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I went out to deliver a washing machine to a guy in a Housing Trustabout 10 miles from here…. The guy tells me that he has just moved down from Scotland and the machine that he had wouldnt pump out, so could I take that one away for him (which I was glad to do).
The customer is now ‘Happy as Larry’ as as his brothr was there to fit it for him as he had spent his last £125 on this nice washing machine, it is not going to cost him to remove the old machine and on top of that I waved my normal £10 delivery charge because I was there collecting his old machine anyway.
A few hours later I got a phone call to say the machine is not emptying… so I jumped ito my car and returned to find out what was causing this… You know it… Housing Trust, new kitchen, blanking plate… yup.. took out the plate and away she went… didn’t charge the old guy for this as I knew he had no more dosh.. Now… Getting up from the floor I put my hand on the washer and one hand on the sideboard to help me up and BZZZ!!! I get a belt from the sink…. I get out my multimeter and find that there is 45v going from the washer to the sink…. So I stopped the washer and isolated it.. pulled it out to show the socket that they had plugged it in to (brand new socket) got out my tester and sure enough ‘No Earth’ so fixed that and tested again to ensure there was no more problems.
I got the details of the Housing Trust and the old guy and some photos for evidence.
Remembering that this guy has not a penny left, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
Would you have done the job?
Would you have repaired the electrics?
Would you bill the old guy?
Would you bill the Housing Trust?
Would you report the incident and to whom?George
Re: What would you do?
Well to be honest, it would seem that his old washer perhaps did not have a fault in the first place and it was down to the blanked of under sink plug. If it were me I would leave things as they are and be happy in the sale.
Re: What would you do?
I would contact the housing trust to tell them their electrician is crap at his job, could have electrocuted the old boy and you’ve got the pictures to prove it! 👿
Re: What would you do?
I’m definately with Martin on this, you should contact the housing association & report it to them. The idiot who did the wiring in the old mans house has probably done others for them & they really need to check them all to make sure they’re safe.
AndyRe: What would you do?
I am with Martin on this as well.
As a footnote i would have found this fault on the first visit as we carry martindale socket testers which would have been used when we installed the machine, maybe you should invest in one and you also would have found this fault on the first visit, i dread to think what would have happened if the old boy had been electrocuted and you were the last to touch it
Re: What would you do?
As a footnote i would have found this fault on the first visit as we carry martindale socket testers which would have been used when we installed the machine, maybe you should invest in one and you also would have found this fault on the first visit, i dread to think what would have happened if the old boy had been electrocuted and you were the last to touch it
Yes if allsorts had installed it thats a valid point, But it was just a delivery with no install. So i think allsorts can be forgiven for not finding the problem on the first visit as i’m sure he would have also found the blocked sink fitting if it had been an install. I wouldn’t have checked the house electrics on a plain delivery case nor do currys/comet delivery guys either and they dont carry martindales.
But yes contact the housing association to cover yourself if the old guy has further problems
Nige
But yes i would contact the housing association and let them know so they check the rest
Re: What would you do?
Thanks guys…
I didn’t know if it was just me being too kind in not charging the old gent as a few remarks came toward me that I was stupid to do the work without payment.
I also had the feeling that I could not leave the old man with possibility of injury.. if something had happened I would have felt really guilty.
You have confirmed what I thought and I will get in touch with the Housing Trust tomorrow to give them my opinion on the matter…. I may also decide to request that they pay a bill of £90 .. Yet again I may decide to contact HSE as this could have been lethal.
George
Re: What would you do?
i am sure most of us have done work for nothing before, i qouted a woman £20 back in the day to install a new washing machine she had purchased.
got there only to find out it was integrated after an hour and a half work i was just about to tell her she owed me more than £20 when she slapped said amount on top of the table and said thanks very much.i went to a cooker and the whole council flat was wired up wrong, positive and negative were reversed, i made a song and dance about it, the council electrician came out and said i was wrong, i wish i hadnt bothered.
Re: What would you do?
I had this in a block in Canning Town 20 odd years ago. A belt off the sink, checked all the sockets, no earth. I did all the flats I could get into in the block and not one earth. Council had to come out sharpish to rewire the whole lot.
Also had a call on a Friday pm shocks off fridge. A council electrician had just left and live and earth reversed.
So called professionals…not.
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