Annoying customers Top Ten

[sparkwright]

10) Arrive to job at agreed time to find customer using washing machine and doesn't want power turned off.

9) Uncontrolled dogs going mental.

8) Shoes all over the floor.

7) Customer drills a hole into cable above light switch, and says 'I didn't expect a cable to be there'.

6) Frameless piece of glass or mirror always leaning against a wall which gets in the way during a re-wire.

5) Over-knowledgable customers.

4) Kitchen work with dirty washing-up everywhere.

3) Customers who have insisted on running cable to 'help', only for it to be twisted, and too short at one end.

2) Customers who have insisted on buying their own gear. Intermediate switch is the most common problem.

1) And the Number One Classic: The toilet seat and lid that doesn't stay up.

 

[Handymanjo]

Please can you take your shoes off

Need to empty under stair to get to fuse board

How long are you going to be ,need to go out

I can get that cheaper on eBay

This list can go on !!!!!

 

[deadshort]

You need a career change mate !

DS

 

[Iggifer]

You've forgotten customers that agree positions for switches/sockets/lights then when you've chopped them in, decide they wanted them somewhere else

 

[Iggifer]

Please can you take your shoes off

I don't think that's unreasonable in the slightest. Unless it's a wipe your shoes on the way out job

 

[EFLImpudence]

9) Uncontrolled dogs going mental.

"He's alright mate. He won't hurt you."

"No, but he stinks and he's in the way and I can't stand the stupid things."

 

[chivers67]

Watches your every move & talks non-stop plus expects you to be able to concentrate on your work while they're doing it!

 

[chivers67]

9) Uncontrolled dogs going mental.

"He's alright mate. He won't hurt you."

"No, but he stinks and he's in the way and I can't stand the stupid things."

Or -"he'll only lick you" That's ok then I don't mind being licked by an animal that licks similar animals R ses

 

[JohnW2]

5) Over-knowledgable customers.

Do you mean customers who really are "over-knowledgable" (whatever that may mean!), or ones who think (often incorrectly) that they have a lot of knowledge?

Kind Regards, John

 

[flameport]

4) Kitchen work with dirty washing-up everywhere.

Not as bad as those kitchens which have a thick layer of grease on every surface because they were last cleaned in 1987.

Please can you take your shoes off

Shoe covers solve that problem.

How long are you going to be ,need to go out

Had that once when changing a 10 way fusebox. Customer thought it would only take about an hour, and was dismayed when told it would be the entire day.
This was after quoting and previously explaining the process included testing every circuit, power would be off for several hours, access required to every part of the building, etc.

 

[handyjack]

Offering you a cup of tea...

 

[bernardgreen]

Offering you a cup of tea...

Or not offering you a drink after several hours working. ( from a spotlessly clean kitchen, sorry cannot find one to photograph )

 

[Diyisfun]

Tradesmen at my home, get Tea/Coffee & if they turn up early, it will be a bacon roll, with sauce of their choice.

 

[securespark]

I have been on jobs where the lady of the house has refused to allow me to go to the toilet.

For a pee...

Been told that I put a secondary phone socket in the wrong place. I told them I could move it no problem, but it would be chargeable. No it won't, I was told, you put it in the wrong place.

I then proceeded to remove the pattress from the wall, revealing a pencil "X" on the wall underneath....

I even turned up for a job on Monday that I looked at the previous Friday and agreed a price and start date:

"Hi I've come to install your cooker circuit."

"There's already someone here from your firm"

"You must be mistaken. There is only me."

Awkward silence.

"I'll send you a bill for a call-out, then..."

Then there's the f'in cheeky landlady who, when I was a bit green, decided she would only pay half the bill for an emergency call-out to a flat with no power because it was "too expensive."

The bill? £20.

 

[seasickstevie]

... would only pay half the bill for an emergency call-out to a flat with no power because it was "too expensive." The bill? £20.

Same thing happened to me. Fixed faulty light switch (no parts). Didn't take long. Seemed a nice couple (boy am I a sucker!). Just asked for £20. He said "No, £10 is enough". I just let it go, wasn't worth arguing.
In the driveway: Brand new Merc and Range Rover Vouge, both personalised plates.

A few weeks later he rang me with another job. You could hear me all over town!