The going rate for a professional gas service engineer is more than your engineer is charging, you had done your home work and you were able to establish this, DGOBS warned you:
" I have to say I seriously doubt anyone registered could afford to service and appliance for €50, seeing as the vat would be 13.5% the gas cert would be roughly €5, then overheads plus running costs, then subtract the tax, you'd be left with nothing!
you get what you pay for".
I couldn't afford to do business at €50 especially with the extra charges as a RGII engineer, my point is competent and registered engineers come at a price and we are only as good as our last job, so that tends to be the motivation to repair in one visit, you wrote that people are at the mercy of trades men, i disagree, you do your homework, find out what's a high/medium/low price and make a decision, you chose cheap,which is fine for a service but faultfinding takes a lot of skill, also there's lots of engineers out there who are honest and don't rip people off.
i recommend you don't use him again(cheap shot i know)This forum is called "Recommend Tradesmen, Suppliers, etc.".
Nope, i am a trouble shooter, i make a living now mainly by repairing things other people can't and i cover the whole of Ireland, so i have a very good understanding of the type of engineer in this country and their competency level, that's not arrogance just experience, now you feel that the charges for a tradesman can be exorbitant, yes your right but don't mix them up with the type of engineer who does his job properly and takes customer care seriously, cowboys make it difficult for decent engineers, i know the type of engineers who will absorb the price of a part if it proves not to be the fault, it will go back on the van and the cost will be used as a incentive to get it right next time, i have no problem with anybody under cutting me, good luck to them, but i know the sort who do well on price and i have my own opinion on them, i have to deal with a lot of installation were price was more important than quality and the buck stop with me to try to get things rectified, so i am all for not getting ripped off and I'm sorry you are having a bad time of it, but don't think were all out to get you, GaryYou also make an assumption that the tradespeople who are doing these jobs cheaper are somehow not as competent.
Gebbel, I second Gary here, we are not out to get you, but we don't rob people (at least I don't!)
Gary, remember though.....just cos you are paranoid, doesnt mean they are not out to get you!!
BTW gary, GID is heading for CCN1 I believe! (7 hour finals!! woohoo can't wait) maybe a little longer for parity though (the jury is out)
My issue is more to do with AT THAT COST, IS HE QUALIFIED and I would have to doubt it, if you consider the costs WE have to pay to BE QUALIFIED and hold our relevant certs.
This is the worst tradesperson I have ever come across. If word of mouth dictates how much business guys like him get, then it will very soon be the dole queue for him.
if he is not a RGII gas fitter then he has no insurance or proof of his competency, so you should report him before he does do serious damage to someone else's house, Gary
Have a look at: [broken link removed], i carry a ID badge issued by RGII, it might seem over kill to report him, but if your not registered you cannot prove your safe to be working on gas, Gary
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as a RGII engineer he can be reported, so he should be going out of his way to keep you happy and fingers crossed this will stop him from being naughty in the future.