To complain about this workman

[Shiphard]

I have recently moved into a private rental property. My landlord gave me the contact details for his electrician and asked me to arrange a suitable time and date for the gas check to be done. I thought this would have been done before I moved in but he asked me to sort it.

The issues I had were

1. electrician kept cancelling/not turning up when we arranged.
2. when he eventually came he did the gas check and he was supposed to be fitting me two smoke alarms as there wasn’t any in the house. However he stepped in dog poo on the way to his van to get something and he said ‘I know it’s not your fault but I’ve stepped in dog poo and the times getting on, I’m going to get off home, I’ll arrange another day and time to come out’. This was after he’d already been upstairs and was trodding dog poo all up my stairs carpet and on my new hallway rug which absolutely stunk when he left but he made it all about the inconvenience to himself.
3. I was then worried about being in the house with no smoke alarms, especially as I have a 2 year old. I don’t understand why he couldn’t have just taken his shoes off and do this. He knew we me and my 2 year old would have to be sleeping there that night with no smoke alarms fitted
4. his attitude was off from the start and he was just huffing and puffing, like he couldn’t be bothered to do the job. Hopefully he did the gas check correctly as it seemed he just wanted to rush off.

regarding the smoke alarms the landlord promised me his electrician would be doing them before I got this keys but obviously this never happened

Sorry, just realised it says gas check. It was the electrical safety check he’d come to do.

Bump

Have you got smoke alarms now?

if not go and sort that today. They are very easy to fit yourself.

The guy was out of order.

But what benefit will there actually be of making a complaint? If as I suspect, the answer is none, then I wouldn't bother complaining - a while back I clicked that this should be my rule of complaining and it saved me wasting energy on things which bring no benefit.

Short answer is yes you can complain or leave a bad review for the company, but if the landlord decides to stick with him you'll just create an awkward situation and the guy might just be worse.

I would address this with the landlord more as a "feedback" than a complaint. Be firm but calm and reasonable. Explain that 1) you would like the electrician to stick to the appointments scheduled as it is disturbing your family life (or other reasons), and 2) that he wears overshoes or remove his shoes inside the property. These are perfectly reasonable requests, and I would also remind the landlord of their obligations to have smoke alarm in a rental property, and explain your concerns about them not being installed.

Not if they are wired in, you would need an electrician for that.

But one could very easily buy some non wired in ones & fit them. We have both kinds because it’s just not worth messing around with.

If no fire alarms the property not up to legal requirements for rental. Complain to landlord.

Your landlord is required to provide you with wired in smoke alarms - it should be one of his obligations set out in your contact and is a legal requirement. However there's nothing stopping you buying a cheap battery operated one for peace of mind for yourself until the electrician is allowed to come back. You don't have to attach it to the ceiling - just stand it on a high shelf . . .

You are entitled to a copy of the Electrics condition report that is a legal requirement for a rental. I would ask landlord for your copy all innocently and that is how you’d know if it’s been done correctly. I’d also let landlord know that the smoke alarms have not yet been fitted and you are waiting on the electrician to reschedule as he was unable to complete the work last he came.