantee their fuse will disconnect quickly enough if a fault exists on the tails. I'm not sure what the rules are in the case of a centralised feed like you would expect to have in a block of flats.

As for the join... plausible, but be careful with what they are calling different. And by that if at one end they are claiming they are just grey and at the other they are say red and black, then that could just be that one end has more exposed basic insulation (the red/black). The grey is the outer sheath which provides a second layer of insulation.

Has the economy 7 board ever been moved? Has the electricity supply point to your flat ever moved?

 

[Des 56]

I have skim read this thread and think someone is in desperate need of honesty

There are honest and competent electricians around,not all of us are out to screw the customers,some of us actually have a lot of pride in giving good service for required works
Best to get another opinion,there is too much guesswork involved to make judgement remotely,only perceptions

 

[surreygirl]

The wire used can go much further than that because you can buy it in big reels. So yet more BS.

However, the 3m limit is guidance from the distribution network operators regarding the maximum length of tails from the meter/service head. If the tails are longer than that you should have a switch fuse as the DNO won't guarantee their fuse will disconnect quickly enough if a fault exists on the tails. I'm not sure what the rules are in the case of a centralised feed like you would expect to have in a block of flats.

As for the join... plausible, but be careful with what they are calling different. And by that if at one end they are claiming they are just grey and at the other they are say red and black, then that could just be that one end has more exposed basic insulation (the red/black). The grey is the outer sheath which provides a second layer of insulation.

Has the economy 7 board ever been moved? Has the electricity supply point to your flat ever moved?

No never. I have had a modern electrical box fitted in the kitchen when I had the underfloor heating put in, but that was it.

 

[surreygirl]

I have skim read this thread and think someone is in desperate need of honesty

There are honest and competent electricians around,not all of us are out to screw the customers,some of us actually have a lot of pride in giving good service for required works
Best to get another opinion,there is too much guesswork involved to make judgement remotely,only perceptions

I agree with you with what you say. I need a second opinion that is for sure, because I am lost completely and I have lost confidence in both the Agent and the electrician. I think the electrician means well and wants perhaps to get it right. I really do not know what to think. I mean he said a lot of things which when I questioned him about what he was doing just as you guys told me he backed off. He didn't see the wiring in the economy 7 box it is too high to get up to without ladders.

 

[Toneyz]

How come you seem to have no say in the work that needs to be done?. I know you posted that you are away a lot have you signed something that gives the agent instruction to instruct on your behalf. Have you posted a copy of the condition report on here as I may of not seen it.

 

[Pete999]

How come you seem to have no say in the work that needs to be done?. I know you posted that you are away a lot have you signed something that gives the agent instruction to instruct on your behalf. Have you posted a copy of the condition report on here as I may of not seen it.

Don't think surreygirl has had much luck with getting a cert yet

 

[surreygirl]

How come you seem to have no say in the work that needs to be done?. I know you posted that you are away a lot have you signed something that gives the agent instruction to instruct on your behalf. Have you posted a copy of the condition report on here as I may of not seen it.

Yes I did right at the beginning of the thread and I questioned him on it and he removed a few of the things on it.

The problem is that the Agents electrician will not give me a safety cert until he has fixed all he says needs doing and I am out of time as I go back to Spain on Wednesday, however I may have to come back I think. Having a current safety certificate is part of their conditions for obvious reasons but what I should have done was get in my own electrician as using their one has opened a whole can of worms. I am looking today to get one in for Monday and he can then liaise with the tenant if work does need to be carried out like the new cable going through the lounge along the wall and into the kitchen!

If that actually needs to be done!

 

[surreygirl]

Don't think surreygirl has had much luck with getting a cert yet

Not yet no!

 

[tom porter]

I had an electrician come to do a safety check at my property that I let out last week and he has recommended that remedial work should be done at a cost of 2,100 pounds, These are:-

Upgrade of eco 7db
Upgrade of 2 x circuits to RCD protection
Install of isolation point for underfloor heating
identification of points where required
Fusing of points
Enclosure of exposed wiring - these are wires that are not in trunking
Investigation of supply wiring and condition of main isolator and repair
Retermination of required points
cable enclosures

Nothing listed but the sub total is 1,750 plus VAT comes to 2,100

Is that a lot! I last had a test done five years ago, true the wire of the economy 7 is in a situation which is not assessable, however he wants to run a wire from it across the lounge and into the kitchen!

But the amount seems excessive and it is through the Agents who manage the property for me.

Any suggestions would be very helpful.

Many thanks Surreygirl

seems a bit expensive but without full itemised quote I can't really comment