NIC Rip off

[uksparks]

Yes we all have a few things we would rather not disclose, I never do anything dangerous etc, it's just some things slightly bend the rules.

im like you, just give them 5 immaculate jobs you know are 100% and all is usually ok.

 

[GMES]

Well all I can say is I must have one of Mike's old ones, because our Nic assessor is very thorough he was with us for a full day and looked at 5 jobs. he went through the jobs and our office with a fine tooth comb and too be fair couldn't have been more helpful, we even spoke an handful of times the following couple of days.

For the record I am also of the same mindset as MDJ, it is naive these days to think you don't need to be accredited to get the work, we were busy in general before but since becoming Approved contractors the work has just snowballed and the quality of work and customer has improved.and as an extra my hourly went straight up following requests by certain customers stipulating Niceic, so for my company it was the right thing to do.

 

[markythesparky]

I take all the above on board although some of it is slightly off topic. My point is that I don't have a problem with a full days visit (if it is really warranted), any inspector assessing my work, or any inspector choosing which work see. What I do have a problem with is £388 for what ultimately amounts to around three hours and that if it is stretched out by the inspector.

Our first four or five years was done within the included half day and I don't see any reason, considering our current workload and job locations, why this cannot now be done again within the same time frame. It maybe a challenge but we all, as electricians, have to be conscious of costs for the clients as naturally we wouldn't otherwise get the work.

We need to work harder to get the job done in a reasonable timeframe so as not to push the cost up. But the NICEIC don't seem to be bothered by the cost to its clients (us!) and they don't seem to be operating in a competitive market.

The NICEIC may not be any 'better' than any other scheme operator, it's just that they seem to have started to operate like a monopoly. Hence, the outrageous prices.

What needs to happen is that the architects and others like them need to be informed that it is not just the NICEIC approved electricians who can sign off the work, but any approved electrician from any scheme operator. All the time the architects and insurance companies are specifically asking for NICEIC approved contractors, we will be ripped of by the. NICEIC.

Someone said on here that if sparks start leaving the NICEIC to go to another scheme, the NIC may actually sit up and take note, but in order for that to be a viable option for the electrician, the architects and insurance companies need to stop specifying NICEIC Approves contractors.

Suggestions on how to do this would be helpful as I am determined to at least get the ball rolling towards this end.

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Presumably it's the same parent company as opposed to them being the same company.

Well, yes, thats probably how it works.

we could get into a debate about differences of degree but..... Or.... i could just say yes you are right :smiley2:

 

[Jolec]

I've had the all day trick too. They have you by the bits though as people in general as well as commercial clients ask for NIC membership. if you ditch them you will have to alter your business somewhat and risk another association like elecsa or similar.

REAL get on my nerves even more, I'd like to know who they are paying their back hander too?

 

[markythesparky]

Job specifiers probably.? The other schemes need to get their act together and push their own Part P schemes. Let's face it, the NICEIC are not brilliant at advertising themselves, they've only had sixty odd years and they never got as powerful as Corgi did. The number of clients I deal with who still have never heard of Part P is simply staggering