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Im seeking advice from a job we have done with the most difficult customer of my whole career. We're a family business of 50+ years and take pride in our work and after today have been left debating whether its all worth it. I will explain the best i can:

We was called to a job to remove 3 old storage heaters and replace them with the new energy efficient fan assisted type. easy job.
We turned up on the day, the client left us a key so no one was in. we carried out the job and left. (This was a couple weeks ago, no payment as been taken yet)

About 3-4 days after we carried out the job the customer phones up and is complaining she is not happy with one of the storage heaters location, she says she has been reading the manual and it states there should be a 250mm gap from the top of the storage heater to the curtains above (the heater is below a window)
Now we admit perhaps that was an oversight on our behalf, at the time the curtains where tied back and it was overlooked. However all we was doing was replacing the old heaters and therefore trying to position them to cover up the old marks on the walls (we informed her that in normal circumstances we wouldn't normally fit heaters under a window but this was a swap over job) i would also note that the new heater is only about 1inch taller than then old heater, therefore if the new one is considered to not comply to manufactures instructions nor did the old one.

Now the customer is saying shes had her 'friend around that knows her stuff' and she also saying its wrong, not only that they are claiming they had a fire safety officer around who apparently wanted our contact details to report us but they claim they where nice enough to refuse to give them to him...
The customer is saying shes had sleepless nights since they where installed (even though the heaters are turned off completely due to being summer)

So this brings us to today, we called round to see if we can come to an agreement, and after the longest debate of my life we are no closer to a solution, the following is what was discussed:

1) We said that we would come back and completely FREE of charge move the heater to a new location, she has at least 2 locations that could work, HOWEVER one wall has a mirror on it that the customer says cannot be moved and the other position would be to move it next to the window its currently under that she says if we did that she would have to move her unit beside her sofa and have no where for it to go... So in short shes saying we CANNOT move it.

2) We said we would remove the heater and get a replacement one the same as she had before, Free of charge and in essence cancel that part of the job and have to just take the hit on it. YET now she is saying we cant do that because it still wouldn't comply even though it NEVER did in the first place.

So we cant Move it and we cant Remove it...

3) We stated that in all the years we have been trading that every other customer we informed about the curtains and told them that we HIGHLY suggest they get replacement shorter curtains has just picked this option. NOT THIS CUSTOMER, she says thats not an option because the gap between the top of the heater and the window is not 250mm therefore she cannot shorten her curtains.

So now what, we are at a lost end, she wont make room for the heater else where and let us move it and she wont let us install the old one and she wont shorten her curtains yet shes demanding we fix the problem.
In comes the 'friend expert' her friend is now suggesting the only option is to have the curtains removed and special blinds fitted in this lounge, and the WE have to pay for them, she goes on to say they are expensive and could expect to pay £300 per window, the lounge has 6 windows (2 don't even have curtains) and shes also suggesting that we should pay for all 6 so they match. This is just INSANE!

I wholeheartedly feel that im being made to look like a terrible trades man and cannot see how in anyway, shape or form i can be expected to fork out for 6 blinds! At this point she will be getting brand new heating in her whole home and furnished out of my pocket!

I know this was a long post and i thank anyone thats made it this far, im really at a lost end and dont know what to do, we are honest and fair people, and work by the principal of never installing something i wouldn't want in my own home. and i would never carry out something that i consider dangerous or I WILL be loosing sleep at night.

Im not sure if i should give the NICEIC a call or what. what would you guys do in my situation? is the customer right? is there anything else i can do to make the heater comply, like some sort of cover?
To the best of my knowledge you cannot buy short storage heaters, unless anyone knows of some?

(i would also like to note that the reason it has been 2 weeks before we have revisited is because the customer phoned up to complain on the NIGHT of my flight, i was going on holiday for 11 days, therefore that is why i wasn't able to return sooner)

Below is an image of the storage heater.

Customer Demanding We Pay For Her Blinds ££££££ Need Serious Advice. 201909132108 - EletriciansForums.net
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Does the expert friend work for a bespoke blind company ?

I would take it on the chin and move the rads for free to a suitable location. Offer this in writing and get receipt of delivery. If she refuses to move a mirror to move one of them that is not grounds to get you to pay for bespoke blinds. This is a reasonable offer of solution and her demands are unreasonable. Any court would see it that way.
Everything in writing from now on as this has the hallmarks of going further.
 
Im seeking advice from a job we have done with the most difficult customer of my whole career. We're a family business of 50+ years and take pride in our work and after today have been left debating whether its all worth it. I will explain the best i can:

We was called to a job to remove 3 old storage heaters and replace them with the new energy efficient fan assisted type. easy job.
We turned up on the day, the client left us a key so no one was in. we carried out the job and left. (This was a couple weeks ago, no payment as been taken yet)

About 3-4 days after we carried out the job the customer phones up and is complaining she is not happy with one of the storage heaters location, she says she has been reading the manual and it states there should be a 250mm gap from the top of the storage heater to the curtains above (the heater is below a window)
Now we admit perhaps that was an oversight on our behalf, at the time the curtains where tied back and it was overlooked. However all we was doing was replacing the old heaters and therefore trying to position them to cover up the old marks on the walls (we informed her that in normal circumstances we wouldn't normally fit heaters under a window but this was a swap over job) i would also note that the new heater is only about 1inch taller than then old heater, therefore if the new one is considered to not comply to manufactures instructions nor did the old one.

Now the customer is saying shes had her 'friend around that knows her stuff' and she also saying its wrong, not only that they are claiming they had a fire safety officer around who apparently wanted our contact details to report us but they claim they where nice enough to refuse to give them to him...
The customer is saying shes had sleepless nights since they where installed (even though the heaters are turned off completely due to being summer)

So this brings us to today, we called round to see if we can come to an agreement, and after the longest debate of my life we are no closer to a solution, the following is what was discussed:

1) We said that we would come back and completely FREE of charge move the heater to a new location, she has at least 2 locations that could work, HOWEVER one wall has a mirror on it that the customer says cannot be moved and the other position would be to move it next to the window its currently under that she says if we did that she would have to move her unit beside her sofa and have no where for it to go... So in short shes saying we CANNOT move it.

2) We said we would remove the heater and get a replacement one the same as she had before, Free of charge and in essence cancel that part of the job and have to just take the hit on it. YET now she is saying we cant do that because it still wouldn't comply even though it NEVER did in the first place.

So we cant Move it and we cant Remove it...

3) We stated that in all the years we have been trading that every other customer we informed about the curtains and told them that we HIGHLY suggest they get replacement shorter curtains has just picked this option. NOT THIS CUSTOMER, she says thats not an option because the gap between the top of the heater and the window is not 250mm therefore she cannot shorten her curtains.

So now what, we are at a lost end, she wont make room for the heater else where and let us move it and she wont let us install the old one and she wont shorten her curtains yet shes demanding we fix the problem.
In comes the 'friend expert' her friend is now suggesting the only option is to have the curtains removed and special blinds fitted in this lounge, and the WE have to pay for them, she goes on to say they are expensive and could expect to pay £300 per window, the lounge has 6 windows (2 don't even have curtains) and shes also suggesting that we should pay for all 6 so they match. This is just INSANE!

I wholeheartedly feel that im being made to look like a terrible trades man and cannot see how in anyway, shape or form i can be expected to fork out for 6 blinds! At this point she will be getting brand new heating in her whole home and furnished out of my pocket!

I know this was a long post and i thank anyone thats made it this far, im really at a lost end and dont know what to do, we are honest and fair people, and work by the principal of never installing something i wouldn't want in my own home. and i would never carry out something that i consider dangerous or I WILL be loosing sleep at night.

Im not sure if i should give the NICEIC a call or what. what would you guys do in my situation? is the customer right? is there anything else i can do to make the heater comply, like some sort of cover?
To the best of my knowledge you cannot buy short storage heaters, unless anyone knows of some?

(i would also like to note that the reason it has been 2 weeks before we have revisited is because the customer phoned up to complain on the NIGHT of my flight, i was going on holiday for 11 days, therefore that is why i wasn't able to return sooner)

Below is an image of the storage heater.

View attachment 52139
Tell the Dopey Woman to get Her drapes shortened, heard some BS in my time but this takes the Biscuit,
 
Last edited by a moderator:
That’s the new heater? If so it does look pretty close to the curtains.
If the old heater was only an inch less height, get someone to sew the curtains an inch shorter.

You’ve done the job you were asked to do. Send her a big red invoice.
If there’s any argument, you just say there were no curtains there when you fitted them.
Your word against hers
 
Tell the Dopey Woman to get Her drapes shortened, heard some BS in my time but this takes the Biscuit,
Bit of a mix up so sorry
[automerge]1568402914[/automerge]
That’s the new heater? If so it does look pretty close to the curtains.
If the old heater was only an inch less height, get someone to sew the curtains an inch shorter.

You’ve done the job you were asked to do. Send her a big red invoice.
If there’s any argument, you just say there were no curtains there when you fitted them.
Your word against hers
Trying it on Mate
 
Make sure you have everything in writing and keep records of all communications as this could end up going down legal processes.

I would ask for the written report from the fire safety officer and the friend who knows about these things.

You could contact the manufacturer of the heater to ask their advice on whether loose curtains above are included in the restriction or if that is just for solid objects. It's a long shot I know but may help.
 
Don’t be scared about the fire officer, ask for his or her contact details.
I think you are being stitched up.
Call there bluff and in the first instance I would write to them asking for all there concerns to be detailed in a letter to you.
Ask them to include contact details for any experts they have involved so you can work towards a solution.
Suggest in the letter that if they have safety concerns they should allow you access immediately to isolate the heater until it’s safety can be assured.
 
It looks like those curtains could be turned up a good three inches - certainly giving more room between the top of the heater and the bottom of the curtains than existed previously. However that may or may not be relevant, ultimately the heater manufacturer's instructions must prevail.
 
I'd ask for everything in writing too.

If they're charging to do reports out of hours they'll lose their job. So this is just somebody she speaks to a lot in the street and they won't put it in writing.

Move it though. And walk away with head held high.

It's Friday the 13th!
 
Don’t be scared about the fire officer, ask for his or her contact details.
I think you are being stitched up.
Call there bluff and in the first instance I would write to them asking for all there concerns to be detailed in a letter to you.
Ask them to include contact details for any experts they have involved so you can work towards a solution.
Suggest in the letter that if they have safety concerns they should allow you access immediately to isolate the heater until it’s safety can be assured.

I think so too.
Your suggestion is good, play the game they started and play it by the book.
 
Write to her and keep all communications written, keep a diary of all communications. Appologise for the oversight in writing and offer to go back and remove the heater and ask for her to nominate a suitable location for it to be relocated to. If she refuses it appears the matter has been resolved. You have made all reasonable attempts to rectify the situation which is all is really required, no County Court Judge will find in her favour.
 
Write to her and keep all communications written, keep a diary of all communications. Appologise for the oversight in writing and offer to go back and remove the heater and ask for her to nominate a suitable location for it to be relocated to. If she refuses it appears the matter has been resolved. You have made all reasonable attempts to rectify the situation which is all is really required, no County Court Judge will find in her favour.
Was going to disagree but you are correct.
 
Does the expert friend work for a bespoke blind company ?

I would take it on the chin and move the rads for free to a suitable location. Offer this in writing and get receipt of delivery. If she refuses to move a mirror to move one of them that is not grounds to get you to pay for bespoke blinds. This is a reasonable offer of solution and her demands are unreasonable. Any court would see it that way.
Everything in writing from now on as this has the hallmarks of going further.

My thoughts exactly...
Thanks for the advice, this is what i was hoping to do, today we even turned up at 4:30 in the afternoon to move it for her becuase "thats the only time shes in" and she wouldn't let us do it because like i say she didn't want to mover the mirror or sofa side table...
What makes it worse is the women is really dramatic, you can be talking to her normally then all of a sudden she starts shouting, at one point she almost started to cry, me and my colleague where just lost for words!
 
Your written communications, particularly where you are offering a concession/compromise/solution, should be headed "without prejudice".
 
Tell the Dopey Woman to get Her drapes shortened, heard some BS in my time but this takes the Biscuit,
Arrange for a revisit and take some paper hanger's scissors along and ask her how much of her drapes she wants cutting off, watch the colour drain from her face, but don't laugh for Heavens sake it will give the game away, cuz that is what she is playing at, Dopey Woman.
 
Write to her and keep all communications written, keep a diary of all communications. Appologise for the oversight in writing and offer to go back and remove the heater and ask for her to nominate a suitable location for it to be relocated to. If she refuses it appears the matter has been resolved. You have made all reasonable attempts to rectify the situation which is all is really required, no County Court Judge will find in her favour.

Obviously her old heater is probably on a scrap yard or being turned into bean cans right about now, so if i remove the heater i supplied i still owe her a replacement heater to match the same as she had before surely? I guess id have to find a old style one from some where, since they dont make them anymore.
 
I don't think it's a big issue, see what the manufacturers say. She is trying it on.
Is there not another heater that you could fit that is not so tall?

The one we fitted was a Newlec fan assisted heater that the reps tell me is the exact same model as dimplex just been re branded. i will have a look around in case i can find something but iv yet to see a shorter one on my travels...
 

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