There are as many different guarantees on the market as there are manufacturers out there. With bold claims being made that these lights will virtually last a lifetime, you could be forgiven for thinking that the warranties they come with will be equally durable. But, as block managers are finding to their cost, this is not necessarily the case
There are as many different guarantees on the market as there are manufacturers out there. With bold claims being made that these lights will virtually last a lifetime, you could be forgiven for thinking that the warranties they come with will be equally durable. But, as block managers are finding to their cost, this is not necessarily the case
Labour: in or out?
Once these questions have been answered, arguably the biggest issue of all for property managers is whether or not the cost of labour is included in the warranty arrangements they have made with their lighting supplier.
Property managers are unlikely to be commissioning lighting systems direct from the manufacturer – there will be a lighting design company or electrician involved too. So don’t simply assume that the warranty that comes with your lighting is fit for purpose and don’t take it for granted that the labour costs of replacing failed units will be covered.
“In fact,” says Jamie, “the likelihood is that the end user will end up paying considerable additional maintenance costs should their lighting supplier need to come and replace failed units.
Future Lighting estimates that from a resident reporting a failure to getting the replacement installed, logged and signed off by the block manager, the cost of changing just one failed bulb is around £45. Where drivers or other more complex parts have failed and the job involves more than simply replacing a bulb, clearly higher costs will be involved.
So right from the beginning, Jamie recommends checking exactly where your lighting consultant/supplier stands on call-out charges. Are they part of their overall guarantee or will they be charged separately?
““Have the discussion. Ask the question,” he says. “We guarantee five years free maintenance to all our clients on every single installation. They don’t have to worry about hidden costs and that gives them the peace of mind they want”
Here are some questions he suggests block managers ask before commissioning a new or replacement lighting installation:
It really pays to check the small print, so take the time to talk through the warranty with your supplier.