Unfortunately, there does not seem to have been a proper quotation ...
Kind Regards, John
Cost of a certificate?
- Thread starter conny
- Start date
Kind Regards, John
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I believe that there is sufficient precedent regarding "verbal estimates" and various laws regarding fair and reasonable charges for Conny's friend to be on pretty firm ground if his opening position is "£850 including certificate, after the certificate is issued, or SFA and if you are daft see-you-in-court".
Maybe not in writing, but a verbal quote has been made. If the customer or the contractor decided to take this issue to a smalls claims court. The contractor would not stand any chance of receiving anything more than the verbal quote and possible not even that much judged on the amount of work that was undertaken.
I see this as a totally unreasonable amount and the contractor is trying to blackmail the customer by not issuing the certificate. I would question whether the new work has been correctly tested and proved safe to be put into service, with the lack of a certificate. I would now have genuine concerns and tell them so! Even to the extent to claim, I am dissatisfied with the work and lost confidence in whether work is safe, so would be employing a third party to I&T and provide a report on the new work completed regardless. Then inform them I hope for their sakes, the work has been done compliantly and safely.
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It was a verbal estimate, not quotation, and (assuming it is being stated to us correctly) explicitly said that there would be a (unspecified) charge for the certificate in addition to "around £800" for the actual work.
I agree completely. What happened in court would obviously depend upon what the court considered as a 'reasonable charge' for the 'certificate' - but the court might take into account the fact that the customer appears to have told the 'electrician' to go ahead with the work on the basis of an agreed verbal estimate which seemingly included agreement that there would be an (unspecified) additional charge for 'the certificate'. Even if it included the I&T, £850 for testing just one sockets circuit is clearly ridiculous by any standards.
There remains the possibility that there were misunderstandings, and that 'the certificate' relates to an EICR which the electrician believed he had been commissioned to undertake.
Kind Regards, John
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Electrician has accepted £1,000 in full and final settlement of bill and issued certificate for circuit modified and tested.
Friend has said he will settle bill when he receives certificate from ELECSA, until then electrician has received £500 as an act of faith/goodwill with the promise if ELECSA refuse cert then claim will be lodged with small claims court.
Thanks for the views lads.
Friend has said he will settle bill when he receives certificate from ELECSA, until then electrician has received £500 as an act of faith/goodwill with the promise if ELECSA refuse cert then claim will be lodged with small claims court.
Thanks for the views lads.
I doubt that the contractor will have to go through ELECSA to issue the certificate, it sounds like minor works and a cert could be issued there and then. Unless they are using ELECSA electronic certificate tool.
Still a lot of money for a minor works cert, even going through the electronic service only cost a pound!
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