What would your answer be?

I do callout work for a company who manage holiday lets. They have little problems and l trot along and sort them out.

A couple of months ago l was working about 70 miles away from home but coming home every night.

I got a callout to one of the more prestigious penthouse flats so l went straight there after l got home and sorted the problem out for them.

I got to bed about midnight and up and off the next day at 05.30 as usual.

I was booked by the owners of this property to do a days work there today.

I confirmed this by text last week with the owner.

Today l arrived bright and early ready to get stuck in and l was told l was no longer required.

He told me he had left a message with the management company weeks ago that l wasn't needed anymore.

No problem with my work or prices just that l'm not available 24/7 and they need immediate response when required.

He had already engaged a big local company to cover this.

I pointed out that this job had been confirmed by text with himself last week.

He denied it till l showed him his txts.

He said there had been a mistake as the new company has a similar name to mine.

He was very sorry but that was it.

I came home contacted the management company who said they never received the message.

20 mins later l get a call from him, he thinks he's talking to the new electricians.

I explain he's got the wrong bloke.

10 mins later he calls back to say his new sparks who do immediate callout and 24/7 cover can't come today and would l be able to do the works TODAY!

What would your answer be?

Do the work but add a decent call out / hassle charge.

If he refuses, go ah well, by the the sounds of it no great loss as he doesn't sound like a great customer.

id be telling him not to contact me again

Absolutely NOT do it... They have already shown that they do not intend to use you again, they are only asking you now because the other lot turned them down. I think you will do the work and then not get paid, as the bloke has already shown he is a twat and a liar..

Since you have the text from him confirming on your phone, you could county court him for breach of contract if you wanted to...

Me?? i would just walk away. Make sure you tell them you are not coming though, [by text like they did to you] or, otherwise, they could sue you for breach of contract..

Take it from me.... Do NOT go, or you will be back on here next month telling us how the twat has not paid......

john..

I'd be telling him to sod off .   And is there ..,in reality...a firm that can offer genuine 24/7 coverage ....who come flying out  within minutes 'cause they were sitting there waiting in readiness , like the Fire Brigade ?

well id do that, but you would be paying me for all the time in sitting around so could work out expensive

sounds like a right prat who will make your life miserable going forward, and clearly has no loyalty to you. Foxtrot Oscar would be response, in polite terms, like sorry I'm already booked for another job.

If you've got nothing better to do then do it. Sounds like going forwards it will be a nightmare. If they come back with an apology saying they may have been a bit short sighted and they have dropped a clanger then it might be different, for the one off though probs not worth the hassle.

Agree with the others. Tell them where to go. I would not want to work where I am not appreciated.

add him to your "ignore" list?

Once you start giving way to these sort of people you could easily jeopardise your entire business..... simply not worth it.

Don't burn bridges, you never know when it might come back and bite you. I'd entertain the client but only at a price that covers for inconveniences. Just increase your rate accordingly, if he doesn't want to pay it that's his decision but it leaves the door open for him to use you in future if cheaper guys don't work out for him.

I'd do the work and charge more. Even add on the wasted call (charge an extra hour?).

I think they made a mistake with the other company and have realised that. If they mess you about one more time then stuff them.

I told him that l was busy, he said today was the only day that the work could be done due to the property being constantly let for the next three months.

I explained nicely that he'd just dispensed with my services and employed a large 'reliable' company that did callouts 24/7.

I'd turned up to do his work in good faith only to be stopped and told l wouldn't be needed again, ever.

" Yes but they can't come today, they made a mistake and the work needs doing today." 

" So you'd like me to call my customer and tell them l can't make it today so l can do your work."

" Yes "

" What reason do l give them bearing in mind l've just called them and told them l'm coming this morning."

" Tell them you made a mistake."

" Not going to happen, goodbye."

He called twice after that but l didn't answer.

He's on the naughty step and the ignore list.

Nicely done!!

john..

WHat I would have done. Once I commit to a customer I rarely back out. I would never tell a customer I made a mistake under those circumstances,

Sounds like he doesn't get it at all, I've worked for people like that in the past, better off out of it. You've done the right thing there.

Better off without pratts like that, I got rid of one recently 4 visits to same job each cancelled at last minute, I was charging him £150 for the job so I told him that the cancellations had cost me £600 and I wasn't having it. His reply was, "well if you insisted then I'd have to pay you for your lost time" it was tempting but far easier to tell him to do one. I don't sit around waiting for anyone, if people expect you there at the drop of a hat then they pay standby money. I'm on standby for a firm for the next 3 weeks as the owner is out of the country, he won't get a bill as such for the standby but I get paid in other ways, recently I needed a new MFT, they bought it, at Easter my lad needed a gazebo for a party in case it rained (it did), the firm had bought one for an event, it was about £300, they gave it to me, not on loan, a gift. They're really good if I need anything so it sort of goes 2 ways, sometimes it's not all about hard cash, it's what other benefits you can reap, I needed a low loader and truck for a job, they loaned me one, if I need a jcb, they have one, if my car is off the road, they'll lend me a pool car.

They are a cracking firm and a pleasure to deal with, sadly though there are more lettuced ones than good ones. 

so he had no intention of using you going forward anyway and only phoned you because the new electricians couldn't do the job - just another selfish tosser

I heard today from the holiday let company that nobody got a message from him to tell me that I would not be needed again.

I would have been informed immediately and asked why if they had.

They also mentioned he'd called them and wasn't very happy with my attitude regarding going back to do the job.

They asked him why he didn't call me personally to tell me l wasn't needed anymore. 

" It was a mix up " ( no idea what that means )

It was suggested he send in an official complaint about it stating specifically what the problem was.

They told him they'd received nothing but positive feedback from my work for them. 

He's not a happy bunny about the work not being done to fit in with his schedule.

It will be 3 months before there is another window in the letting.

He charges £1,500 a week for this place and the customers expect everything to work

I'm not too bothered, my lights work fine and my sockets aren't prone to tripping every 10 minutes.

Needless to say his number is blocked on my mobile.

phil d said:

Better off without pratts like that, I got rid of one recently 4 visits to same job each cancelled at last minute, I was charging him £150 for the job so I told him that the cancellations had cost me £600 and I wasn't having it. His reply was, "well if you insisted then I'd have to pay you for your lost time" it was tempting but far easier to tell him to do one. I don't sit around waiting for anyone, if people expect you there at the drop of a hat then they pay standby money. I'm on standby for a firm for the next 3 weeks as the owner is out of the country, he won't get a bill as such for the standby but I get paid in other ways, recently I needed a new MFT, they bought it, at Easter my lad needed a gazebo for a party in case it rained (it did), the firm had bought one for an event, it was about £300, they gave it to me, not on loan, a gift. They're really good if I need anything so it sort of goes 2 ways, sometimes it's not all about hard cash, it's what other benefits you can reap, I needed a low loader and truck for a job, they loaned me one, if I need a jcb, they have one, if my car is off the road, they'll lend me a pool car.

They are a cracking firm and a pleasure to deal with, sadly though there are more lettuced ones than good ones. 

Click to expand...

Are they an electrical firm. Are you filling  in for an absent spark?