On Sun, 14 Sep 2008 08:08:41 +0100, "endymion"
wrote:

I do blame Maggie. Not for my house being my house but because even though
its my house I could get an electrician if I paid for it from SWEB before
privateization ( and I did twice). Now I cant find one willing to come out
at all.

You are going back a bit there !

Things have changed a lot in 18 (?) years. ISTR us using YEB
electricians being a bit of a last resort.

I suppose it depends where you live to an extent but I know there are
electricians but they simply dont want the kind of work we are talking
here. They want simple ( and big as I suppose) jobs - like re wire ( or
better still just plain wire) a whole house. Or maybe if you are lucky put
an extra socket in.

Anything else forget it! Its the same with carpenters and even plumbers to
be honest. You can get a decorator easily but a plasterer is a bit of a
job. They tend to be expensive and often no show or " terminators" - all be
back - b ut they never do come back.


High costs and high taxes make it impossible to make a living
travelling out to do small jobs. A tradesman can bill out about 1,000
hours per year the average salary is over £25k, the tradesman has
overheads, hence I have to pay about £220 a day or part thereof for a
joiner.


What we seem to have a lot of ( and dont need in my area) is IT and web
designers and salesmen for double glazing etc ( and no workmen once they
get the orders!) and graduates in naff subjects are ten a penny and
working in Tesco and co op stacking shelves.

That said, most firms wont employ enough tradesmen and that is another
reason you seem to end up waiting. I have asked a couple of electrical
repair firms and maintenance firms to send an electrician and they too have
let me down.

Now my husband is looking at it. But we still cant find anything. he rang
Creda and they said that the fault that we thought might be on that heater
was one they had met before.

I have a feeling they might have got the wrong end of the stick in a
short telephone call.

Apparently it will wack three times the electric if it stops working.

If the input thermostat sticks closed it would draw current the whole
time it was energised that might in some circumstances equate to 3x
the energy consumption, but the heater would be getting very hot.

So we think its the heater still.

I think you have some more observations to make.

But I shall let you know when we have done all the working out.

Derek