Anyone fit or know anyone on a metering contract

firemant · Oct 18, 2015

Doing a stint with NG, I was getting over 20 jobs a day. Rarely got into more than 4! The problem is that the householer sees no benefit in waiting in for a scheduled meter change, so they ignore the letters. This will no doubt vary with the area covered.
I didn't give a monkeys as I was getting paid per hour.

With regard to follow on work - don't bank on it. The punter is likely to view your "recomendations" with suspicion.

newcastle phill · Oct 18, 2015

Did you get paid for out cards

newcastle phill · Oct 19, 2015

Sorry out calls

firemant · Oct 19, 2015

newcastle phill said:
Sorry out calls

Me?
I was on an hourly rate. Overtime on Saturdays, plus some weird shift payments. There were days when I never got my tools out, but still got paid.
But it was TOFO job, but doing mainly meters, as opposed to a metering contract.
My point was that if you are on a payment per completed job, never underestimate the abortive visits count. But I am sure this will vary dependent on the type pf residents.
Would you take time off work to allow a gasman in to change a meter,unless you perceived some sort of personal benefit ? Frankly, I wouldn't.
On my visits, they weren't all promised for that specific day. They received a letter to say we would be calling in the next 6 months or so. We called FIVE times before cancelling the job, but then it would be reissued some weeks later.
A regular issue was private tenants refusing access as they felt it had to be cleared with their landlord.
Some houses clearly were occupied, but no one answered. It was explained to me by local guys that some religions/culture disallowed/disapproved their women from answering the door whole there were no family men present. I don't actually know if that is true.

If I was considering a metering contract, I would need to know the full terms and conditions and the "what if" scenarios.

newcastle phill · Oct 19, 2015

Too right and thanks for your perspective.
Frankly i cant make the numbers work so will be passing this by.
I would need approximately 11.79 a day over a 5 day week completed jobs at their average rate to be where I wanted considering van running costs conservatively calculated at 3640 over the year. I feel this is unachievable for a number of reasons.

With (from memory) what i recall them saying it would be approximately 6.49 per day on their calculation of what work they would initially be passing over - and that is providing everyone answered the door.

Considering how much time i need to make myself available to them it will impact my own work too much..