Am I responsible after tennant alters installation etc.

[Frazer]

hi guys new to this,

Just wondering if anyone can clarify basiclly I done a job for someone this involved changing of distribution board and installing smoke alarms&heat detectors. After completing the job I phone tennant to come look says busy in pub will pay over bank transfer so I took pictures of the work and emailed them along with the eicr for the installation all work was carried out in accordance with bs7671 & guidance note 3.

After 2 weeks maybe more I get a phone call saying they are not happy with the positioning of the smoke alarms or the mini trunking which they approved to be installaed saying it’s rough etc I explained I gave him the chance to look was sent pictures etc but now he’s threatening me so I have had to change number so can’t contact him.

My question is if he gets another electrician or maybe himself to adjust what he’s not happy with eg wiring,distribution board because I provided a eicr am I responsible for any future dealings with this eg worst case fire etc? I’m under the impression a test is only as good as the time it is carried out by the electrician? I have sat my 2395 and passed but wanted to check thanks in advance

 

[telectrix]

keep the pics as evidence of how you left it. anyone else alters the installation, it's on their back, not yours. stand firm and don't back down. (oops that was the advice given to General Custer. ).

 

[SparkyChick]

Firstly, did you do the job for the tenant or the landlord? If it was for the tenant, did you have permission from the landlord?

I'm assuming you mean EIC when you say EICR?

And in general, I agree with @telectrix .

 

[telectrix]

jeez. i passed 50,000 posts. how sad is that. i need to get out more.

 

[Frazer]

Thanks guys this work was for the landlord all agreed electrical installation condition report was done. even did 2 visits prior to work to show him materials etc it’s just annoying I had one phone call saying I’ll make things worse and report you to trading standards etc so doesn’t look good for business but I can’t gwt in contact now as I have changed number with new phone and don’t have his number just incase anything happens wanted to make sure I was in the right thanks again

 

[Pete999]

Thanks guys this work was for the landlord all agreed electrical installation condition report was done. even did 2 visits prior to work to show him materials etc it’s just annoying I had one phone call saying I’ll make things worse and report you to trading standards etc so doesn’t look good for business but I can’t gwt in contact now as I have changed number with new phone and don’t have his number just incase anything happens wanted to make sure I was in the right thanks again

A board change warrants an EIC

 

[Octopus]

And notification for part P of you are in England or Wales

 

[Pete999]

And notification for part P of you are in England or Wales

Always forgetting the Part P bit

 

[Octopus]

Op - are you saying you changed your number to avoid the customer ?

 

[SparkyChick]

So, first lesson... keep a record of your customers details somewhere other than your phone. If you use Android, get yourself a Google calendar and stuff all the details in there, or heaven forbid... a good old fashioned page per day diary. Then your business won't go bang if you loose your phone (personally I use Outlook with a sync plug-in that syncs a Google calendar which in-turn is used by my phone, contact details are stored in there, in my notebook and on the invoices/certs).

As for his complaint about the quality of the work, is he justified? Would you have been happy with the job you did if someone did it in your home or a property you were going to be renting out? If the answer is no to that, then you should look at the job and go through it and learn from any mistakes you made or decisions that you may not be happy with and put it down to a learning experience.

@Pete999 is correct, a board change requires an EIC not an EICR. And as @Murdoch points out building control notification if it's England or Wales.

Always forgetting the Part P bit

Wish we could

Op - are you saying you changed your number to avoid the customer ?

That's how I read it.

In terms of his threats... have you been given the opportunity to fix what he's complaining about? I think if the answer to that is no, then he won't have much of a case. We all have bad days and if he's being so unreasonable as to not allow you to fix it, then he's in the wrong.

Have you been paid? I've had a couple of customers who have been unhappy and they've not paid until they were, I certainly wouldn't pay until I was happy with it.

 

[Frazer]

Basically after explaining that the job was carried out as agreed he waits till 2 weeks later to contact me about problems he has with it when saying this I was threatened with finding my home address I will regret this blah blah so when saying about fixing anything it was a case of threat after threat which I’m not putting up with.

Yes I would be very happy with the standard of work if it was home/property. I got paid without him looking at the job which I was heatiant agreed a date and time in morning for him to come we’ll I was at property to show him work and was told I’m busy at pub boozing sent money to your bank I even sent pictures etc of the work no reply then all of a sudden this it’s put me off working in houses after this situation.

 

[SparkyChick]

Sounds like a right one.

So, from your OP he's just complaining about positioning of smoke alarms and the fact that some cables have been run in mini-trunking?

Do you have a written record of what was agreed?

 

[Frazer]

Yes he’s saying it looks rough after we agreed positioning etc neither of us have a record which is probably the worst I know

 

[Octopus]

Yes he’s saying it looks rough after we agreed positioning etc neither of us have a record which is probably the worst I know

What did your quote or estimate state?

 

[Frazer]

Basically changing of distribution board upgrading meter tails etc carrying out eic before energising. Smoke alarm in each bed room aswell as hall and living room area. Heat detector in kitchen.

The positioning etc was discussed in person over the 2 visits to the property.

 

[Frazer]

Thanks for the help anyways everyone think my question has been answered it can be a difficult experience working with the public sometimes but it’s good to have this forum for us electricians to clarify things thanks again.

 

[Madocks]

Post the photos you took up

 

[westward10]

Have you used fire retardant fixings within those mini trunking.

 

[Frazer]

Pics are on the works I pad will post up when back home at weekend working away at the moment.

Westward10 yes of course i did!

 

[Frazer]

Think it was mba fixings or something like that