My husband has just encountered his first crazy client. I did warn him to leave the job alone some months ago.
To make it as brief as possible. He went to see a lady about some electrical work she needed. He gave her the Devis and then she contacted him and asked him when he could start. He is very busy, so told her he could not start it next week as she had asked. She was quite abusive and slammed the phone down on him.
The end we thought. But no, more than a month later, she phones again and asks when he could do it. He gave her a date and she signed the Devis, returned it by lettre recommande.
The day before he was due to start, he received a call from her saying she had no electricity and wanting him there straightaway. He was miles away and told her he could not as he was working at another clients. (This turned up to be nothing more than a power outage by EDF.)
He turned up the next morning. Shutters were closed. So, he got his tools out of the van, waiting for her to get up. (I might add this was after 9am).
Then she threw open the shutters and promptly gave him a lot of abuse, saying how could he leave a woman who was on her own with no electricity etc, etc, ranting and raving.
Husband had had enough. He had other jobs he could go to, so loaded his tools and left.
In her more saner moments, she had told him, and wait for this, a STRESS CONSULTANT in Paris. (Most of my husband's clients are French.)
I am quite happy for this to be the end of the story but a friend asked if my husband had signed the Devis. I said no. The client yes, but not him. So, he said that was OK. But I really don't want any comeback on this. He does not want or need to go back to do this job.
So, question is, do you think he is within his rights to refuse to carry out the work?