Western Power are usually quite easy to talk to, although they would always rather you put a rod in as they hate having to look after their kit. 3 transformers round here have developed faults over the last month but getting the central phone service to actually realise that there is a problem is not easy. It's a lot easier to get through to one of the engineers direct so try and get their mobile numbers and e-mail addresses when you get the chance.
I know what you mean about tight customers too, there's a few that I have walked away from because the customer wanted a few additions in the house but refused to listen to anything about the 3036 board in the passage up the side of the house needing to be at least in an enclosure let alone swapped out for something with RCD protection. Earth rods and cable notconnected but they don't want to go to the expense of having it fixed. But the bottled gas has a gas safe cert!
