Irvine Times | News | It's NOT a fair cop, says Mr Donohoe

Saturday, 22nd November, 2008

Published: Wednesday, 28th May, 2008 10:45

It's NOT a fair cop, says Mr Donohoe

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IRVINE politician Brian Donohoe is being sued by an electrician over an unpaid bill for £64.

Dale McNair wants the MP to pay up for advice he gave about the electrics at the politician’s Irvine home.

He says the sum is a call-out charge which the Ayrshire Central MP is refusing to pay, despite the electrician flagging up potential dangers.

But Mr Donohoe (pictured) says any work done by McNair should have been covered by his offer in the phone book to offer “free expert advice.”

Now the row has ended up in court after the electrician launched a civil action to get his money.

Labour MP Donohoe, 59, said: “It’s not a case of I can’t pay. I simply won’t pay because Mr McNair’s charges are utterly indefensible.”

He said the electrics at his home starting playing up at the end of last year and he decided to have the system checked out by an expert.

He added: “I knew parts of the system were old but I wanted to see if the problem could be isolated.

“It came to a head while I was away from home at the House of Commons and when I returned the fridge-freezer was affected by the circuit tripping, and it had defrosted.

“I went through the phone book and called a local firm which stated ‘free expert advice’ and ‘inspection and testing’.

He added that all Mr McNair did “was take out a screwdriver, remove a couple of screws and tell me what I already knew”.

But Mr McNair, whose business in based in Drongan said: “Free expert advice is not the same as a call-out charge. If that was the case I’d be out of business.

His wife Frances, the company secretary, said: “Mr Donohoe’s defence is that we offered free advice.

“But that information came from a phone book ad that’s at least two years old.”

“Everyone knows it’s standard for plumbers, joiners and all trades to charge for call-outs.

Mr McNair’s action against the MP was adjourned at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court and will be heard next month.