Help Need advice - Electrician

PurpleDianne

Last week I hired an electrician to conduct a complete rewire of our house, I agreed the quote and the timescale (100 hours/1 man). they started work on the Thursday (ran two lines in the sitting room) and hasn't done anything else.
I ring them on the following Tuesday to be told that they may not finish as they have been offered a new full time job with a company and that it is due to start Thurs (Today).
After a discusion with my husband we decide that the best thing is to ask for the bill for the time spent (1/2 - 1 day) and that we will hire a different electrician.
When I inform them (wed - Yesterday)of this decision they are very amicable and I state that we hired them on the premise of 100 hrs full time not part time (as they offered to complete around his new job). they stated that they had already bought all of the equipement required for my house and I replied that they should try to take it back to the supplier.
Today I recieve a phone call the electrician stating that the suppliers will only take the items back on consignment (?) and that they would still be billed at the end of the month and what was I going to do about it?

What do I do? Help, Am I responsible for this electricians costs? Do I have to pay for this stock?

I have said that I will ask the person we hire this time if they would want the stock, should I?

I'm feeling really scared, angry and let down and really need advice on how to end this

Thank You

fluffpot

do you have any form of written agreement? eg a quote or contract?

PurpleDianne

We have a written quote but it doesn't state terms that was al verbal, however they were writing in a note book all the time. Would I be able to ask to see those notes?

Ionkontrol

Pay for the day and tell them to get lost.

phill99

I agree with ionkontrol. Pay him his labour only. Don't get involved with discussions about restocking fees etc. Simply say that you will pay for 1.5 days labour, the materials thy ave used to date and not a penny more. Tell them to take you to small claims court if they think they have a case against you.

iamcornholio

fluffpot wrote: »

do you have any form of written agreement? eg a quote or contract?

No contract or agreement needs to be in writing

iamcornholio

If I was you, I would be telling the electrician that he is lucky not to be getting a breach of contract claim for your losses in time, trouble and financial in having to source a new contractor and that contractor removing his work as he may not be able to certify it.

You can refuse to pay him one penny as he has defaulted on the contract. But if you feel charitable, pay him for what he has done, tell him "thank you very much", and he can sort out the materials he has bought himself. As far as you are concerned the matter is closed ... closed when he went and got another job without a second thought for his agreement with you

The important thing to remember in all this, is that it his he who is in breach of contract. Its his fault and his problem regarding the materials, and it may be you who incurs extra costs because of this

PurpleDianne

I am really happy with all your replies, it was what I was thinking but haven't had to deal with anything like this before.
I felt completely lost!

I will stick to paying him for what he has done and leave it at that

Thanks
:T

DVardysShadow

PurpleDianne wrote: »

I am really happy with all your replies, it was what I was thinking but haven't had to deal with anything like this before.
I felt completely lost!

I will stick to paying him for what he has done and leave it at that

Thanks
:T

Actually for such a small percentage of the job, you should wait.

Send him a letter recording that he has advised that he will not be completing the work and that if this is wrong he is to let you know immediately. Advise him too that you are seeking alternative quotations for the work and that you will consider how much he should be paid once the quotations are in. Keep a copy of the letter.

When you get the alternative quotations, ask each of them to quote you for the whole rewire and how much they will allow for the work done so far. Get them to put this in writing.

The reason for this is that most electricians will not certify other electricians' work especially if it is in any way incomplete. They may actually be required by their own certification scheme to redo the work So the work that has been done may have a value of zero.

ian103

I wouldn't pay them anything, the new firm will not have any benefit from the work carried out as the new firm will have to redo / verify the work already done. Materials are their problem. Too slow but I agree with post #09

gas4you

I cannot understand why their suppliers wont take the stock back for credit.

I doubt they would have bought anything that was not normal 'shelf stock' for a standard rewire job.

I am always taking stuff back for credit that is unused or when the customer has changed their mind over specs.

Usually the only things that are not welcome to be returned for credit are special orders.