Difficult customer- need some advice.

[SparkyPete221]

Back in February I was asked by one of my past customers to start an urgent job, he had a landscaper in to start that week and needed me to get some lights put up in his garden. I STUPIDLY went ahead with the job without a plan/quote in place. Charged him my usual day rate and gave him materials at cost (he lives round the corner from me)
He took issue with my day rate and said I was far to expensive. I told him unfortunately this my normal rate and it wasn’t negotiable however for completion of the garden I would give him a quote with a discount on my day rate.

He accepted the quote by asking me to return. I went back in cribs and drabs as the landscaper wasn’t getting things in a position where I could run cables easily so I couldn’t dedicate one day at a time as I was constantly waiting on the landscaper to finish his bit before I could continue.
The landscaper walked off the job as he wasn’t being paid.
I then sent my interim invoice for 2 days labour plus materials, sent him copies of the invoices from my wholesaler (which I don’t normally do) he then took issue with how many hours I had done not equating to the hours I had charged. I understood his query and although I was within the quoted time and the job wasn’t completed I would accept half day retainer by the customer and I could then return to complete the job hopefully below the quoted time.

I have had a different issue every single time when he has replied. First he said I hadn’t don’t 2 days worth of hours, then he said he wants me to show him exactly where the materials I have used have been put into his garden, I went and visited him and showed him that he saw me fit one light which took me x amount of time, therefore all 9 of them took me x amount of time, etc etc.

He wants me to return to show him again.

He has then also told me he will be using another electrician which I accepted, absolutely understandable if we aren’t a good fit for eachother. But I think because he is wanting someone to do all the extras for free he has struggled to find anyone who will come and complete a half finished job. I have offered him dates to come walk him through the job again, I also offered him dates to go and complete the job (he then told me the agreed price was too expensive)

He’s also asked me to return unused materials which were left there for completion of the job but as we are outside the 30 days I am unable to return them, he said he will be seeking legal advice.

He then part paid the invoice.

I was informed by one of my customers down his road that he went out of his way to walk down there and bad mouth me to him (even though they’ve never met nor spoken before)

Just want to know what leg I stand on, whether I am exposed in any way legally, I’ve spent so much time going back there and speaking to them about it which I’m obviously not being paid for. Now we have an agreed quote I’m not sure I’ve done anything wrong I genuinely believe this customer wants something for nothing,

Just a bit worrying.

 

[Donkeybrains]

Back in February I was asked by one of my past customers to start an urgent job, he had a landscaper in to start that week and needed me to get some lights put up in his garden. I STUPIDLY went ahead with the job without a plan/quote in place. Charged him my usual day rate and gave him materials at cost (he lives round the corner from me)
He took issue with my day rate and said I was far to expensive. I told him unfortunately this my normal rate and it wasn’t negotiable however for completion of the garden I would give him a quote with a discount on my day rate.

He accepted the quote by asking me to return. I went back in cribs and drabs as the landscaper wasn’t getting things in a position where I could run cables easily so I couldn’t dedicate one day at a time as I was constantly waiting on the landscaper to finish his bit before I could continue.
The landscaper walked off the job as he wasn’t being paid.
I then sent my interim invoice for 2 days labour plus materials, sent him copies of the invoices from my wholesaler (which I don’t normally do) he then took issue with how many hours I had done not equating to the hours I had charged. I understood his query and although I was within the quoted time and the job wasn’t completed I would accept half day retainer by the customer and I could then return to complete the job hopefully below the quoted time.

I have had a different issue every single time when he has replied. First he said I hadn’t don’t 2 days worth of hours, then he said he wants me to show him exactly where the materials I have used have been put into his garden, I went and visited him and showed him that he saw me fit one light which took me x amount of time, therefore all 9 of them took me x amount of time, etc etc.

He wants me to return to show him again.

He has then also told me he will be using another electrician which I accepted, absolutely understandable if we aren’t a good fit for eachother. But I think because he is wanting someone to do all the extras for free he has struggled to find anyone who will come and complete a half finished job. I have offered him dates to come walk him through the job again, I also offered him dates to go and complete the job (he then told me the agreed price was too expensive)

He’s also asked me to return unused materials which were left there for completion of the job but as we are outside the 30 days I am unable to return them, he said he will be seeking legal advice.

He then part paid the invoice.

I was informed by one of my customers down his road that he went out of his way to walk down there and bad mouth me to him (even though they’ve never met nor spoken before)

Just want to know what leg I stand on, whether I am exposed in any way legally, I’ve spent so much time going back there and speaking to them about it which I’m obviously not being paid for. Now we have an agreed quote I’m not sure I’ve done anything wrong I genuinely believe this customer wants something for nothing,

Just a bit worrying.

High maintenance customer, boom gone. In addition he could have a grudge and alter your work to cause an incident. Put it down to experience.

 

[SparkyPete221]

High maintenance customer, boom gone. In addition he could have a grudge and alter your work to cause an incident. Put it down to experience.

Do you think I should go back and finish the job? Or ghost

 

[Donkeybrains]

Do you think I should go back and finish the job? Or ghost

Relations have broken down by the sound of it. If the work is safe move on. But word gets about if your a soft touch.

Depends on your exposure.

There is always one crafty one that pops up from time to time.

There is a bloke I know who makes a habit of creating an argument close to job finish, then dodges end payments.

 

[SparkyPete221]

Relations have broken down by the sound of it. If the work is safe move on. But word gets about if your a soft touch.

Depends on your exposure.

There is always one crafty one that pops up from time to time.

There is a bloke I know who makes a habit of creating an argument close to job finish, then dodges end payments.

I don’t understand this I wouldn’t dream of dodging paying peoples money. Thank goodness not everyone is like this hey!


I think I’m going to go to this meeting, tell him I will return once he has made payment to date and try and finish the job. If he doesn’t pay then he’s in breach of contract too I guess.

It concerns me because people who have money and who are vindictive can go out of their way to get you and I want to make sure everything I’m doing is above board to avoid this

 

[pirate]

I would hate to work for such people. Add up your losses, and if you can live with the final figure...run!

 

[Donkeybrains]

I don’t understand this I wouldn’t dream of dodging paying peoples money. Thank goodness not everyone is like this hey!


I think I’m going to go to this meeting, tell him I will return once he has made payment to date and try and finish the job. If he doesn’t pay then he’s in breach of contract too I guess.

It concerns me because people who have money and who are vindictive can go out of their way to get you and I want to make sure everything I’m doing is above board to avoid this

You are used to dealing with "reasonable people" like me and your good self. As an anecdote, the British were used to dealing with reasonable people prior to WW2. Then we ran into Hitlers Germany who made an attribute of being un reasonable, and won, well up the Dunkirk.

 

[LukeD]

First sign of grief ....walk away .Too many good customers are crying out to have work done. ALWAYS work on your terms .Never the customers >If they dont like it .....walk away

 

[buzzlightyear]

if he agreed with the quote then he needs to pay you regarding what you have put in ,put your big boots on and walk .

 

[baldelectrician]

I STUPIDLY went ahead with the job without a plan/quote in place.

Use your gut instinct, quote in writing

Just want to know what leg I stand on, whether I am exposed in any way legally, I’ve spent so much time going back there and speaking to them about it which I’m obviously not being paid for. Now we have an agreed quote I’m not sure I’ve done anything wrong I genuinely believe this customer wants something for nothing,

Just a bit worrying.

If you have not given him a written quote with 14 day cooling off period you cannot enforce an invoice (assuming the client is domestic and lives in the house- and the job is over £42)

I now do written quotes- I use Xero and have formats (EICR's / business to business / landlord work / standard works), they all have my terms and conditions attached to each quote which they can click to accept (or not)

 

[SparkyPete221]

Use your gut instinct, quote in writing


If you have not given him a written quote with 14 day cooling off period you cannot enforce an invoice (assuming the client is domestic and lives in the house- and the job is over £42)

I now do written quotes- I use Xero and have formats (EICR's / business to business / landlord work / standard works), they all have my terms and conditions attached to each quote which they can click to accept (or not)

Can I ask if the terms are a template given to you by Xero or did you have to get them written up professionally?

Also they have to click to sign them!? That’s great!!

 

[SparkyPete221]

Use your gut instinct, quote in writing


If you have not given him a written quote with 14 day cooling off period you cannot enforce an invoice (assuming the client is domestic and lives in the house- and the job is over £42)

I now do written quotes- I use Xero and have formats (EICR's / business to business / landlord work / standard works), they all have my terms and conditions attached to each quote which they can click to accept (or not)

Sorry also, for the 2nd half of the job I did give him a written quote, I don’t believe my terms have a cooling off period on them no? Does the lack of cooling off period invalidate them?

 

[SparkyPete221]

if he agreed with the quote then he needs to pay you regarding what you have put in ,put your big boots on and walk .

I am just a bit concerned about him coming at me legally in any way.

 

[baldelectrician]

Sorry also, for the 2nd half of the job I did give him a written quote, I don’t believe my terms have a cooling off period on them no? Does the lack of cooling off period invalidate them?

Yes, you cannot enforce an invoice without a court order if you do not have this.

See this thread

Cancellation rights trap.

Just got out of a small claims court. A technicality just cost me £750! Goes like this: I provided an estimate for remedial works left over by a previous electrician who was sacked bt the client. Dont usually take these on but his wife was 9 months prenantand they were desperate to get the...

www.electriciansforums.net

 

[SparkyPete221]

Yes, you cannot enforce an invoice without a court order if you do not have this.

See this thread

Cancellation rights trap.

Just got out of a small claims court. A technicality just cost me £750! Goes like this: I provided an estimate for remedial works left over by a previous electrician who was sacked bt the client. Dont usually take these on but his wife was 9 months prenantand they were desperate to get the...

www.electriciansforums.net

God that’s difficult reading wish electrical bodies we spend £1000s with would give these types of services. Craziness not even sure where to start

 

[baldelectrician]

God that’s difficult reading wish electrical bodies we spend £1000s with would give these types of services. Craziness not even sure where to start

I did a sample document for people to download

14 Day cooling off period sample

baldelectrician submitted a new resource: 14 Day cooling off period sample - Copy of cooling off stuff in word format- checked by local trading standards I have attached a copy of the cooling off stuff in word format It is good as you can peg it on to the end of quotes etc, this allows you to...

www.electriciansforums.net

 

[LukeD]

And in just about every legal situation....MEDIATION is a requirement . Dont think courts will entertain much unless you have followed a simple course of trying to mediate the issue etc

 

[SparkyPete221]

So frustrating. I know there’s plenty of laws in place to protect the customers from dodgy tradesmen but also makes our lives difficult when people try it.


Doesn’t help that he went out of his way to complain about me to a neighbour he hasn’t even spoken to before. Little did he know this neighbour was a past customer who stuck up for me.

 

[buzzlightyear]

I know there’s plenty of laws in place to protect the dodgy customers but also makes our lives difficult.

yep, sounds more like it .

 

[littlespark]

Agree to go back, but spend your time ripping out everything and taking back materials he hasn’t paid for yet.

Not something I would encourage