problem with work done by an electrician - advise please?

Couple of corrections

Consumer unit £27 + 9 x MCB's at £4 plus 25mm tails and some 16mm earth. With VAT about £75.

Although there's easy claim potential to recover some costs, the chicken v egg could happen with some of your claims.

Did you ask him to provide a split way board with RCD, since he hasn't given you a written quote the works become very misty legal wise if you didn't give him a spec for the works. He asked you for funding for the earth bonding and you refused- so legally did he not offer to do the work and you refused to pay for it?

Although I'm not trying to defend the 'villain' I just saying what might be said via the legal systems splitting hairs type attitude.

If you want RCD protection, your need to fully replace the CU with a split way one- The one you have is fully populated and has no room.

Did you or anyone else witness the guy testing the service / circuits?

Was he seen to go to every socket in the house and test at the sockets (and light positions, and radial circuits such as emmersion and cooker points).

I would suggest that you arrange a quote for all works including a full new Consumer unit with RCD rail, with enough ways and some spare ways to take all services and leave some future proofing. I'd then ask for a full refund on the basis of his materials being returned on completion of the new works by your choosen sparks.

Yeah he could argue 1 hour survey, 1 hour materials collection, 2-3 hours on site- but you can argue that all works has been done to a unprofessional, illegal standard, end of.

If you do get someone in (like asking your mate) I'd love to see the internals of the consumer unit. I bet it's a real pigs ear.

Most would make a neat and tidy job, looming wires (with some make off / spare) neatly and following the Neutral and Earth numbering so fuse 1 neutral terminates N1, earth E1, fuse 2 neutral terminates N2, earth E2 etc, etc...

Such a picture, could help the possible court case and attached to a letter back to the guy, might make him refund very, very quickly.
 
Sponsored Links
Chri5 said:
Did you ask him to provide a split way board with RCD, since he hasn't given you a written quote the works become very misty legal wise if you didn't give him a spec for the works.

No I didn't ask for a split way board, I said I need a new consumer unit fitting, can I have a rpice please - despite all the big words I've used I've only learned these AFTERWARDS - I am a complete layman in this feild and to be frank I feel he took advantage of that (and that my wife was 8 months pregnant and we had no electricity - I should have got two quotes I guess, but never had time :rolleyes: )
Chri5 said:
He asked you for funding for the earth bonding and you refused- so legally did he not offer to do the work and you refused to pay for it?
well...actually he told me it wasn't earthed just before he was leaving, he said he could come back and do it - at an extra cost (by this point I'd heard him chatting to a mate on the phone about a burned out house where all wires had good resistance except one, which was MINUTELY above the regs, something like 0.8ohmes (or whatever it is) all the rest were a few hundred and he was saying - "its within the regs, don't bother fixing it"!! so I knew from then on I wanted him out and QUICK.)

Sorry to digress but I hope you are seeing why I am worried about the work now...

So technically i refused to pay the extra AFTER he had finished and had left the house over the phone- he shouldn't have left - cos he was leaving an unsafe installations, even though he had signed it off.

Chri5 said:
Although I'm not trying to defend the 'villain' I just saying what might be said via the legal systems splitting hairs type attitude.

I appriciate the advise - thanks!

Chri5 said:
Was he seen to go to every socket in the house and test at the sockets (and light positions, and radial circuits such as emmersion and cooker points).

He didn't go to any sockets, just got a mate (who wasn't there long) to shout out numbers whilst sat in front of the board.

I will get a pic of inside if I can - but only when someone who knows what they are doing are here! I just gave it a light touch and I think it may come clean off in my hand if I pulled only lightly! EK!
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top