From a recent newspaper artticle
Electrician sues Brian Donohoe MP over £64 bill
May 25 2008 By Marion Scott
AN MP is being sued by his electrician over an unpaid bill for £64.
Angry Dale McNair wants Brian Donohoe to stump up for advice he gave about the electrics at the politician's home.
He says the sum is a call-out charge which the Ayrshire Central MP is refusing to pay, despite the electrician flagging up potential dangers.
But Donohoe says any work done by McNair should have been covered by his offer in the phone book to offer "free expert advice."
Now the row has ended up in court after the electrician launched a civil action to get his money.
Labour MP Donohoe, 59, said: "It's not a case of I can't pay. I simply won't pay because Mr McNair's charges are utterly indefensible."
He said the electrics at his home in Irvine starting playing up at the end of last year and he decided to have the system checked out by an expert.
He added: "I knew parts of the system were old but I wanted to see if the problem could be isolated.
"It came to a head while I was away from home at theHouse of Commons and when I returned the fridge-freezer was affected by the circuit tripping, and it had defrosted.
"My wife Christine was none too impressed by the mess, and I went through the phone book and called a local firm which stated 'free expert advice' and 'inspection and testing'.
"After several calls, Mr McNair calledme one day and said he was in the area and he'd come and see me.
"He came into the house but instead of diagnosing what the problem was all he did was take out a screwdriver, remove a couple of screws and tell me what I already knew...that the system was old.
"In no way was that expert advice or an expert service. And it certainly wasn't doing what I had asked for, to have the problem expertly diagnosed.
But Mr McNair, whose DSM Electrical business in based in Drongan, near Ayr, said: "Free expert advice is not the same as a call-out charge. If that was the case I'd be out of business.
"Whether I take out my full tool box or just a screwdriver, it makes no difference. I was invited to go to that property, and I went.
"I told him the system was old and dangerous."
Mr McNair, who has been in the electrical business for four years and employs nine workers, was formerly director of Ciarin Home Designs Ltd which was dissolved two years ago.
His wife Frances, the company secretary, said: "Mr Donohoe's defence is that we offered free advice.
"But that information came from a phone book ad that's at least two years old."
"Everyone knows it's standard for plumbers, joiners and all trades to charge for call-outs.
"How does he expect small companies to do business otherwise?"
Mr McNair's action against the MP was adjourned last week at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court and will be heard next month.
SUNDAY EMAIL
[email protected]
This is from another electrical forum (I didn't write this article but I think it is interesting
----------------------------------------
Here is the outcome of the court yesterday:
Just reading the paper this morning:
MP Ordered to pay electricians bill
http://news.scotsman.com/politics?articleid=4373926
One of the few occasions when the system works
Electrician sues Brian Donohoe MP over £64 bill
May 25 2008 By Marion Scott
AN MP is being sued by his electrician over an unpaid bill for £64.
Angry Dale McNair wants Brian Donohoe to stump up for advice he gave about the electrics at the politician's home.
He says the sum is a call-out charge which the Ayrshire Central MP is refusing to pay, despite the electrician flagging up potential dangers.
But Donohoe says any work done by McNair should have been covered by his offer in the phone book to offer "free expert advice."
Now the row has ended up in court after the electrician launched a civil action to get his money.
Labour MP Donohoe, 59, said: "It's not a case of I can't pay. I simply won't pay because Mr McNair's charges are utterly indefensible."
He said the electrics at his home in Irvine starting playing up at the end of last year and he decided to have the system checked out by an expert.
He added: "I knew parts of the system were old but I wanted to see if the problem could be isolated.
"It came to a head while I was away from home at theHouse of Commons and when I returned the fridge-freezer was affected by the circuit tripping, and it had defrosted.
"My wife Christine was none too impressed by the mess, and I went through the phone book and called a local firm which stated 'free expert advice' and 'inspection and testing'.
"After several calls, Mr McNair calledme one day and said he was in the area and he'd come and see me.
"He came into the house but instead of diagnosing what the problem was all he did was take out a screwdriver, remove a couple of screws and tell me what I already knew...that the system was old.
"In no way was that expert advice or an expert service. And it certainly wasn't doing what I had asked for, to have the problem expertly diagnosed.
But Mr McNair, whose DSM Electrical business in based in Drongan, near Ayr, said: "Free expert advice is not the same as a call-out charge. If that was the case I'd be out of business.
"Whether I take out my full tool box or just a screwdriver, it makes no difference. I was invited to go to that property, and I went.
"I told him the system was old and dangerous."
Mr McNair, who has been in the electrical business for four years and employs nine workers, was formerly director of Ciarin Home Designs Ltd which was dissolved two years ago.
His wife Frances, the company secretary, said: "Mr Donohoe's defence is that we offered free advice.
"But that information came from a phone book ad that's at least two years old."
"Everyone knows it's standard for plumbers, joiners and all trades to charge for call-outs.
"How does he expect small companies to do business otherwise?"
Mr McNair's action against the MP was adjourned last week at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court and will be heard next month.
SUNDAY EMAIL
[email protected]
This is from another electrical forum (I didn't write this article but I think it is interesting
----------------------------------------
Here is the outcome of the court yesterday:
Just reading the paper this morning:
MP Ordered to pay electricians bill
http://news.scotsman.com/politics?articleid=4373926
One of the few occasions when the system works
from Aberdeen, Lewis MacDonald, bought a bottle of whisky as a PRIZE, to put into a raffle, he then tried to claim back the cost of the whisky as "expenses". Tight git!! He was found out anyway, and more or less told "you're not on". It was all in the local newspaper,,,, along with the details of other MSP's rejected claims. Crooked shower. 
