Is someone taking the P***?

[ban-all-sheds]

The word is unethical.

Why is a high quote unethical?

Because it's not the going rate? If it's higher than the going rate, the tradesman will soon be without work.

What if it could be shown that the tradesman was deliberately inflating his quote because he knew it was an insurance claim?

i.e. deliberately attempting to charge more than he would normally charge?

If it can be shown that that electrician normally carries out that sort of work for £X, and at that price he is both competitive and sustaining a business then you've shown that from his POV that is "what it costs".

So does there come a point where lying to an insurance company about "what it costs" becomes fraudulent?

 

[sparkiedave]

I like to offer a PIR first to highlight any problems, then quote for the CU swap based on that, I offer to offset some of the PIR charge against the board swap price because many of the test results I need to put on the installation certificate I will already have from the PIR, but really, only the person doing the PIR can use those test results, if someone else fits the CU then they should do the full range of tests for themselves.
If I quote for a Board swap, I mention that the testing may highlight problems which may need to to be repaired before the circuit can be reconnected, depending on their severity, but I still test as much as possible before removing the old fuse board, that way, if I hit a big problem, I can warn the customer before I start to look for it,
there's nothing worse than finding a major fault at 4 in the afternoon as you're reconnecting circuits

 

[scousespark]

Stoday, I was referring to the ethics of quoting high because it's an insurance job.

 

[nozspark]

I don't think it only un-ethical, can't trading standards prosecute if you over charge?????

 

[Pensdown]

Maybe he smells insurance claim...

IME, The days of over inflated prices for insurance work are long gone.

Their cost data base for the negotiated buy price of practically everything is second to none. As a rule, they dictate the prices and who will be doing the work. Claimants can request their own contractor but at the insurance companies prices.