Was Down, Now Up…

[conny]

PBoD, sorry to hear this mate. If you have a union ask them where you stand regarding taking up a new job during your notice period. Most employers allow you to do this as they have no further use for you and quite often refusing to do so leads to claims of unfair dismissal which they would rather avoid. Its cheaper to pay someone their notice money than go through often long drawn out court cases only to find they should pay it anyway.
Cumbriaman, so long as you are deemed competent and can show the LBC that you understand the latest regs and building control will be doing the inspection/testing/signing off then there is nothing illegal in what you propose doing. Just check with the relevant departments every step of the way.
Just because someone has passed exams and got certificates doesn't make them good at their trade. Often someone untrained will be more conscientious about their work than someone doing it day in-day out for a living.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

JJ and conny,
The company went in to insolvency, we were given a little talk by the MD and then the insolvency company took about 10/15 minutes and told to get our stuff and go. There had been rumours and all the signs were there to be seen that validated the rumours, the MD took me to one side the day before and told me.
He claimed he could not have told me any earlier, as things were still up in the air regarding a rescue package being but in place, but IR, banks and other interested parties could not get it together.
Was given a form to fill to apply for redundancy, wages owed, holiday pay, notice owed and unfair dismissal claim. This has now been sent off and waiting for the insolvency company to figure out what I am owed and hopefully get some money in the 6 weeks.
I was there 5 weeks shy of 20 years, but I have gained a few qualification whilst there though, some in house and some I did of my own bat.
Plus experience of other trades I have from previous work and gained along the way as you do.
Looking to set up on my own as I had been doing a lot of work on a part-time basis, still have some on my books to clear off. Just everything I earn will come off my notice pay, so in theory will be working for nothing.
So it's knocked the wind out of me a bit to be honest, but may have done me favour in the long run. I had not been over happy there for the last 2/3 years and things had got a bit stale and the place was starting to pyss me off.

 

[cumbriahandyman]

Sorry peeps, but I was deliberately frugal in my original post.

The chap who owns the house brought it very cheap at an auction intending to do it up and sell on.

Unfortunately, he had a stroke about nine months ago and is now partially disabled down one side so can't do the work himself.

As a responsible handyman I would not take on any electrical work that I did not feel competent to do and test, so pretty restricted on what I would normally do.

However, the property owner is a fully qualified electrician and member of NAPIT. He will be supervising/instructing me all the way.

I get some extra experience that I would otherwise never have the opportunity to get, will even get to do all testing (under close supervision) with equipment I have never used in the past and would never have been able to afford.

Oh, and £12.00 an hour is a pretty good rate for a handyman in this part of the world.

Thanks for all the support.

 

[conny]

CNM, £12 p/hr isn't a badrate in anyones part of the world unless you are used to working on oil rigs and the like!
If I hadn't got promoted recently I would be on slightly less than that and I am a tradesman.
Good Luck with the work.

PBoD, been in exactly the same situation mate. Had to claim the redundancy from the government but it didn't stop me looking for another job and when I got one I was able to leave at short notice, (was on 3 weeks notice that we were finishing on such & such a date but getting our 90 days notice pay), and take up the new position without loss of redendancy or accrued holiday pay.

 

[Nige F]

90% of sparking is pulling wires and chasing out etc . fair play to you and the stroke guy is lucky to find someone to help . As to some posters - Why don`t they Go and pull their wire over the picture of Maggie Thatcher they keep under the bed -

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

PBoD, been in exactly the same situation mate. Had to claim the redundancy from the government but it didn't stop me looking for another job and when I got one I was able to leave at short notice, (was on 3 weeks notice that we were finishing on such & such a date but getting our 90 days notice pay), and take up the new position without loss of redendancy or accrued holiday pay.

As I understand it from the information given to me by the insolvency company; bearing mind the company I worked for has shut it's doors and no longer exists and I am unable to work my notice.
Any money earned or benefits claimed (JSA) in the next 20 weeks or so, will be deducted from the money owed as notice. It will not effect my redundancy pay or unfair dismisal compo.

 

[Whitespirit66]

Depends on how 'competent' the op is, doesn't it.

So, you would have open heart surgey perfomed by someone because they 'say' they are competent and have the right tools? So proper qualifications, skills and experience count for nothing?

 

[EddieM]

I don't understand how you have been unfairly dismissed ??

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I don't understand how you have been unfairly dismissed ??

Because the company went in to insolvency and failed to to serve correct notice of my employment.
So it's classed as unfair dismissal, well I understand the correct term is wrongful dismissal, and I can claim!

 

[xr4x4]

Depends on how 'competent' the op is, doesn't it.

So, you would have open heart surgey perfomed by someone because they 'say' they are competent and have the right tools? So proper qualifications, skills and experience count for nothing?

Pointless post..

Being Competent is being competent.

I didn't comment on if he thought he was.

Comparing it to open heart survey is in a completely different league and just stupid..!

 

[Whitespirit66]

Depends on how 'competent' the op is, doesn't it.

So, you would have open heart surgey perfomed by someone because they 'say' they are competent and have the right tools? So proper qualifications, skills and experience count for nothing?

Pointless post..

Being Competent is being competent.

I didn't comment on if he thought he was.

Comparing it to open heart survey is in a completely different league and just stupid..!

Absolute rubbish.

I will write this post as sraightforward as possible, so that you will be able to understand it.

Yes, I agree that a non-registered electrician/gas engineer may be just as competent as a registered one. The operative word though is 'may'. Who knows? Joe public certainly won't be able to judge the competence before or after any work.

The registered electrician/engineer has taken the time to prove his competence. He is also going to be working within the law.

Why is the heart surgery analogy so stupid? Cowboy electricians, gas fitters or heart surgeons are equally capable of killing someone.

However, I suspect that someone like you will be unable to understand my argument.

 

[xr4x4]

Whatever dick wad.

Back in the real world, can't be bothered with a keyboard warrior.

 

[Norcon]

Why argue. The OP has already explained the situation.

Guys deemed competent by quals can do incompetent work and guys with no quals deemed incompetent can do competent work. Simples.

 

[misterdubya]

Just to re-address the balance, Ive now picked up a full heating install job who was priced by non-registered RGI's. Mine is over double the price. Because I spent some time explaining why the other 'handymen' had been so cheap the job was confirmed immediately.

The handybloke was going to get an RGI to 'test it'.

Now have a signed quotation, and will start Monday. Five days work for 2 of us. £2500 labour, and the customer, who was insistent I start Monday has given me a payment for materials. He did a bank transfer at 11.55 am this morning. I only priced the job yesterday.

Luckily, the other non-urgent jobs are for real regulars who are happy to wait. Got 2 bathrooms to do this month aswell.

People can be scared of a price that is too cheap - aswell as too expensive.

Mr. W.

 

[conny]

"Joe public certainly won't be able to judge the competence before or after any work."

It won't be 'Joe Public' it will be a qualified electrician advising and judging as the work progresses.

"The registered electrician/engineer has taken the time to prove his competence."

Agreed, but there are widely differing levels of competency.

"He is also going to be working within the law."

Not necessarily, see next statement.

I have an assistant with more than 30 years stock control experience yet within 6 months of my taking this job on, (for which I only had rudimentary knowledge but a boss with faith in my willingness to learn), I have found a number of discrepancies in his methods because he takes 'short cuts' to obtain the figures he is expected to return. Basically it means he is cheating and if it continues I have told him he will not be working with me for much longer. I would rather a novice does the job correctly and gets the 'true' figures which we can then investigate and possibly correct by addressing the issues than someone who thinks its clever to lie/cheat to please a client.