closed shop?

[pato]

Why are certain tradesmen and contractors concerned who your villa manager is, is it as I fear, because they run a sort of cartel and you're bypassing their 10% make on everything that's done for you. Therefore if a tradesman steps out of like he's blackballed by the managers of other Villas?

[widge]

What an outrageous suggestion, you mean they might operate like banks and insurance companies and supermarkets and pretty much everyone else in the world? Come on Pato you know better than that.

[pato]

What an outrageous suggestion, you mean they might operate like banks and insurance companies and supermarkets and pretty much everyone else in the world? Come on Pato you know better than that.

Don't like to come across as a smartass, sometimes I play it down like!

[pato]

And on reflection it's operated in a slightly less obvious way in the UK

[Geoff Simcox]

Why are certain tradesmen and contractors concerned who your villa manager is, is it as I fear, because they run a sort of cartel and you're bypassing their 10% make on everything that's done for you. Therefore if a tradesman steps out of like he's blackballed by the managers of other Villas?

Heaven forbid. Interestingly, I sometimes find local tradesmen very expensive. I have two friends in UK, one a qualified carpenter and one a qualified painter and decorator. Last year in February, when they were short of work, I sent them across to paint my Villa, paid for their air fares, car hire materials et al, and they were £1,600 cheaper tham my local quote. They enjoyed the free accomodation and golf - and were so itching to go again, they will be across at the end of the month - driving down from Santander in their van with all the kit - including a new TV, which is £220 cheaper than a CVO supplier has quoted me.

Geoff

[steve]

Some managers certainly stick 10% on for themselves. Friends of mine found this out when they obtained quotes themselves and compared these with the quotes provided by their manager. They have a new manager now.

[e-richard]

Why are certain tradesmen and contractors concerned who your villa manager is

Another possibility is that managers are simply a great source of new contacts and new work for the tradesmen. After all, I suspect that most owners would ask their manager for a recomendation first and that's how tradesmen get to meet owners.

... yeah, I am naive !

[pato]

Some managers certainly stick 10% on for themselves. Friends of mine found this out when they obtained quotes themselves and compared these with the quotes provided by their manager. They have a new manager now.

That's not conjecture it's a fact, when my manager sold his business his successor charged me for a reasonable sized job and added on the bill + 10% management fee, when I queried it he said the previous manager had told him to put 10% on top of any bill I acrued, it was his first experience of management, I tackled the original manager and he said "yes I told him that's how we do it but he wasn't supposed to show it on the bill." It's certain that that's what they do, so be aware.

[Gary/Gaynor]

Gary and |I found our trademan in Portugal via word and mouth. Although British, the tradesmwen we used for decorating and electrical work live and work in CVO and I think know the going rate in general. The painter decorator did such a good job at a competative price we are thinking of asking him to come over to Holland to do some work on our house here as Holland is soooooo very expensive for tradesmen in general. Whether Portuguese of English or any other nationality I think it is a question of if you have the time when out in Portugal try and get a network of good workers together for future projects. |We found asking in local bars the best place to start .
Gaynor

[sam]

Perhaps the trademen ask who the agent is as they want to know if they will get paid.
I have just returned from Carvoeiro after paying a surprise visit to my property.
The pool cleaner had not been since Sept (I paid agent, but she did not pass it on), water bills had not been paid (again, I paid agent, but she did not pass it on) and the water was disconnected (incurring yet more costs in fines, reconnection charges), and a window (for which I had paid the agent) that I had been assured had been fitted in November was not there. Needless to say I dismissed the agent and changed the locks. However, we are out of pocket.

On the plus side, I went and paid water bills and reconnection charge at the Camara in the morning. Everyone was very helpful (although it entailed visiting 3 different departments) and by the time I arrived home about an hour or so later the water had been reconnected. So credit where credit is due.

[pato]

Perhaps the trademen ask who the agent is as they want to know if they will get paid.
I have just returned from Carvoeiro after paying a surprise visit to my property.
The pool cleaner had not been since Sept (I paid agent, but she did not pass it on), water bills had not been paid (again, I paid agent, but she did not pass it on) and the water was disconnected (incurring yet more costs in fines, reconnection charges), and a window (for which I had paid the agent) that I had been assured had been fitted in November was not there. Needless to say I dismissed the agent and changed the locks. However, we are out of pocket.

On the plus side, I went and paid water bills and reconnection charge at the Camara in the morning. Everyone was very helpful (although it entailed visiting 3 different departments) and by the time I arrived home about an hour or so later the water had been reconnected. So credit where credit is due.

Which also begs the question "what else happens when you're not there"? the agent or their helpers stay in your house? they let it off? I know I may sound critical but I know it happens, it's happened to me in the past, most agents are ethical, but there are unfortunately, others who are not.

[pato]

Perhaps the trademen ask who the agent is as they want to know if they will get paid.
I have just returned from Carvoeiro after paying a surprise visit to my property.
The pool cleaner had not been since Sept (I paid agent, but she did not pass it on), water bills had not been paid (again, I paid agent, but she did not pass it on) and the water was disconnected (incurring yet more costs in fines, reconnection charges), and a window (for which I had paid the agent) that I had been assured had been fitted in November was not there. Needless to say I dismissed the agent and changed the locks. However, we are out of pocket.

On the plus side, I went and paid water bills and reconnection charge at the Camara in the morning. Everyone was very helpful (although it entailed visiting 3 different departments) and by the time I arrived home about an hour or so later the water had been reconnected. So credit where credit is due.

Sam, how's about a name? even on a PM

[sam]

At present I am trying to resolve the situation with the agent, however if I do not get my money back then naming & shaming may be one way forward.

[Michael Crane]

At present I am trying to resolve the situation with the agent, however if I do not get my money back then naming & shaming may be one way forward.

From what I can make out you're in a long queue!

[sam]

Sadly, from what I can make out I think you are right.