I recently used an electrical contracting company as a sub-contractor to do a major electrical refit on a ship. There was quoted work and there were also day-works, ie hourly rates applied. The timesheets were completed on a daily basis, listing name, occupation, hours, job number, job description, etc.
When the time came to settle the bill, a noticed that it was excessive and discovered that a labourer had become an operator and two operators had become electricians - at double the quoted rate!
Yestreday I brought this to the attention of the CEO, and called a meeting with the project manager, MD, accountant and the CEO. When I stated my case about being charged an electrician's rate for an operator, there was a lot of huffing and puffing about how the operator they provided was as good as a qualified electrician and they could sell him at as an electrician, blah, blah.
When I produced the quotes, with the signed timesheets indicating the occupations of their personnel, it was a jaw-dropping, eye-popping momentand the outcome is that they do not have a leg to stand on and they have to adjust their invoices accordingly. Quite frankly, this was fraud on their part.
It was the unlawful misrepresentation of facts; the intention to provide false information, knowing that I would suffer prejudice because of it, and it was calculated to prejudice me.
Hanged by their own time-sheets. Brilliant!![]()
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