Electrician, in the right or wrong?

[hoicem]

Had a electrician do some work in our house, when asked what type of sockets I required I said white plastic, and at one point I mentioned a brand that I had used previously and wanted. Anyways, electrician installs sockets which aren't of the mentioned brand but I wasn't too fussed as white plastic is more or less the same isn't it?....

Apparently not, when I come to use the sockets, they are simply horrible. It takes almost super human strength to insert plugs and just as much to remove them. Terrible things they are. So they're no good.

I've told the electrician and he's said he will supply replacements free of charge if I fit them, but if I want him to fit them he will have to charge me. Now, to me this seems a bit off. I can fit themselves but that's not the point. What if I had been some old lady who couldn't? Would she be charged to have them replaced? I didn't pay the electrician to fit crappy hard to use sockets.

I actually like the electrician so would rather not have a row over it.

regards

[John Rumm]

Depends on how clear the contract was in specifying the brand etc. If you phrased it as "white plastic - say for example xyz" then you don't really have any comeback. If however you said "I want white plastic MK logic sockets" and he fitted something else then it would only be fair to have him pay to rectify.

[Andy Hall]

Did you specify what you wanted up front or let him choose?

If he didn't supply what you specified (presumably you did so in writing?) then he needs to replace them at his cost.

Sockets are not all the same, as you have discovered. There are MK ones (and a very small number of other major quality brands) and there is crap.

It's completely irrelevant as to what might be done for some old lady under other circumstances.

You have to decide where your negotiating position is.

You can push him to deliver what you believe was agreed, let the matter go because you like him or do something in between.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

If it's adding to an existing installation most would try and match the existing. Unless so old no longer available. But there is a difference in price between makes.

What make are they? I've never come across this sort of thing. They should be to the appropriate BS so of usable quality. Only 'plugs' I find stick are some wallwarts with plastic earth pins.

I'd certainly come round and check your story if I were that electrician. And if the case replace them. But then I probably wouldn't have used them in the first place. ;-)

I'm wondering why he's not interested in your problem - if only to avoid it with later customers.

[ARWadworth]

Please name this crappy brand of socket.

Adam

[Andy Dingley]

My elderly Dad recently mislaid the key to his garage roller shutter switch, so he paid over =A3100 to have the chap come out and fit a new one (the key re-appeared two days later).

The new switch is now labelled "Close" to open the door and "Open" to close it. As the company is clearly happy to take a confused old man for every penny they can, should I demand that they return and at least give him some switch labelling that doesn't confuse him further?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

The ones that get by far the most use here in terms of things being plugged and unplugged, switched on and off, etc, are the ones above my workbench in the workshop. All cheap surface mounted BG - which look exactly like the old MK design. And none have given any trouble.

MK seemed to reduced their prices somewhat these days. When I did that installation they were about 3 times the price of the BGs.

All sockets should be to the appropriate BS. Apart from looks I'd not expect there to be that much difference.

[hoicem]

They are branded "" on the back.

[hoicem]

I didn't exactly *demand* a certain brand or put anything in writing, but I did mention a brand and even named the supplier.

Anyway, regardless. Even if I didn't specify any brand shouldn't this be beside the point? You would expect something you have installed to function correctly, whatever it is. If you take your car in for a new clutch pedal and the clutch the garage installed is extremely stiff and hard by normal standards, IMO it would be wrong for them to charge for labour to replace it or fix it.

[dave]

Well it could have been a genuine mistake - but they should have checked of course. I don't really see that they are "clearly happy to take a confused old man for every penny they can". People do make mistakes - even simply mistakes. Again having said that, such things are of course a serious no-joke issue esp. with the elderly. Try asking them.

As to OP, how many sockets are involved? If it were me I'd probably diy it and, as you are presumably capable of doing same AND wish to remain on good terms with Mr Electron, do the same. It is annoying though.

[Jim Alexander]

Hard to answer your question as it really depends exactly on what was said. For the benefit of others obviously next time you will seek a written spec and avoid anyone who declines.

The technical answer is that ...

"13.8 The construction of socket-outlets shall be such as to allow for easy withdrawal of the plug."

and then "easy" is defined ...

"It shall not be possible to reach a pull of 36 N without the plug coming out of the socket-outlet."

In general terms high withdrawal force is a characteristic of BS 1363.

Jim A

[robgraham]

One does wonder why the OP is wanting to stay on good terms with 'Mr Electron' as you call him, when he clearly is not customer-centric. It's reasonable to assume from the details that the electrician in question is a single trader and as such relies on recommendation for further work, and I certainly wouldn't be passing this guy's name on.

[Lobster]

I've definitely experienced it in the past when using the bottom of the range el cheapo sockets from the likes of Screwfix/Toolstation (obviously BS items). Not on every socket, but on a fair proportion of them to different degrees. Also complete electrical failure of one socket within two-gang sockets, which has struck me as very odd!

David

[stillnobodyhome]

I've got one in my kitchen that needs a bit of force to remove the plug and I'm sure that was a Screwfix socket as well

[Andy Hall]

You would indeed.

Given that they should be replaced anyway, I would be inclined to push him to do that including supply and fit.

If the reality is that he quoted a price and then bought cheap junk to improve margin, then really he ought to cover both costs.

Alternatively you could treat the supply aspect as a grey area since this doesn't seem to have been agreed in writing and offer to cover the difference between the junk product and what you want; and then insist that he does the fitting for "free".

There really isn't a "right" and a "wrong" here. You have to decide between being the degree of being nice and playing hardball and what you feel is reasonable to spend if anything on your part. Since you didn't really nail down the specific brand, then it would be difficult in the final analysis to play complete hardball.

You could reasonably insist that he replaces the junk with something that works and leave the choice to him. However, if you want something better, then maybe that's the compromise - you pay for something better

- i.e. the difference.

[F]

I've had that on a Philex from Screwfix. They replaced it without any problems.

[Steven Campbell]

I have a double socket in the hall that I can only place the plug half way in and I have to give it a dunt to go all the way. So there are duds out there!!

Steven.

[Jim Alexander]

who don't replace defective sockets.

JA

[meow2222]

'Super human strength' means I'd reject the goods as faulty. Your bargaining position really depends on whether youve paid in full or not. If you have, any pursual is going to cost you time and money, so time to negotiate. If hes not paid, you can pay to get it fixed and subtract the cost from what he gets paid.

But as has been said, playing hardball leaves a sour taste, so its your call. I dont think I'd like being steamed though.

NT