- This topic has 52 replies, 18 voices, and was last updated 18 years, 10 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
agro wrote:beedy eyes every where now we’ll struggel to move in the kitchen .All the family will watch us now time to get the megger out
Thankfully these ‘cowboys’ are in serious decline in this area. When I went solo 28 years ago almost 95{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} of the local independent trade was just like this rogue. They almost always uplifted the machine without even switching it on, take it away, charge what you like, you don’t get it back until you have paid me, etc.
When I first advertised as “All work done in the home” I was verbally abused and intimidated by several of these clowns at the counter of the local spares supplier.
Needless to say, 28 years later I am still here, haven’t advertised anywhere for over 25 years, booked up solid. There are now only one or two iffy characters on the local scene, I think the change in the rates system helped in small way, making the cost of a small shop uneconomic for people who are only interested in ripping people off.
Jim.
Re: House of Horrors
Bad practice is bad for everyone. Bad news also makes good TV. You can fully understand the programme’s moral arguement, and whilst showing our trade in a bad light, it always amuses me that they fail to mention that these jokers are the small exception and definately not the rule. Watchdog is a perfect example. Crimewatch says, ‘Don’t have nightmares’; these consumer programmes scream, ‘Trust no-one’.
‘Pot calling the kettle black’ time – Note the full page of disclaimers at the end of the ‘fact sheet’. ‘Cannot be held responsible for…..information correct at the time…..belonging to a trade association won’t necessarily guarantee you won’t be ripped off…… :rolls:
So it’s OK for them to distance themselves from their errors but highlight and look down their noses at us. Now, don’t get me wrong – I fully agree that cowboys should be hounded out of business, but good practice and integrity by all the other tradesmen will surely out these crooks in the end. You also have to have a customer willing to make the effort to complain to the Trading Standards. I have found that after following up on many a cowboy repair or recon and suggesting the customer report the findings to the Trading Standards, that the ‘TS’ are really little more than a toothless tiger. These cowboys still manage to continue to trade.
I work on recommendation alone – I only advertise in the local parish magazine just to jog memories in my village. I am busy every week.
Reputation is harder to earn than money; and easier to lose. Reputation is cheaper than advertising, and always more effective.
DASA does not have the exposure that Corgi and Niceic have; so are not in the customer’s psyche. To be truly effective, you have to be constantly in the public eye. Good intentions are not enough. Trade regulation would seem to be the only way to achieve this.
Until then, cowboys can still operate unabated. BUT, as this programme showed, the bogus gas fitter and electrician still got the initial job. Especially if the price was right. 😉 Without the programme, he would have got away with it.
I rest my case…………Steve.
Re: House of Horrors
Hi All
There was a problem that will never go away that I picked up on and that was…how the hell that “so called electrician” got a post in the local college.
If a goverment funded department arent bothered about qualifications and copedence then this situation will stay the same.
Advertisisers dont normally allow adverts stating your CORGI without some sort of proof.
Bryan
Re: House of Horrors
hi all,
just noticed that dr electrical do have a website just going to send this clown a email letting him know the damage he has done for all of us ( tarred with the same brush) go check it out http://www.drelectrical.co.ukRe: House of Horrors
How do we now repair built in or fixed appliances, have we got to go on the course and be part p registered.
By ‘fixed’ does this mean that anything wired direct to spur outlet is classed as fixed how do we know what we can or cannot work on it 😕 As we know most of our jobs these days involves this type of installation.
StevenRe: House of Horrors
the best point was,
free estimates, or are they,
this guy was there to make money regardless,
hence the pump scam,
maybe the joe public will now understand this is what they are likely to en-counter with the free est brigade,??ally
Re: House of Horrors
Small point perhaps, and I’m sure all the comments regards Scott are meant in good humour, tongue in cheek and all that. Please don’t think I’m leaping to his defence, nor am I casting aspersions upon those who have been part of this banter; after all we all like a bit of a laugh.
However, If the nature of this matter is to be absorbed and taken seriously, is it right for us to demean the chosen representative of our industry. The choice was made by the BBC regards “Expert” and Scott acted in a professional and correct manner.
Have a lark by all means, he would not be offended I’m sure, but this is not an opportunity to have a giggle at the expense of another individual. Let’s get the message across regards the “Cowboys” out there who really make our job difficult.
Sermon over.
Alex
Re: House of Horrors
Alex wrote:
However, If the nature of this matter is to be absorbed and taken seriously, is it right for us to demean the chosen representative of our industry. The choice was made by the BBC regards “Expert” and Scott acted in a professional and correct manner.Having replaced 2 drain pumps today I wonder if Scott was given the opportunity to add that although this incident was a complete mis-diagnosis these pumps do fail and need replaced in their 100’s and possibly 1000’s every day in the UK.
If I had been the expert I’d have insisted on pointing this out so as not to cause us honest hard working engineers a problem every time we come to replace a pump.
Not looking to defend the cowboy but some of these programmes are way stacked in favour of what’s good for TV.
Bryan
Re: House of Horrors
Bryan wrote:
Having replaced 2 drain pumps today I wonder if Scott was given the opportunity to add that although this incident was a complete mis-diagnosis these pumps do fail and need replaced in their 100’s and possibly 1000’s every day in the UK.If I had been the expert I’d have insisted on pointing this out so as not to cause us honest hard working engineers a problem every time we come to replace a pump.
Not looking to defend the cowboy but some of these programmes are way stacked in favour of what’s good for TV.
BryanI can agree with some of all three paragraphs as above.
1) Yes we replace Askoll pumps as if they are going out of fashion, maybe not as many as we used to. Bit too much of a coincidence though that the pump went during test, but these things can happen. Nothwithstanding the fact that Scott did mention a £20 parts item cost, we all know £4 for a bog standard pump from Connect is about right, but credit to the guy for giving a generalisation of a retail price.
2) Had he “The Expert” pointed out the possibility of failure as above, would not have made good T.V. in the eyes of the producer.
3) Yes these programmes are stacked in favour, my statement above re-inforces that. However, it was made clear at the start that the repairers had come to the attention of Trading Standards on more than one occasion. I can also see there is a chance such attention could be brought by the type of customer that make a habit of stirring trouble and using the services of Trading Standards as a tool. I would suspect though they are professional enough to read between the lines.
Guilty or not….. We are always judged by those at the bottom of the heap, and let’s face it we are only as good as our worst engineer. Personally I don’t like bad publicity as we start on a wrong footing with the customer, or even worse they chose to buy new on the outset rather than risk a bent engineer calling at a vulnerable time.
Alex
Re: House of Horrors
re the price of £100 to fit a pump and the presenter and expert saying it was a rip off what about if they had got a hotpoint/indesit engineer out it would have been even more with around a £90 call out fee then parts and vat just a thought.us small companies get picked on and the big ones are ignored. i am not defending that “engineer” £100 is way over top just pointing out a fact re large manufacturers. 😀
Well all ill say is that i charge whatever i think is a fair price for work and for all of us that does a good days work and honest we wont have to worry of who is watching us. lets face it they only go after the ones who have caused grief for a lot of people
Re: House of Horrors
robinsonrobbo wrote:re the price of £100 to fit a pump and the presenter and expert saying it was a rip off what about if they had got a hotpoint/indesit engineer out it would have been even more with around a £90 call out fee then parts and vat just a thought.us small companies get picked on and the big ones are ignored. i am not defending that “engineer” £100 is way over top just pointing out a fact re large manufacturers. 😀
That’s a very good point. The manufacturers don’t get criticised for extortionate prices. It’s different for them – they aren’t ripping people off – they are just making big profits.
Re: House of Horrors
customer just called me about a hoover fridge, door handle broken…
hoover want £95.00 to replace it, they will give part free of charge, the £95 is for call/out labour..
thats nice of them,as fridge is still under warranty deemed as user fault..
come on…if someone called you to fit a fridge door handle and you quoted £95.00. what to you think they would say.
now why doesn’t that nice programme put some of these companies on the tv….
answer….. huge legal teams that will stop it being aired…
another customer with a diplomat dishwasher, 2 yo wash pump faulty..
what a suprise..went into mfi spoke to shop manager. he was quite rude as she wasn’t coming in to buy a new kitchen, his offer was very good though…
buy a new dishwasher @ £499.00 or get out the shop ,
no mention of a service call. the only offer in town was buy or get out..fb..
Re: House of Horrors
Not defending the manufacturers here but I guess the point in their favour is that presumably they’ve fully informed the customer of the £90 labour charge before booking the call.
I don’t really see that as ripping people off (when they already know the price) , well only in a round about way I suppose :rolls:.
It’s more of a take it or leave it situation.Bryan
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.