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Matt0029

Gas Engineer
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Have many on here have experience of working for the council I think they are now all called different housing associations. Have seen a few local ones recruiting at the moment and possibly have a potential interview with one. Any thoughts on this line of work for those that have done it.
 
Done it for years.
Wouldn't touch it these days to many idiots and jobsworths now.
 
Was concerned of hassle of tenants, is quiet a rough area the council I had the offer of an interview off.
 
We use to get good prices on packs but they kept adding more work and snagging more. Yet prices and timescale stayed the same.
Servicing no better poor rates poor conditions.
 
Thanks it would be on Salary on the plumbing side of it. So guess repair that at time scaled.
 
Have many on here have experience of working for the council I think they are now all called different housing associations. Have seen a few local ones recruiting at the moment and possibly have a potential interview with one. Any thoughts on this line of work for those that have done it.
Poor conditions as in places are utterly disgusting

I have worked in some disgusting "posh" private houses. !!

After over 30 years of self employment I now work for our council. It is a piece of cake, for which I am paid a touch over £30K. Obviously not as much as SE can make, but I work 37 hours and have no business worries, or wasted evening calls for quotes. Or accountant, van or other costs. I do keep my personal GS reg, just in case, (they pay for the 5 yearly) and |I do some selected (easy) jobs.

SE do not get 6 months full sick pay, followed by 6 months 1/2 pay, plus SSP. Or 32 days holidays (inc BH's)

As it happens I do basic jobs, as most boilers are maintained by Contractors. The downside is that I cannot choose my jobs, although if a place was dangerous to health, I would refuse to enter.

It is possibly a better job for old guys like me, whereas youngsters need to be looking at current developments, and the energy field is going to change.

So, do not discount it, but be prepared for working within an institution.
 
Pretty much what firemant said. I've worked for our local council for going on 10 years. Yes I do go to some Rubbish holes but I could and do refuse to enter some properties. I don't actually undertake any gas work for the council as it is all tendered out. Basically do maintenance on shift work for 28k+. Get 3 days off a week to run my self employed business.
Downsides for me would be I feel alot of the plumbing I come across is terrible to say the least and should be ripped out and started again but the council just want you to connect upto existing!! A tonne of rough contractors and even in-house plumbers throwing things in. Also I like to get stuck into bigger jobs and just doing maintenance can get boring.
 
Pretty good. Get it over with, then earn some proper money ;)

Although I would struggle with shifts
 
Thanks for the replys, can I ask how strict you find the time restraints given per job tend to be?
 
Its different down in here the job pays about 26 k a year plus ote.
You get a van which you can't use out of hours and can only refuse access if the property has fleas or needles.

You also have a shift pattern here days plus a rota of call outs which isn't great money plus constant inspections by someone who fell out the navy to be a gas engineer.

Yes you do get private homes that can be chatty however i have the option to charge more :)

Balance out the phone ringing as self employed in the eves to getting grief off tenants anyday.



Imho the wages on the books are utter pants , i know plasterers ,brickies,tilers (lesser trades) the maul past 30 k a year on the cards.

All depends how your local council is and if your mindset is on the cards or self employed.

You can get made redundant on the cards anyhow and end up with no work and no contact base .

All depends what you want , won't get me back on the cards with some painter decorator as your boss .....No Thanks
 
Thanks for the replys, can I ask how strict you find the time restraints given per job tend to be?

We do have set times for certain jobs but I mean they are more of a guideline and are all out dated. As long as you dont take the biscuit they dont mind...the best one is we get 2.5 hours to replace an electric shower I mean worst case scenario it's only going to take you an hour or so.
 
Those timescales are long gone down this way. Last I done it was 30 mins a service.
It does tho depend on contract and supervisors
 
You guys that do this HA stuff, do you find a lot of people are still in bed when you get there?
 
The pension is a big draw. I will go for an interview and see what is said.

Matt. Have a look. I can take as long as I want on any job. I have done this for 2 1/2 years, and I don't think I have been criticised once over time. Obviously, different councils will have varying attitudes.

Try to speak to some lads who will be your direct colleagues - hang around outside the depot and catch a few on their way out - I know most of my colleagues would be happy to talk.

My salary actually does include about £4K multi skill, which you have to "prove", but it is basic stuff - although they don't pay it for 6 months after starting.

I can still earn quite a bit on privates, but I really can't be bothered in this weather.

Matt, where roughly are you?
 
You guys that do this HA stuff, do you find a lot of people are still in bed when you get there?

That can be a problem or if lucky they still up from partying for 3 days straight.
 
So I know your contracted to say 37 hours, but what happens if your on a job and you have to work over that evening to get it completed?
 
I also work for housing assoc (ten years) I love the work,
Great hours 35 hr week all the good perks that go with it.
The only downside is the time given to jobs they try to cram as much as they can into your day so this can be frustrating
But I wouldn’t work anywhere else.
 
So I know your contracted to say 37 hours, but what happens if your on a job and you have to work over that evening to get it completed?

Weirdly, yesterday was the first-time I had this for well over a year. If anew rad and run, but the cold feed was blocked at the air sepererator. I cut, cleared and refitted then had a leak on the pump valve that I must have disturbed. Sorted that. Then the pump screamed like hell when fired up. I assume some crud had gone in. I don't do repairs so had no pump to change. Told tenant to leave it running if he can stand the noise, and showed him how to turn off if required.

All was good this morning. To my surprise!

I was 25 minutes late, but will finish early today. They will not pay at overtime unless planned. Bit annoying, but no Biggie when other benefits considered.

If I was if a mind, I would have been entitled to leave job ( even more) incomplete.
 
Thanks for the insight firemant. Air separater, most of been an old system. Guess there's loads of old vented hot water/central heating systems in council houses?
 
Thanks for the insight firemant. Air separater, most of been an old system. Guess there's loads of old vented hot water/central heating systems in council houses?

Again, will vary from LA to LA. About 4 years ago, I did some contracting work in a neighbouring town. LOADS of old boilers with air seps, quite a few BB's as well. Slowly being replaced by combis. They also had a LOT of gas fires (Rob Willeys).

Here, they have removed all gas fires, and there are only a handful of BB's, but only where tenants refuse an upgrade. All BF's and OF's are replaced when the house is void. Most conventional boilers have been fitted / converted to pressurised.

I had forgotten how long it takes to refill a header tanked system!

Good luck with your interview.
 
Thank you. And that's without dealing with an air lock! Remember when doing my apprenticeship helping back fill a few of the mains.
 
I worked for a council years ago through an agency. 8 to 4:30 Monday to Thursday and 1 o clock finish on Friday. Easy work, kitchens (inc. gas point for cooker) and bathrooms as well as some rads. Boiler work was all contracted out. I did planned maintenance and repairs, voids as well as call outs. Every job had a set number of minutes (AM’s (actual munuites)) but you just got it done in the time it took. If you did it quicker you could get bonus but it wasn’t that much. Sparkys and plumbers were on the most. I knew guys (and gals) that joined the council for the pension and other benefits once they’d had enough of being self employed. Most houses were sh*tholes, wipe your feet on the way out. I put dust sheets down to keep me clean. Older tenants looked after there houses.
 
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