Problem!

[monkeyhanger]

I would be very grateful for any of your advice on this or opinions, please have a read!

I first fixed a shower circuit for a mate who was putting a new bathroom in his elderly relatives house. About a fort-night after first fixing this shower circuit, I was scheduled to go in and do a complete rewire (barring the shower cable, which would be tiled in etc. by then). Unfortunately, this elderly relative was taken ill and passed away in hospital before I had a chance to return. The family were staying in the house with the coffin before the funeral, so as a favour to GET THEM OVER THE WEEKEND I connected the shower up "temporarily" to the existing DB. The existing installation does not comply with the 17th ed. (but was safe with RCD protection etc.).

There is an on-going quarrel in the family and the rewire has been put on hold (fighting over what is going to be done with the house, who gets what etc.). I invoiced my mate for FIRST FIX COMPLETED ONLY as I believe the plan is to 'do the house up' and split the cost of all works between the family, who will then get an equal share of the money when the house is sold. A solicitor is overseeing costs and my mate asked for the invoice so he isnt unfairly out of pocket.

I dont know other members of the family and have never met them, naturally my phone number etc. was on the invoice- which is being used by the solicitor who is overseeing everything (the family have all fell out with each other etc.)! I have been contacted by this relative of my mate, who is questioning me about all sorts (because he doesnt want to pay his share of the costs of refurbishing the house). I didn't realise who it was when I first answered the phone, but it soon dawned on me. Maybe I shouldnt have answered the phone to unknown number at 10:30PM on a sunday!

Here is my problem;
I never notified the job as it was never completed due to unforseen circumstances, I am still sort of 'on hold' to do the rewire. One of the relatives has picked up on the fact the job hasnt been notified, I ensured i put FIRST FIX ONLY on the invoice as I thought that would cover myself. The invoice didnt have details of my scheme membership on, they are under the impression I dont have a scheme membership, or ever had any intention of notifying or issuing certificates.

If I could I would go back to the property, upgrade the bonding (easy) issue an EIC for the shower circuit and notify the job, but I can't get back in the house! This was months ago and the date on the invoice is a few weeks before my scheme membership began! (I had already applied for scheme membership when I agreed to do the rewire).

They also questioned whether I was a 'registered company'. I said no, I work full time and declare additional earnings for jobs I do 'on the side'. The thing is, I'm new to this and havnt yet had the chance to declare additional earnings and am under the impression I wont until april. I think this person is trying to catch me out, possibly because they are an idiot with nothing else to do. (The elderly relative who died was this persons MOTHER, he didnt have the decency to cancel the holiday he was going on so the funeral was delayed! Thats the kind of bloke I'm dealing with).

They have my name, address and phone number, as it was on the invoice.

Do I have anything to worry about? Sorry for the long post!

 

[Mark.W]

You don't need to notify a 1st fix, you only notify once the work is completed.

The only problem I can see is that you did work in the bathroom (which is a special location) before you were registered, did you notify BC before doing this?

Also you will need to prove that the shower installation was safe, as there is no such thing as a "Temporary" fix.

Hope this helps

Mark

 

[electricAl]

Oh dear, you have put yourself in an compromised position.

I`d suggest you carry out a little damage limitation strategy here...such as ask yourself this;

Whats the worse thing likely to happen if you persue your outstanding invoice - i take it this hasn`t yet been paid & also that they are disputing said invoice in order not to pay it? Not sure just how seriously your local BC will take the matter - they vary & it mostly depends on how hard they`re pushed by `external influences`

then, ask yourself this;

Whats the worse thing likely to happen if you write off the value of the job as a bad experience & walk away wiser but relatively unscathed ? If you do this, make sure you leave the matter hanging in such a way that the relatives know they`ve only saved a bit of cash if they leave it too - i.e. you`ve struck a `gentlemans agreement` to let the matter die to your mutual benefit.

Not an easy one!

 

[Yooj]

Did you have PL insurance in place when you did the job?

When you are doing people a favour, this type of thing always happens.

The reality of this is that they are just trying to frighten you. Push comes to shove, just walk away, putting the whole episode down to experience.

If you are more aggresive in nature, then just tell the son of the dead lady, that she died from not paying her invoices on time.

Yooj

 

[monkeyhanger]

Hi, thanks for replies, - no it was a short time before I gained my scheme membership but it was our intention to rewire the house completely and then notify the full rewire (I knew the rewire wouldnt be complete till after I gained membership and I had no worries about being accepted to the scheme). The shower cable went in so that my mate could tile the bathroom etc. before the rest of the actual rewire- he was quiet for work at the time and needed something to keep him occupied!

- - LABC not notified as no installation work was going to be completed/second fixed until the rest of the rewire went ahead, walls dot n dabbed etc. etc. which was going to be weeks away from when I actually put the shower cable in. And I would have had scheme membership by then (and I did.. but no rewire..)

The reason the shower was connected up was just as a temporary favour (temporary, wrong I know but I made an executive decision considering the circumstances)- prematurely, instead of waiting to connect it up to the new DB when the rewire was done, was to get the family over the weekend who were staying in the house with the deceased before the funeral, the rewire and its notification was still going to go ahead afterwards- - - until the family all fell out etc. (He wanted it connecting as there was no heating etc. and people were travelling to stay there). Now I havnt been able to get back in the house until they all sort themselves out. I know you dont need to notify a first fix, which is why I put first fix only on the invoice copy. My mate says dont worry, for all they know he connected it up himself- and has promised me I wont hear any more about it!

I've been promised by my mate that the rewire is still going ahead, and that I only got a dodgey phone call off this guy because he probably thinks my mate is doing the work himself and trying to pocket the money- (relatives of the deceased all paying a fair share to have the house done up so it will sell better).

I've already been given some £ for my troubles off my mate, on the day I went to the wholesaler for the 10mm cable. and I've already had other "less chewy" work off him, and more work off him coming up!


On paper- first fix only.
In reality- tried to do a favour for the family, considering the circumstances I stand by that (I really cant think of another situation where I might have connected it up). But its a lesson learnt and I'm sure I'll think twice in future- not that I expect this situation to arise very often to be honest...