I agree. 99% of the time on this program they start running the moment they see him and the cameras rolling up, or they get super aggressive and shout/swear at them instead of answering questions. It was nice to see this guy at least invite them to his office and answer questions, regardless of how I feel about him I can respect that.
I think this whole thing is kinda petty.. he has every right to buy domains, or design websites that are location or keyword based to try an increase his search exposure, even more if he’s paying for SEO campaigns to help rank his pages.. that’s exactly what the algorithm was design for, too beat.
@@stormworks4882 The difference is that an Engineer in the US is in a licensed profession and usually requires a University degree. Personally I completed a five year apprenticeship combined with a four year block release degree course here in UK to qualify for the title "Engineer" but the title does not have the legal security that it enjoys in the US..
I am a tradesman. Companies use "subcontractors" all over the country, same as taxi firms, bus companies and even Ryan Air. I think this companies ethics are wrong but not sure they are breaking any laws really.. I mean we have politicians making promises they do not even attempt to begin, never mind complete.
Just eat aren’t charging the customers though. Just eat take a cut of the restaurants profits. The delivery charge is the standard for what the restaurant would charge without just eat.
I don't condone what this company is doing, and as a tradesman I would not be interested in working for them, the hard fact is any tradesman who is any good will be booked up with work for weeks and whilst they will manage to fit in an emergency for one of their customers, they would not do it so a company like this can make money. That said, I have frequently been called out to jobs where the problem has not been described correctly by the customer or they simply don't have a clue where the problem is. Its not unusual to have to visit a second time with the correct equipment or parts once you have correctly diagnosed the fault. So does it make me a Rogue Trader if I charge for my time in going out initially and finding out what is actually wrong for them? The customer is paying for the expertise of the tradesman in being able to find the problem as well as being able to fix it. It's about time the BBC evened the score a little and made a few episodes of 'Rogue Customers'. People who call you out to quote for something so they can benefit from your knowledge to tell them what needs to be done so they can pop off to B&Q, buy the bits and do it themselves. People who ask you to do a job and then after you've quoted start adding on 'extras' for you to do, for which of course they don't feel they should pay because it only took you a few minutes as you were there anyway. People who let you do the work quoted and then don't pay. Honest tradesmen have a hard enough time without the BBC constantly putting out the message that they are all rip off merchants out to fleece you. They have overheads, insurances, accountants, vehicles, expensive tools which wear out as well as other expenses, no paid holidays, no income if they're too sick to work, pay for their own training courses and trade membership fees etc. People don't bat an eyelid when a solicitor charges them a couple of hundred pounds for an hour's work, but if a skilled tradesman charges £50 for a call out to fix a leak they think they've been robbed!
I had a similar problem yesterday, I gave my car to my regular mechanic for fixing...I use him every time Without fail take both my cars to him and have spent thousands with him, this time my car was to get a new Nearside lower arm ball joint fitted, when I went to collect car after the work was done I wasn’t able to pay as my phone had died he was cool for me to pay when I got home via bank transfer we’ve done this before and we’ve built up a relationship of enough trust where it wasn’t an issue, I then drove off and noticed the car was making a funny rattling noise where he had done work but I couldn’t take the car back as I had to pick my dog up from the vet and couldn’t call him as my phone had died by time I got home that night it was 10pm had a nightmare day and thought I’ll phone him tomorrow, long story short I called him he got all worked up and wanted me to bring the car to him but I was able to at that time as I had work commitments so he was persisting to come out to the car and check it over at my place as my gf was home,he said I’ll check the car but if nothings wrong with my work I’ll have to charge you for my time... I’m like I’ll bring the car to you then there’s no rush I just want to make sure it’s safe to drive... as it sounds like the wheels about to fall off or as if there’s something rattling in the bonnet, he still insists if his works fine he will have to charge me for the time, I told him I’m not keen on paying a charge as the car didn’t have this problem when I handed it in too you all I want you to do is check it over if it’s something unrelated that’s cool I’ll either get the work done and pay you for that or I’ll get it done a later date he starts telling me to come to his house and speak to him like this to his face implying he wants a fight lol The situation escalated a bit in the end but my question is do you think that’s fair and I was being unreasonable? I just can’t see how as my car wasn’t making this crazy juddering rattling noise before I gave it to him, I’d think it’s only rational to then call him and expect him to check it over free off charge. He seemed to be but hurt even after me having to pet his ego and tell him I’m not questioning his integrity or competence with fixing cars as he kept asking me what I know about cars If I was for situations sake a spark and came to your house to fit a circuit board and you called me back next again day saying you’re power kept cutting out I would be like np I’ll be round to have a look as soon as I can I wouldn’t be interested in charging you for call out if it turned out you had a problem with your light bulb I’d just assure you my work is done to standard and if it makes you comfortable call out another company to look over the work but they may charge you for their time
Stephen Robbins - it’s a back to front situation of yours lol I’d be fully expecting to pay someone to come out and identify a problem and to shed some knowledge on something I know little to nothing about
Paying co-presenter Dan almost 2000 GBP per day for driving Matt around on his bike was a far bigger rip-off. But it probably doesn't count if it's the tax payer who got ripped off.
Call me sad, but the first bit was a Triumph tiger, the shot of him rolling down the road is a Yamaha Tenere and then he jumps of a Ktm 1050 adventure? Err, I wish I had a shape-shifting motorcycle haha.
I like Watchdog and I rate Matt as one of the best presenters out there: his mind is very quick and he's very good on camera. But I think they got this one wrong. Yes the guy is perhaps running a business that is a little misleading. But I'm afraid it's 'buyer beware' and they are offering a service. It's expensive for the customer but it is a service. I admired the bloke for inviting them in, sitting down, and taking all the time in the world with them to do an interview. His answers made perfect sense to me and I think Watchdog, for once, have been clutching at straws on this one. He's not exactly a 'rogue trader' is he?
I agree. The part where Matt was getting it wrong is saying that people search "{city/area} Plumbers" are after a local business. No, they're after a business that can serve that location. There's a difference. Your assumptions are your own responsibility. This is common practice in tons of industries and is entirely legal and above board.
Agreed. They are doing the work of finding a local tradesperson - or one who services that area - and they are under no moral obligation to repeatedly inform customers that this is something they could do themselves. I mean, when you call the NRMA (or British equivalent) to come and change your flat tyre, they are not under any obligation to ask: "Do you realise this is something you can do yourself, you halfwit?". There are plenty of things we could all do ourselves, but we don't; we call someone else, because it's just easier sometimes. Does Dominoes have to tell you: "Hey dipshit, you can make a pizza yourself!". Sure, there is plenty of other shady stuff going on in this business, but this particular point seems to be lost on Matt, who is usually quite sharp.
all they are offering is to pick up the yellow pages or use the internet to find someone who does not work for them then demand 50% of the cost of the job as a fee. Almost as pointless and counterproductive as an employment agency :P
"Buyer Beware"? Isn't that the point of Rogue Traders ...to name and shame traders who provide poor quality service? Reading some of the blogs set up by former customers of ERG, it appears that the people this company provides are cowboys. who-called.co.uk/Number/01702567471 worldwidescams.wordpress.com/2016/12/18/emergency-response-group/comment-page-1/#comment-115
It’s quite amazing that the BBC shows programmes about companies that bully the customer and take money through threatening behaviour while directors live the high life, I wonder when they will do one on themselves and the ridiculous wages that we are forced to contribute to
I think WD should have focussed more on why that slice was taking top money from punters then not paying all the tradesmen their cut. He was on his 3rd business whilst the tradesmen are out of pocket having supplied materials and labour........its borderline legal theft.
Why didn't they mentioned charging twice for a call out that should be fine first time not charging the customer for 2 call outs because the first guy couldn't do it. That's more of an issue than them saying they are a local company when not . I think the boss was very mature there he didn't run . But j don't agree with the double chatting that is day light robbery
Does it ever win? Close company open up in another name,using it as a 'front' so they can make real money behind the curtains(ahem drugs) just saying....
If you think he's the only person doing this you are very naïve. Since the workplace pension came in, employers have been subcontracting staff as self employed to get around it.
Total BS about not charging a customer for a problem that isn't fixed. I had a leaking tap in my bathroom, engineer came out had a look and told me that he didnt had the right tool for the job and would come back and finish it tomorrow. I was charged £125 plus VAT for that visit.
Try not getting paid for one there are thousands of trades men out there that have completed jobs on good faith & never been paid now in 2023 still going
matt so why dont you go hound british gas for doing the same. people not after a LOCAL company as you called it there after a company that serves there particular area. I see no wrong here
That's because that alone does not make them wrong. It is actually just a smart strategy. If they send someone who is crap then all you can do is make sure you know the facts and give them a bad review.
Yes but Id imagine you dont charge the customer twice for the same job because the first sub contractor isnt able to do the job. Im sure you also dont lie to customers about reasons for lateness etc. The subcontracting isnt the issue, its the smoke and mirrors.
This is standard practice for these businesses. Pretty much every business online advertises as if they are in different areas. It's the way Internet advertising works for any large business. Bit naive on Watchdog's part.
Sam I know they said hat but I don't understand what they mean. It's a free country, you can trade anywhere you like, you don't need premises. If I want to start a business on the other side of the country, what's to stop me?
Glad I outsmarted these scumbags. I cancelled my card as soon as I saw this video. They tried to withdraw hundreds from my bank account AFTER I had cancelled the job.
"You're saying I should just get a job in McDonalds" They won't want you either. He should have run away like all the others instead of being stupid and arrogant enough to think he could talk his way out of it.
Isn't this almost exactly what uber and airbnb do. Business owner wasn't wrong on many parts, it's just the lying to the consumer bit that they need to get sorted
Mat's really out of his element when he can't just hammer someone with question after question, standing in their car door without giving them as much as a second to answer. I would have pissed myself if I was him and got invited for a nice sit-down discussion knowing I'm pretty much firing loud blanks.
Fact a good builder will not need to advertise because he is so busy doing good jobs for people so don't trust any one who advertises so much because thay are cowboys simple thay need to get new costemers and thay rip u off be careful ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
This one wasn't even bad, only thing I heard wrong was some excuses but it happens everywhere, picking on this compnay seems a bit unfair. The testimonials at the start could of easily done by the subcontractors. Regarding the advertising, that happens everywhere as well and it's what businesses have to do to get above the competition, Matt wouldn't know that has he has a cushy job at the bbc. Unfair one imo.
This guy is a crook, and should be charged with fraud by false representation. He is selling a service that you can do yourself at the end of the day and misleading people.
I’m a plumber and I get companies like this calling me all the time, I blame Google because the more money you pump into Google ads the higher on the search you appear
As a real Engineer, I hate it that all of these people claim the title that they haven't earned. They are Technicians, not Engineers. There's no such thing as a plumbing Engineer. An Electrical Engineer doesn't wire your house. A Mechanical Engineer doesn't fix your car.
It was actually an Apprenticeship 3-4 years ago now! Got started from there, learnt basics in the workplace and had college days throughout my year! :)
I do it full time yeah. But, our director does more of the display advert stuff. I'm more about the optimisation of the website, making it better design for the user etc :)
How can anyone say this isn’t rogue trading? The whole premise of the operation is based upon deception, it operating procedures used by the staff are deception, not to mention the ripped off punters and unpaid trades people. If that’s normal honest business practice to anyone God help you. The lawyer explains it clearly enough.
6:00 There will always be lazy people out there coming up with greedy ways to get paid for other peoples hard work. It is sickening to think that the local tradesmen/women who actually do the work are giving up to 50% ( or more ) of the profit to greedy leech sitting on their arse at the other end of the country.
I have done work for ERG, I. Have problems getting paid every time. I have to ring in and then wait up to 60 days on top of their 30 days that they promise, horrible company.
Conmen need locking up after been giving a severe beating. Their property should be sold and those who have been ripped off should be paid with interest. Obviously we know that doesn’t happen. These filthy conmen are allowed to get away Scott free.
Usually on their side with this but nah, this is a smart business model. They need to have contingencies for when all of the tradesmen they have on file are booked, if the law is that they've to turn customers away that's nonsense. Especially when it comes to the Gas Safe Register. The guy running it is a jobby admittedly, but Matt doesn't have a good point.
As a tradesmen I get phone-call offers from companies like this. usually just waste their time while doing mine work. Fact is that no competent trader would work on these kind of terms. The only tradesmen who would work on these terms are those who cant get work normally and not even on traders website. Competent traders need none of those. SO their traders will really be the worse of the worse.
I worked with them unknowingly. I'm an electrician and gas engineer, when I visited the property I was not aware of anything. When customer explained how she came about me visiting she called ERG and told them she wants to cancel her contract with them. For me it was awkward and embarrassing but I told her the truth. I don't like how these companies work, but credit to him for talking about it, he's earnt some respect. I have since been sent an email to send my qualifications and insurance details to update their systems. So they have out better measures in place it seems. Bizzby is another similar company
I'm a qualified l fabricator/ Welder and nearly every single job I have had is due to agency's cold calling me with no checks and sending me to the jobs. Sometimes I get sent to jobs I'm not qualified to do dispite the fact that I tell them what I can and can't do but they send me anyway. For example I can tig weld Aluminium but I'm not very good at it so I won't waist anyone's time. But agency's send me anyway. Last few times this has happened I have gone back to the company and let them know. Big problem in the UK.
Don’t people understand longevity? Keep people have your business will thrive. It’s funny to watch these desperate people who went though the boring paperwork to set up their own business.
This is a load of shit from the BBC. How many businesses are making money from being the middle man in a transaction?? Tons... I agree with their principles being poor in over charging etc. But it’s a bloody business model that loads of people operate on- not too dissimilar to affiliate marketing. ERG still have to pay high SEO/ marketing costs, there’s more to it than them going through a directory.
Ok it’s not hard just look for a tradesman you’re self. Rather than a national CallCenter on google Pay per click. And don’t give Any one of your card details on the phone before the job is done. And check the reviews before you call them. Seriously there are many good tradesmen out there you just need to take the time and find them yourself. 🙄
