bbc watchdog

[spimps]

Re: bbc watchdog

nelson wrote:

leavemetogetonwithit wrote:
I don’t know why so many of you feel under-valued. I get a lot of respect and recognition from the vast majority of my customers. Perhaps that’s because I’m totally independent, though. Never have had to lie about my opinion of a manufacturer or their products in order to keep my job. Truth is, it only took 6 months training twenty odd years ago to set me on this road and I’m still learning every day so I find it hard to think of myself as a “professional”. That’s a term I associate with doctors, lawyers, teachers and tarts. This is a niche business in that it’s escaped regulation. I think one reason is that the trade is small, there’s not that many of us, some of us only have one foot in this side whilst doing other stuff (e.g. plumber, electrician) to earn a crust. That makes it difficult for the authorities to pin us down, to define who we are and what we do, and not worth spending millions on to try and regulate us. I’m happy for it to stay that way.
The odd rogue is going to be there, come what may. I reckon that started in the 1970’s BC, not AD. For the most part, customers don’t need the BBC to tell them there’s rogues out there. They’re all too well aware of it. Once they know you, though, their fear of trying new people works in your favour. As has been said many times on here, do a good job for a reasonable price and you’ll set yourself up with a good customer base in the long term.
Mike.

+1
+2
I’m quite often out ans about, not feeling on top of the world and customers give me a lift either by being plain decent or appreciative of my efforts,getting long in the tooth but always something to learn,never like being called an “expert” as some customers do because that sort of implies you have all the answers which we all know is not the case.
Have followed a “rogue” on a couple of jobs in the last few months and was unsure when confronted by a machine that had clearly not been repaired correctly,deliberately in my opinion,have decided in hindsight that should I come across this again I would advise them to contact trading standards,it’s about all there is avalable.

[Beever]

Full Story:-

Washing machines. Not the most exciting of gadgets, but how many of us hand-wash our clothes these days? We’ve become completely reliable on them and if your machine goes wrong you’ll want it fixed – and quick.

Not something you’re likely to get from washing-machine repair rogue Clive Bramall. He runs Oxford and Abingdon Washing Machine Repairs operating in Oxfordshire. We heard he’d been leaving his customers high and dry – promising to fix their machines, but then taking their money and doing a runner…

(Do you have something to say about this story? Tell us what you think by emailing us here. Don’t forget to include ‘Clive Bramell’ in the subject line. Watchdog will publish a selection of viewers’ comments underneath each story, both throughout and after the programme is on air. Please remember to include your name as you would like to see it published).

When Clive Bramall inspected Laura Smith’s washing machine last year he quickly diagnosed a faulty pump and wanted £150 for it up front. He came to do the work and claimed he’d fitted the new pump, but the next time Laura went to use it, the machine still didn’t work and was showing exactly the same fault as before. Bramall called round again and said there was nothing else for it – she’d need a brand new machine. Laura relented and gave him £375.

But the new machine never came and the old one still didn’t work. Out of pocket and patience, Laura called another repairman, who identified the real problem – a hair band stuck in the pump. The true cost of repair was just £30.

We spoke to numerous people owed money by Bramall and when they tried to get their money back they were spun line after line. Annie Haight paid Bramall £560 up front for a new washer-dryer. She never saw the machine or got her money back. “In my view Mr Bramall is a very plausible and convincing liar. For speed I gave him money to get a machine for me and then the excuses started” she said.

To expose Bramall’s spin, we got ourselves a house near Oxford, and installed a washing machine, an actress and lots of hidden cameras. Then we got a real washing machine expert – electrical engineer, Michael Brown, to set a simple fault in our machine – disconnecting the power supply to the motor inside the back of the machine. All a proper repairman would have to do is pull the machine out, take the back off, have a quick look around, and simply plug the connector back in. We called Clive Bramall out and hid, ready to watch the action.

When Clive Bramall arrived he took one look at the front of our machine and without even pulling the machine out from under the kitchen counter he wasted no time in telling us we needed to fork out for a major new part – the main circuit board. “You can tell nothing from looking at the outside” said expert, Mike Brown.

Although there was nothing wrong with our machine, Clive Bramall wanted us to hand over £180 for a new circuit board (one of the most expensive parts) or £300 for a brand new machine. All completely unnecessary.

The next week Bramall returned to fit a new circuit board, or at least that’s what he told us. As soon as our actress’s back was turned, he started fitting a cheap door lock instead. When the machine didn’t work he lied to us and told us he had fitted a circuit board, but that the one he’d fitted wasn’t compatible and he needed to get another one. He then tried to persuade us we needed the new machine after all.

Enough was enough – we wanted our money back. We kept calling Clive Bramall to try and get our money back, but all we got was the usual spin – excuse after excuse.

Rogue Traders wrote to Clive Bramall to outline our findings and to ask him to refund us and the other customers we’d spoken to. He claimed he was not able to respond in full and although he did send us a cheque for the money he owed us, he still had not fully refunded the complainants included in our film.

So, Matt caught up with Clive Bramall on a street in Abingdon, and asked where his customer’s money had gone. This time Bramall’s usual spin was nowhere to be seen. He fled back to his car and left without saying a single word.

[appboy]

I have not said anything here yet but I will now.

If you cannot see what the WTA is trying to do for you I would gave to conclude that you are either blind or just plain stupid. They are championing you guys, the repairers. If you choose to be blind to that you deserve all you get or don’t and its more likely don’t.

For £70 a year it is stupid not to be involved.

They may well not solve it all but at least the are trying to help us.

[kwatt]

Re: bbc watchdog

And the conclusion to this tale of woes is…

http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/appliance … enced.html

K.

[suedehead1]

Re: bbc watchdog

i see comets misselling of warranties on watchdog tonight,
give it a couple of weeks and it will be back to the same old story.

[iadom]

Re: bbc watchdog

I quite liked the ‘alledged’ plumber who charged £628 for fitting a ballcock valve to a WC. Spun the job out for ages, even sat on the bog seat and gobbed on the bathroom floor. :eeek: 😈

Jim.

[Author]

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