Unreasonably high invoice bill from an electrician

[AlexanderSmi123]

Good afternoon everyone, I am Alex and I'm new here.

I am posting this to ask for advice with how I should approach this situation.

We called in an electrician, and as confirmed in writing by messages, the original request was to change the socket covers and change lightbulbs through the flat (1 bedroom flat). After completing the job, the electrician sends us an invoice which lists the labour and material costs, and a rough breakdown of the works done. The final bill is OVER £2,000 (almost all of it labour) and lists 30 hours of work. On top of the requested works, it also details a lot of other works, which were not requested nor authorised by us, including various tests and other changes. To make the situation more difficult, we were away during this time as the flat was under renovation and could not confirm what works exactly have been at the time.

Given this extremely unreasonable bill, what is the best way to approach the situation?

Any help would be appreciated, and thank you for your advice.

 

[LukeD]

Its simple.... you asked him to complete the works you listed. Did he inform you in any way he would need to carry out other works maybe after a EICR etc and did you agree to them ? Also did you ask for a quote for the works YOU wanted ? Chances are he might be playing you along.... ask for receipts for the materials and pay that . Then work out what he wants for a very easy days work , if not a mornings worth !

 

[Mikegh]

It seems expensive.

Hard to say without knowing the full extent of works done.

At this maybe get a comprehensive breakdown and haggle

 

[AlexanderSmi123]

Its simple.... you asked him to complete the works you listed. Did he inform you in any way he would need to carry out other works maybe after a EICR etc and did you agree to them ? Also did you ask for a quote for the works YOU wanted ? Chances are he might be playing you along.... ask for receipts for the materials and pay that . Then work out what he wants for a very easy days work , if not a mornings worth !

Hello LukeD, thank you for the advice. On top of what you suggested we are thinking of consulting different electricians to see what the true reasonable rate for the works we requested is. As you said, he did not inform us of any of the additional works, nor did we agree to them. My only concern is, if he refuses to be reasonable after all of that, and we are forced to escalate the situation, what is the best way to do so?

 

[AlexanderSmi123]

It seems expensive.

Hard to say without knowing the full extent of works done.

At this maybe get a comprehensive breakdown and haggle

I am not sure what the rate would be for the additional works he claimed to have done is, however I think it is reasonable to assume that changing socket covers and lights is no where near being a £2,000 job.

 

[westward10]

What cost was on the original quote?

 

[AlexanderSmi123]

What cost was on the original quote?

The electrician was recommended by a friend, and the electrician did not a give a quote before starting. Here I made a naive mistake of not being more forceful with requesting a quote. However we confirmed the exact scope of works needed in writing.

 

[timhoward]

Is the electrician in a competent person scheme like Napit or NICEIC?
I'd send the electrician an email acknowledging receipt of invoice, and saying that you'd like to discuss the labour charges as you've been advised that it's typically well under a days work, and you didn't request other work.

If he's silly enough to embark on further work without contacting you for agreement then he can't expect to be paid for it.
He may have tested afterwards, found a fault that he should have found at the beginning, and resolved it, but it sounds as though
communication was lacking (at best).

I recently did an EICR of a 1 bed flat, changed a bathroom light fitting, and changed all light switches and sockets at landlords request. Total price was £470 and that included topping up the meter by £20. London prices tend to be higher of course, but it sounds too high to me for what you describe.

 

[AlexanderSmi123]

Is the electrician in a competent person scheme like Napit or NICEIC?
I'd send the electrician an email acknowledging receipt of invoice, and saying that you'd like to discuss the labour charges as you've been advised that it's typically well under a days work, and you didn't request other work.

If he's silly enough to embark on further work without contacting you for agreement then he can't expect to be paid for it.
He may have tested afterwards, found a fault that he should have found at the beginning, and resolved it, but it sounds as though
communication was lacking (at best).

I recently did an EICR of a 1 bed flat, changed a bathroom light fitting, and changed all light switches and sockets at landlords request. Total price was £470 and that included topping up the meter by £20. London prices tend to be higher of course, but it sounds too high to me for what you describe.

The electrician is NICEIC approved, so not a random person. Nor he did actually conduct an EICR.

 

[timhoward]

The electrician is NICEIC approved, so not a random person. Nor he did actually conduct an EICR.

Ok, well it's in the electricians interests to resolve this amiably them. If you can't reach agreement you can make a complaint to NICEIC. If you have written scope of works and an invoice with considerably more works on it then it sounds pretty clear cut.

 

[AlexanderSmi123]

Ok, well it's in the electricians interests to resolve this amiably them. If you can't reach agreement you can make a complaint to NICEIC. If you have written scope of works and an invoice with considerably more works on it then it sounds pretty clear cut.

I see, in which case we will do our best to resolve this peacefully, with all the evidence, and if refuses to be reasonable we should reach out to NICEIC. Thank you for the advice.

 

[buzzlightyear]

If you can't reach agreement you can make a complaint to NICEIC. If you have written scope of works and an invoice with

They will not get involved the a dispute over a bill.

 

[AlexanderSmi123]

They will not get involved the a dispute over a bill.

If not NICEIC, what would be the best way to escalate this without going to court?

 

[timhoward]

They will not get involved the a dispute over a bill.

I agree regarding the actual bottom line, but they might raise an eyebrow at doing work that wasn't requested. I know of a case where Napit did.

 

[LukeD]

NICEIC would not even break sweat if he killed someone.... they just collect membership fees. I would make life simple .One communication. Along the lines of "you must be a mug to send us this invoice, dont think we are mugs to accept it .In light of you wanting to try and mess us around . On receipt of the cost of materials and once we have verified those costs to be reasonable . You can have the money for them .The rest...Jog on and dont try and con people " Let him do the work after that not you !!. He wont be going anything legal at all !

 

[LukeD]

I agree regarding the actual bottom line, but they might raise an eyebrow at doing work that wasn't requested. I know of a case where Napit did.

This could be a bonus point..... He has done un authorised work. Tell him you will arranging for a EICR to be carried out to ensure his work is safe etc and will be sending him the bill...... Have some fun with the guy , I hate people that cheat and rip people off

 

[timhoward]

@AlexanderSmi123 are you able to describe the work he did beyond the work that you requested?
I'm wondering if any of it is notifiable to LABC under part P of building regs.

 

[AlexanderSmi123]

@AlexanderSmi123 are you able to describe the work he did beyond the work that you requested?
I'm wondering if any of it is notifiable to LABC under part P of building regs.

Aside from what we ACTUALLY asked him to do, he apparently "investigated" a bunch of things, cancelled supplies and sockets, tried and failed to install LEDs, checked lights and some circuits, Disconnected the supply cable going to Transformers 12V output, installed a new smoke alarm and etc (a few other things). As said before NONE of these were requested, and we did not know until he sent us the invoice.

 

[mainline]

Aside from what we ACTUALLY asked him to do, he apparently "investigated" a bunch of things, cancelled supplies and sockets, tried and failed to install LEDs, checked lights and some circuits, Disconnected the supply cable going to Transformers 12V output, installed a new smoke alarm and etc (a few other things). As said before NONE of these were requested, and we did not know until he sent us the invoice.

Get a cost of materials from him and go from there.

Was it just him doing the work ?

 

[AlexanderSmi123]

Get a cost of materials from him and go from there.

Was it just him doing the work ?

Actually no, without telling us apparently 3 more people were involved and "helped" him, for which he is also charging a management fee. Although we never explicitly agreed he would work alone, I believed it is reasonable that this is a 1 person job.