Cold calling about shower trip switch?

peejay1986

Apologies in advance for the lack of information, I'm working on details passed on to me.

Has anyone heard of people cold calling to get a trip switch added to electric showers? My grandparents have been receiving numerous calls ("James" from an 085 number), telling them they need to install a trip switch on their electric showers.

Firstly, they don't have electric showers in their home. The only electric showers they have bought are for their second house, which I am renting from them. However, this was all done over 10 years ago. As the guy keeps calling, this has naturally got my grandparents worried that there may be an issue.

I know the guy who wired my house originally and got him down to look at things today. He couldn't understand what they'd be calling for as everything is wired correctly and there are trip switches for both showers.

I've asked my grandparents to note the number the next time he rings. My friend is a plumber so we'll call him back and quiz him about things. I've instructed them, under no circumstances, to give him an address or allow him access.

Question is - is this someone chancing their arm and preying on the elderly? Why would it take someone over 10 years to realise they'd not installed something so vital?

If anyone can shed some light on this it'd be greatly appreciated. Very frustrating from my position.

Wearb

peejay1986 wrote: »

Apologies in advance for the lack of information, I'm working on details passed on to me.

Has anyone heard of people cold calling to get a trip switch added to electric showers? My grandparents have been receiving numerous calls ("James" from an 085 number), telling them they need to install a trip switch on their electric showers.

Firstly, they don't have electric showers in their home. The only electric showers they have bought are for their second house, which I am renting from them. However, this was all done over 10 years ago. As the guy keeps calling, this has naturally got my grandparents worried that there may be an issue.

I know the guy who wired my house originally and got him down to look at things today. He couldn't understand what they'd be calling for as everything is wired correctly and there are trip switches for both showers.

I've asked my grandparents to note the number the next time he rings. My friend is a plumber so we'll call him back and quiz him about things. I've instructed them, under no circumstances, to give him an address or allow him access.

Question is - is this someone chancing their arm and preying on the elderly? Why would it take someone over 10 years to realise they'd not installed something so vital?

If anyone can shed some light on this it'd be greatly appreciated. Very frustrating from my position.

Phone the Guards. It may be a prelude to something nasty.

nj78

Have you tried googling the phone number? If it's a valid tradesman then chances are you will hit their website. If not, then you might find a thread somewhere else discussing it.

Otherwise, +1 with the previous poster, sounds dodgy...

Wearb wrote: »

Phone the Guards. It may be a prelude to something nasty.

peejay1986

nj78 wrote: »

Have you tried googling the phone number? If it's a valid tradesman then chances are you will hit their website. If not, then you might find a thread somewhere else discussing it.

Otherwise, +1 with the previous poster, sounds dodgy...

Thanks guys.

Yeah, I googled the number my grandmother gave me but that didn't return anything of relevance. I've asked her to note the number next time and I'll try again.

If it does continue I'll certainly be going to the Gardai.

magentis

When you say there are trip switches for both showers,are they both electric showers or is one of them a pumped power shower?

peejay1986

magentis wrote: »

When you say there are trip switches for both showers,are they both electric showers or is one of them a pumped power shower?

Both electrical, Triton showers.

magentis

peejay1986 wrote: »

Both electrical, Triton showers.

Im not sure but i think there should be some kind of a switch installed with two electric showers so only one can be switched on at a time?

peejay1986

magentis wrote: »

Im not sure but i think there should be some kind of a switch installed with two electric showers so only one can be switched on at a time?

Yep, you're right. That's sorted.

Even still, it's baffling why someone would call over 10 years after they were installed. Have a number now. There's no answer at the minute but I'll be calling every so often until I get one.

Might be something innocent and legit, but just sounds dodgy to me.

scudo2

peejay1986 wrote: »

Thanks guys.

Yeah, I googled the number my grandmother gave me but that didn't return anything of relevance. I've asked her to note the number next time and I'll try again.

If it does continue I'll certainly be going to the Gardai.

Gardai perfer crime provention, they would perfer to check it out before rather than after.
I've been told by gardai mates that they always follow up on on this type of querys from eldery public, and strongly recommend it.

magentis

It does to be honest.

Sir Arthur Daley

People will think of anything for money, more and more scams are popping up. BBC watchdog-Rouge traders are giving plenty people food for thought. The best thing for this James fella is to get him to a premises and have qualified people act as ordinary homeownners and entertain what he is on about.
My bets on he is a scammer preying on the elderly.

peejay1986

Sir Arthur Daley wrote: »

People will think of anything for money, more and more scams are popping up. BBC watchdog-Rouge traders are giving plenty people food for thought. The best thing for this James fella is to get him to a premises and have qualified people act as ordinary homeownners and entertain what he is on about.
My bets on he is a scammer preying on the elderly.

That's what myself and my friend (a plumber) were considering doing but it's too risky. To do this you'd be giving a potential criminal (no idea how bad they are) your home address. Going to keep them at arm's length.

scudo2

peejay1986 wrote: »

That's what myself and my friend (a plumber) were considering doing but it's too risky. To do this you'd be giving a potential criminal (no idea how bad they are your home address. Going to keep them at arm's length.

But please pass on your stoty to the police, scammer wont know where it came from, + it might (WILL) save somebody else.

Sleeper12

Can I suggest that this might be a legitimate electrician trying to drum up business. A lot of homes with electric showers only have a 32amp fuse instead of a 40amp rcbo. (32amp fuse being illegal on new installations & considered unsafe.
I'm not suggesting it warrants harassing people I'm just suggesting there might be an innocent explanation.
IIf not then the guards sound like a plan.

peejay1986

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Can I suggest that this might be a legitimate electrician trying to drum up business. A lot of homes with electric showers only have a 32amp fuse instead of a 40amp rcbo. (32amp fuse being illegal on new installations & considered unsafe.
I'm not suggesting it warrants harassing people I'm just suggesting there might be an innocent explanation.
IIf not then the guards sound like a plan.

Certainly haven't ruled out that option and when I called the number given I was greeted by an answering machine with employee name. I reckon it'll turn out to be a company hard selling. Either way I think it's low as my grandparents have said no to him at least twice but he continues ringing, insisting it's a major health hazard.

I'm going to try ringing him again tomorrow and if I find an answer then I'll update you all, as it may be useful to know.

Sleeper12

peejay1986 wrote: »

Certainly haven't ruled out that option and when I called the number given I was greeted by an answering machine with employee name. I reckon it'll turn out to be a company hard selling. Either way I think it's low as my grandparents have said no to him at least twice but he continues ringing, insisting it's a major health hazard.

I'm going to try ringing him again tomorrow and if I find an answer then I'll update you all, as it may be useful to know.

I fully agree with you. I just thought I'd put that idea to you. There is no excuse for harassing oap's. No means no.

Sir Arthur Daley

peejay1986 wrote: »

That's what myself and my friend (a plumber) were considering doing but it's too risky. To do this you'd be giving a potential criminal (no idea how bad they are) your home address. Going to keep them at arm's length.

That is a good point, like what is said it could be genuine. I remember changing a ball cock in the attic tank in a council house before as the tenant noticed water coming out the vent in the soffit.
The houses (12 in total) had new facia and soffits and they never brought threw the overflow pipe. I rang the fella in the council department who over sees and manages maintenance and he called and told me to sort out the rest of the houses. By right the pvc company should have came back and sorted it but the council wouldnt risk waiting for remenial work to be sorted. For one house to suffer water damage would cost far more than the time it took to sort them.
It could be a case where some work was done incorrect and chances are if its a housing estate its replicated.

Joey the lips

Never heard of cold calling for anything like this. While it's true an electric shower does need it's own breaker any competitent electrician can advise you if your set up is fine.

Next time he rings start the conversation with " ah great I'm delighted you phoned back. I'm looking at getting that work done can you post a quote out to me with your vat number on it as I will need it for insurence purposes".

I reckon that can bring it to a head.

Always get a secon quote though. In fairness. How do really know who is right