To Pay or Not To Pay, That is The Question! Though Surely it Shouldn't Be Should it?

After a very interesting conversation on Twitter the other day with Roberta Ward (@RobertaWard ) Keith Kelly (@pagroupuk) and Hanna Coleman (@DREAMWALLS) it prompted me to write a blog on the joys of receiving payments as a business in these current times.

Now this not being paid on time malarkey has always been there I know, but this last 18 months have been very trying indeed, some people just don't want to part with there money even though a good job has been done. Some companies have been put out of business because of it and I am constantly looking at ways to reduce it as I am sure a lot of companies are.

Maybe I am old school with my views but I never understand why a person or business would have no intention of paying for a service they have requested? Especially if they are happy with the outcome. Perhaps it’s about how far a person/company will go? I am no credit angel believe me, but I’ve never been that person to not pay a bill until I am threatened to be cut off for example, but I know for some people this is no big deal to them.

A lot of people think Commercial companies would be our problem payers but to be honest, with us its mainly Domestic customers at the moment. Don’t get me wrong some Commercial companies are difficult to get payment from and our Solicitors have to give us a helping hand sometimes, but this delay in payment is usually due to a chain of people giving approval of a payment or waiting for a signing of a cheque/BACS run.

Saying that, last year we had a company owe us thousands of pounds of work and they went into liquidation. Due to the amount of money they owed we were at the bottom of their very long list, so we basically had to write it off which no-one wants to do of course. The worst bit of all was there sister company contacted us just after Christmas who we had also done work for at the same time, to say how they had misplaced their certificates we had sent them and could they have another copy? We couldn't believe the nerve they had to call us!

Maybe it's the payment methods that we offer our customers that makes us prone to non-payers? We don’t use a credit card machine yet as we can not justify the costs involved at the moment with how many domestic customer's we have. We take payment after works are complete which is accepted by cash, cheque or a 7 day invoice which in some cases is the only option (landlords for example). We are however looking at Paypal at the moment also as another option and to make it easier for our customers to pay us.

The biggest debate we have in our office is how far do we go before saying “we would like payment first please” without panicking people into thinking we’re a ‘dodgy company’ that wont give our customers their electrical certificates until they pay us. My Managing Director has very strong views personally and professional about not paying trade’s people upfront until all works are complete and I do understand his point but at the same time if we give out or complete all the information required from us, how is payment guaranteed if the customer has everything they need?

This is not an everyday problem for us, a lot of our customers are good payers but there the odd few that can cause worry and concern with how much they owe us and what affect that will have on us. 9 times out of 10 a Solicitors letter does do the trick but still time and cost is involved in this process that could be used elsewhere.

I would really be interested into hearing people’s views on this topic, whether you are an electrician or own a company and how you avoid such issues or even if you are customer and what payment terms you would expect from a service like ours?

Sorry if I sound like I am having a rant but in these current times cash flow is what keeps my families business afloat so it is a subject very close to my heart and I am very passionate about keeping Fulcher Edwards Ltd going for another 30 years at least!

Our Adventures in 2010

The Christmas decorations are down, the mulled wine bottle is empty (though still waiting for the recycling dustman to collect!) and the last of remaining mince pies has been eaten. Another Christmas has left us as quickly as it arrived and 2010 is done and dusted and my, what a year it has been for Fulcher Edwards Ltd!

2010 was a hard year and like most companies we worked ‘our butt’s off’ harder than ever before, I’m pleased to say we made it through the other side but it was not by far an easy ride. We went from months of pure craziness where we contemplated taking on more staff, to months of wondering if we would come out of it without making any redundancies. I’m pleased to say we didn’t have to make any.

We did a lot more marketing last year than ever before and learnt a few valuable lessons along the way, good and bad. 2010 was very much trial and error for our marketing campaign as in previous years it was never something we had to do on a large scale to gain more business. We started our own Facebook page last year as well as our very own blog and we even jumped on the Twitter bandwagon to interact with our customers, I admit both are very time consuming, but it’s been very worth it!

Twitter has been great with connecting with other electricians like Stirling Electrical in Scotland @StirlingElect, electrical suppliers like Sparks Electrical in North London @sparksdirect and other electrical tweeps like Gary Pratten @mylocalelectric a Publisher for the My Local Trades network of online magazines. We have learnt a lot from these industry professionals and the rest of our Twitter family. I feel like everyone we interact with on Twitter either by our business account @FEelectricians or my personal one @FulcherEdwards are all incredibly helpful and I wish I could thank everyone personally in this blog post but I fear it will take me well and truly over the recommended 500 characters! You all know who you are I’m sure : )

We gained a lot of new customers in 2010 despite ‘the recession’ some have been very good to us by calling us time and time again throughout the year and even recommending us to other companies, friends or family. Like many other companies though there were a few chancers, time wasters and some terrible payers also. On the whole though the good outweighed the bad and in this type environment you have to take some risks to succeed.

We were lucky to be involved with some of the projects happening at our home, the Eurostar terminal in Waterloo Station last year too. The Ark Charity Dinner where we even got to help out The Killers! The Railway Children production, London Fashion Week and TV drama Luther were some others. Who knows what the terminal will be used for this year but one things for sure it’s nice to have some life back in the place.

Who knows what 2011 will bring, our first week back in January has already seen a VAT increase, calls from new customer’s as well loyal ones and even calls from ones who we quoted months and months that are now ready in getting the works done.
I don’t doubt that it will be an equally challenging year ahead however I feel like Fulcher Edwards Ltd is that little bit wiser now (or maybe that’s just me!) We may still get bruised and battered along the way but I think that will make us an even better company at the end of the day.

Happy New Year everyone, here’s to a prosperous 2011!

Electrical Safety When Working From Home

Most of us wish we had the option to work from home from time to time, well I do anyway. The thought of being able to roll out of bed a little later, to have a leisurely breakfast, hey maybe cook myself some scrambled eggs on toast and then casually turn on my laptop in my PJ's, all in the privacy of my own home sounds oh so great to me!

I think you would all agree that for that very same reason of why I would love to work from home is also a very good reason why I shouldn't! Don't get me wrong I am hard working person yet I see home as my place to relax so my work ethic may turn into more of a laid back affair which would probably turn into me not achieving very much in my day, so really and truly I am better getting up super early and facing the London commute like most people do and working from our Waterloo office.

For those of you that do have that privilege of working at home (and are obviously more disciplined than me) the team at Fulcher Edwards wondered how many homeworkers with electrical equipment provided by there employers, have some type of electrical maintenance in place or if there just left to get on with things? You know the 'well it works' attitude that some companies tend to suffer with unfortunately.

Although the home is the responsibility of a homeworker they are only actually responsible for their own equipment which is purchased by themselves.

Employers should have steps in place like the ones below which are recommended by the HSE to keep there homeworkers safe and prevent harm or injury, ensuring that all electrical equipment is turned off before.

1) Check that plugs are not damaged
2) Check the domestic electrical systems are adequate for electrical equipment
3) Check plugs are correctly wired and maintained
4) Check that the outer covering of the cable or wire is gripped where it enters the plug or the equipment
5) Check that the outer corner of the equipment is not damaged, for example look for loose parts or screws
6) Check leads, wires or cables for damage to the outer covering
7) Check for burn marks or staining that suggests overheating
8) Repair electrical equipment that may cause harm or injury to the homeworker
9) Check that there are no trailing wires; if there are, tuck them out of the way,
for example under a desk or table to prevent accidents

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA) places duties on employers, self-employed people and employees. Under this law employers have a duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees, this also includes homeworkers. The safe use of electricity at work is covered by the Electricity At Work Regulations 1989.

Although homeworkers have a slightly different set up, there safety is equally as important as workers in an office environment and electrical maintenance needs to be in place regarding there equipment such as portable appliance testing. The type of maintenance procedures employers have in place will depend on whether hazards are low or high risk.

If you work from home then why not speak with your employer about what procedures are in place as maintaining your electrical equipment is important for a number of reasons, mainly to avoid electrical faults as they can cause a fire.

If you are a homeworker we would be interested to hear what electrical safety procedures your employer has in place?

Maintain Your Emergency Lighting As One Day You May Just Need It!

A week rarely goes by without the team at Fulcher Edwards being slightly concerned by the lack of interest some companies have in maintaining there Emergency Lighting in their building, yet it plays such a major part should an emergency like a power failure occur. Though some companies will happily take our advice as they were not aware of there full responsibilities before, however some just push it to one side.

Only a couple of weeks ago we had to write an letter to a company basically reiterating from a previous conversation we had with them months before of the dangers they face not having enough emergency lighting in there building. We are not talking about a small company either (not that should make any difference if it was) but they have hundreds of people entering there premises everyday who are members of the general public. Heaven forbid if an incident were to occur, in our expert opinion, it could be disastrous. As usual expense normally compromises safety, even more so these days and we are unable to force companies into taking our advice. We have still had no instructions from that company were afraid to say.

The British Standards (BS5266) recommends that emergency lighting systems be regularly serviced by 'competent' persons, which means these being persons with the necessary knowledge, skills and training to undertake emergency lighting servicing procedures.

The Purpose of Emergency Lighting?

1) To illuminate escape route signs in a building to allow for safe movement and evacuation in a emergency such as a mains failure

2) They ensure that fire alarm call points and fire equipment provided along the escape routes can be readily located and used

3) To permit operations concerned with safety measures

Regular testing in your premises ensures that your emergency lighting system remains reliable at all times and should an emergency occur then this type of lighting ensures that people can evacuate a building safely.

How Regular is Regular?
The British Standards recommends routine testing should be carried out as follows and recorded in a log book:

Daily
This requires a visual check to ensure that emergency lighting systems are operating correctly and that indicators are working. This should be carried out by the 'responsible person' delegated by a company. Any faults should be logged and corrected ASAP.

Monthly
All luminaries should be checked for signs of damage or disrepair. All emergency lights should be briefly tested to ensure that they operate in the event of mains electricity supply failure. This will usually be carried out by the 'responsible person'. Again any faults should be logged and corrected ASAP.

Annually
A full system inspection and duration test of the emergency lights should be performed by a 'competent person' who will log the details, rectify any faults and provide your company with certification for your fire safety records.

Who is a Competent Person?
This is a person who has the necessary skills, training and knowledge to perform emergency lighting maintenance and servicing. They are qualified, experienced in emergency lighting, registered with a government approved body(such as NICEIC) and comply with the British Standards. Your chosen electrical services company or electrician will also be able to advice if all lighting and exit signs are up to date with current legislation and are adequate for the purpose intended.

Who is a Responsible Person?
This is a designated member of staff in a company who can quickly and easily perform monthly checks and record information in a log book. They also need to be punctual with there tests each month and report any faults immediately to the chosen company who manage your emergency lighting system.

Why is it so Important?
Maintaining your emergency lighting and arranging regular testing in your company, ensures your emergency lighting remains fully functional during an emergency where a electrical failure may occur, lights up exit routes and signs for the specified duration.

We maintain emergency lighting for a number of commercial clients in London as well as charities, landlord's properties, rail depots, shops, restaurants & bars. Our aim with this blog post is to make businesses aware of how important it is to maintain there emergency lighting. It plays such an important role for people entering your premises who are unaware of the layout during an emergency; it really could be a lifesaver!

The Benefits of A Pre-purchase Electrical Survey Part 2

Our last blog was about the benefits of having a Pre-purchase Electrical Survey before making an offer on a new home to avoid any nasty financial surprises along the way.

We were recently contacted to carry out an Electrical Survey on a 4 bedroom house in Lewisham that a customer was interested in buying. Our electrician Fred was the chosen one for this assignment and so off he went with his test equipment in tow!

Fred's findings on this property were as follows……

Fault Identified No. 1
There were light fittings not adequately fixed, they were hanging by the wires that were connected to them.

Why is this a fault?
These light fittings are not very safe as they could fall at any time and there is also a risk of a fire starting should there be a fault with one of the fittings.

Fault Identified No. 2
The sockets in this property had been screwed to the skirting board with no backs on them so live conductors were exposed.

Why is this a fault?
Should any of the sockets start arcing due to a loose connection then it could ignite the timber skirting boards which in turn could start a severe fire.

Fault Identified No. 3
This property didn't have equipotential bonding to the gas or water services.

Why is this a fault?
In the event that the live conductor should touch the gas or water pipes within the house, they could become live which in turn could electrocute any person touching any pipe work within the property.

Fault Identified No. 4
The upstairs power circuits had been extended in 3 core flexible cable which was too small for the fuse size that was protecting it.

Why is this a fault?
In the event of an electrical fault, the fuse may not blow which therefore could cause a fire.

Fault Identified No. 5
There was no RCD protection to any socket outlets where portable appliances for the garden may get plugged into.

Why is this a fault?
Any person using portable appliances in the garden would be at risk of an electric shock. This could happen by a person accidentally cutting through the supply flex of the appliance as there trimming a hedge for example or even if a lawnmower has a fault when a person is using it.

Fault Identified No. 6
The consumer unit in the property is not up to the latest electrical standards

Why is this a fault?
New consumer units are fitted with RCD devices so to provide extra protection against electric shock should any faults or accidents occur.

What Do These Faults Mean?
Two of the above items are classed as serious problems and lead to a failed inspection on the property which if not rectified could affect any insurance cover on the property.

The Outcome of This Survey
From our customer having this survey we were able to make them aware of all of the above which they would not have discovered with two viewings prior to making an offer. From that we then were able to give them an estimate to rectify the problems above, advise on which ones were serious problems and would need attention immediately. Our customer could then see what needed to be paid for straight away and what costs were involved for the future. They were then in the position to go back to the vendor with an offer which took into account the works that would need to be done to the property.

At the time that this blog was published we were unaware if our customers offer has been accepted by the vendor but whether it does or not, the vendor is now aware of the faults also.

The cost of this electrical survey was money well spent for this particular customer as it gave them a better insight into the electrics of the property before making any commitments.

We are not saying that every property out there has an underlying problem with its electrics but surely it would be best to know exactly what your buying and if financially you need to plan for works ahead? You wouldn't purchase a car without a MOT so why purchase the most expensive item your own without knowing exactly what your paying for?
.

Thinking of Moving House? - The Benefits Of A Pre-Purchase Electrical Survey

Apparently July saw a rise in the property market but I wonder what percentage of these buyers have or are going to ask an Electrician to carry out a Pre-purchase Electrical Survey on the property before making an offer?

Now I know moving is an expensive time as it is what with your Solicitors and Estate Agent fees, then you have to pay for a Building Survey, and then you have all the other costs involved with moving house, so your probably thinking something like a Pre-purchase Electrical Survey is an expense you could do without. However, imagine your in your new home a few months later, the boxes are unpacked and your past that stressful period, then just as things start to resemble some normality, you have an electrical fault which then leads to you calling out an electrician to find out what the problem is. The Electrician arrives which in turn leads to him telling you that the wiring for example, is in a terrible condition and more work is required than just the initial problem. The benefit with having a Pre-purchase Electrical Survey done is it will show the condition of the electrical wiring of a property and check the safety of the electrical installation before you comit yourself to a property.

When we buy a property, we never really know what we are going to find as we transform it into our home, walls could be in a terrible condition once you remove the wallpaper, which means you have to have all the walls re-plastered, which was like the house I purchased 2 years ago with my partner which of course we didn't budget for! Now I appreciate that no survey would show up those types of problems but the Building Survey did make us aware of some other things that needed considering, as did the Pre-purchase Electrical Survey we had done. The survey bought to our attention that some areas of the electrics in the house needed modernisation, for example, our kitchen, lounge and dining room power all fed off of one circuit. Now the demands of kitchens these days what with a washing machine, fridge freezer, tumble dryer, dishwasher, microwave, coffee machine and endless amounts of other kitchen appliances we had, it was heading for a fuse overload unless we changed the current electrical set up. Now the two viewings we had would not have made us aware of this, as everything looked fine on the surface and even thought this problem was something that could be easily rectified, the survey helped to highlight the problem to us and made us aware of the costs before deciding on the property.

The things that showed up from us having a Building and a Pre-purchase Electrical Survey did not put us off buying this particular house, the point is we went into this house knowing what to expect and what costs were involved going forward, well minus the wall problems! The survey gave us the opportunity to get a better insight into the electrical condition of our future home and therefore a decision was based on if we wanted and could afford the property or not from the findings.

If you really don't think you have anything to worry about with a property you are considering then why not consider having a Visual Electrical Inspection which gives you a reasonable insight on the condition of the electrical system in a property. The report will highlight anything that may need replacing, if any, in the future which at least gives you some peace of mind.

Whenever a customer calls us at Fulcher Edwards to find out if they should have a electrical survey on a property they are interested in, we always advise them to have one or a visual inspection as it provides you with useful information before making that offer. Its important to remember that just because something is working, it doesn't necessarily mean there are no underlining problems and it is operating safely.

If you are considering looking for a new home anytime soon then don't forget to budget for an Pre-purchase Electrical Survey as it could save you money in the long run. Just make sure that the electrician you use is registered with a Government-approved organisations like NICEIC, as registered Electricians will work to current British Standards which will lead to a job well done, because lets be honest your going to be under enough stress already!

Happy moving!

Light Up Your Garden

Believe it not, it would seem that we are actually having a Summer this year so if your lucky to have one, your no doubt making the most of your garden at the moment with plenty of BBQ's with family and friends that probably continue late into the evening. This time of year your garden is an extension of your home so why not take the time to decorate it like you would your lounge or kitchen? By this we mean with lights and not just by having one to light up the garden to help you see, but by using them it to make a feature of your garden.

There are different types of lighting designs available that would enhance any type of garden whatever size it may be. Just by adding lighting to your walls, trees, shrubs, patio, decking, steps, pond or summerhouse will instantly bring your garden to life.

There are many types of styles and effects you can choose from for your front or rear garden, ranging from traditional, contemporary to eco-friendly and you don't necessarily need to light every area of your garden or spend a fortune to create a great effect.

Below are the different type of effects available to add that wow factor to your garden:

Uplighting
This is when lighting is placed at ground level by placing a light at the base of a tree, shrub or garden building which creates dramatic effects by giving depth and contour.

Water Lighting
This is when lighting is placed in or around a water feature such as a pond. Water is great for acting as a natural mirror and adding beautiful reflections.

Downlighting
This works well when it is used to focus on a particular feature or plant as it can produce some wonderful shadows. This type of effect can also double up as a security feature too if used on a doorway of a building.

Shadowing
This effect can be achieved when placing light in front of a particular object like a statue where it will illuminate it. This works even better if there is a wall or building nearby.

Step/Path Lighting
This type of lighting is usually at low level and helps make the area safe and creates an interest as to where does a particular path or step lead to.

Cross Lighting
This is when lighting hits a particular object from both sides, which adds a softness to the lighting. This works well on benches.

Washing
This type of lighting creates a soft glow effect by placing light at the base of a wall or hedge so that it washes over the surface of them.

Moonlighting
This type of lighting is very effective and provides a romantic feel. This is done by placing and positioning a light in a tree for instance, where the light will be broken up, which then creates a dappled effect on the ground.

Most people think that only landscape gardeners can carry out these type of works, however some electrical services companies do have there own design team who can discuss your ideas, order suitable lights and install them for you and your still gain the same results. However if you would prefer to use a landscape gardening company, its worth checking with your electricians before searching, as they may work closely with a some already. By doing this you not only get a recommendation but the electrical works will be carried out by a company you already know and trust.

Deck lights, rope lights, sensor lights, LED and even security lights are just some of the many different lights on offer to you that can be used, so why not think about updating your garden and adding that wow factor while the summer season is upon us and enjoy it for many more years to come!