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View Full Version : Who's Getting the Work



chillerman2006
05-02-2009, 06:47 PM
Since early december, I keep hearing of a/c & ref. companies going under but somebody has got to be taking on their work, where is it going & whats happening to our fellow engineers.

I also hear often through out the year of many companies small to large that are recruiting & that time of year for recruitment is coming up again.

The service industry does not see such a decline in work load as other industries during recession apart from this time of year.

We can all do our bit to keep our own jobs safe and increase work load this year just by making our current customers aware of their responsibility under the F-gas regs - Virgin R22 ends this year.

So if and when your company are recruiting take five and drop their contact details below to help your fellow engineers that have been unlucky enough to fall fail of this latest recession.

You never know it may be YOU :eek:

LRAC
05-02-2009, 06:59 PM
Since early december, I keep hearing of a/c & ref. companies going under but somebody has got to be taking on their work, where is it going & whats happening to our fellow engineers.

Yes were doing the work but not being payed for it, just as your invoice becomes due they go in to administration, with a so called management buy out and were left with supplier debts that we can't pay.

Sorry for my language but if under 18 please look away ******S.

chillerman2006
05-02-2009, 07:15 PM
Yes were doing the work but not being payed for it, just as your invoice becomes due they go in to administration, with a so called management buy out and were left with supplier debts that we can't pay.

Agreed ********s! :mad:

There will be many more stunts like that being pulled as we live in a dog eat dog world.

I think the only way round it is customers need to pay in three stages.

1. before work starts - cost of equipment (including mark up)
2. majority of labour charge as work commences.
3. Final payment before work is completed.

Any that are not prepared to agree a structured payment like the above are high risk and will take companies under with them.

A cold winter seems to coincide with a hot summer so hopefully things will pick up soon. :)

p_p
05-02-2009, 07:34 PM
If the sun doesn't come out this summer I think we'll see alot of companies who do AC only go to the wall, If you do fridge and ac you should be ok.
Just my thoughts, what does anyone else think.

Lets pray for a summer, we are overdue one.


Regards

PP

old gas bottle
05-02-2009, 07:59 PM
chillers mans right, if they dont want to make a commitment walk away, i would sooner be sat on my arse than work it off for nothing, pubs are the worst at present, i dont even go to them anymore,:(

just glad we have a established customer base and hope it stops that way;)

Greengrocer
05-02-2009, 09:02 PM
After having two companies go down on us recently our minimum terms are now 50% up front with order in advance. We also hold back the install of the outdoor units until at least 90% payment has been received. If they baulk at that then they are probably high risk and not worth it anyway.
This applies to fit out companies (worst offenders), main contractors (next worst), end users (best payers), pubs, clubs, and even councils and government bodies.
Even "pay as you go" maintenance work is getting dogdy - just had one company go bust owing £3.5k in outstanding invoices.

chillerman2006
07-02-2009, 01:51 AM
[QUOTE=old gas bottle;134556 i would sooner be sat on my arse than work it off for nothing, pubs are the worst at present, i dont even go to them anymore,[/QUOTE]

Hi Gas Bottle

used to do plenty of pubs, they are one of the worst,

Their best trick for non payment was "sorry we are under new management or we have a new Landlord" nearly took my old boss under :mad:

Dial666
07-02-2009, 01:35 PM
Since early december, I keep hearing of a/c & ref. companies going under but somebody has got to be taking on their work, where is it going & whats happening to our fellow engineers.

I also hear often through out the year of many companies small to large that are recruiting & that time of year for recruitment is coming up again.

The service industry does not see such a decline in work load as other industries during recession apart from this time of year.

We can all do our bit to keep our own jobs safe and increase work load this year just by making our current customers aware of their responsibility under the F-gas regs - Virgin R22 ends this year.

So if and when your company are recruiting take five and drop their contact details below to help your fellow engineers that have been unlucky enough to fall fail of this latest recession.

You never know it may be YOU :eek:

hello chillerman2006
maybe we need to multi-task
fridge in summer
heating in winter
lots of companies do both
its easeier for fridgies to do gas than other way round and work is plenty lately

Daikin=Overated
08-02-2009, 08:07 PM
hello chillerman2006
maybe we need to multi-task
fridge in summer
heating in winter
lots of companies do both
its easeier for fridgies to do gas than other way round and work is plenty lately


Agreed, and easier to diversify if your a smaller company (like myself) perhaps to change with the weather. Although I specialise in domestic/commercial A/C I've found myself going back on the domestic plumbing side and even electrical to make ends meet and in all fairness although initially kicking and screaming I'm kind of enjoying it. Nice to have a change of working environment when up to last year 80% of my work load was in Central London and surrounding retail.

Point being I think you gotta be flexible and take a pragmatic approach when suddenly faced with the abrupt down turn with the economy in order to keep a float. Or you drown!

Best of luck to you all out there:)

Regards,


J.