Princess Yachts fraud trial underway

[Ianfs]

Princess Yachts bosses fraud from January last year now gone to trial...

Plymouth Herald Princess bosses 1 million pound fraud

Princess bosses chose contractor against recommendation

[BruceK]

The building industry is rife with this. I have seen it many times, and often quite open and brazen. Extortionate "finders fees" and "tips" are common practise. One major player wanted 10% from us. It's become almost the price of doing business.

[Bigplumbs]

The building industry is rife with this. I have seen it many times, and often quite open and brazen. Extortionate "finders fees" and "tips" are common practise. One major player wanted 10% from us. It's become almost the price of doing business.

I am afraid this statement is not true. I am a chartered Quantity Surveyor who has working in the Construction Industry for over 30 years and my industry is certainly not rife with this sort of thing

[BruceK]

I am a converged networks consultant that 3pC's to many of the big names and I can assure you during my tenure within the industry it most certainly was. In fact as a matter of public record during the BSF, PFI etc process . You can plead innocent or at least ignorance

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7351867.stm

http://www.brodies.com/node/954

http://www.24dash.com/news/housing/2009 ... sebuilding

http://www.building.co.uk/why-is-the-of ... 77.article

[_Ed_]

In around 2007-2010 ish (can't remember for sure now) I was a plumbing contractor then site supervisor (contractor), and had other friends working in a company who FREQUENTLY told me about this between housing associations and various projects they were working on. Made me absoutely SICK and this kind of thing is one of the reasons why I had enough and left. - I couldn't even as a site manager kick off contractors not doing their jobs right because the boss of the company I was working for was mates with the boss of the idiotic other contractors. That was the final straw.

But these housing association bosses frequently had their own houses upgraded and renovated as back handers from the contracting company who got these larger tenders.

I'm well clear of all that nonsense now, but I know people who aren't and it still goes on. Wow just the thought of all that stuff has totally wound me up.

[BruceK]

Part of the problem is the tender process. When margins are driven down to unsustainable levels by excessive competition, and especially by struggling companies desperate for the next contract, or companies "buying" the business it becomes cut throat just to survive. Every client wants something for nothing. This is fine for the short term and is good at keeping prices realistic and fair, but when it becomes the norm there is only one loser (buyer) and a lot of casualties (failed businesses). The whole system promotes monopolies or giants and in the end kills off competition and dilutes quality. I too am glad I am out of it.

[Ianfs]

All this chat reminds me of a line in Armageddon from the nutty explosives genius, Rockhound, just as they are about to launch...........

"You know we're sitting on four million pounds of fuel, one nuclear weapon and a thing that has 270,000 moving parts built by the lowest bidder. Makes you feel good, doesn't it? "

Except our chat is not about the lowest bidder, but the one who can bribe the best.

I suppose if I had bought a new Princess last year, I would be feeling, rightly or wrongly, that it was not only substandard, but too expensive as well.

[BruceK]

Not really. My reading of this was on the offence was related to the demolision and creation of a new yard. Not boat building per se, but buildings construction. As such any boat built that I had was prior to this. Of course, how far this habit has spilled over and how far back remains to be seen. As for being too expensive, I believe I have touched on that subject already. For those that wear their boat like jewelry the more overpriced the better, apparently.

[_Ed_]

boat built that I had was prior to this.

I too am glad I am out of it.

I still have a Fletcher.. Perhaps I should have stayed longer hahaha...!!!

[betty boop]

In around 2007-2010 ish (can't remember for sure now) I was a plumbing contractor then site supervisor (contractor), and had other friends working in a company who FREQUENTLY told me about this between housing associations and various projects they were working on. Made me absoutely SICK and this kind of thing is one of the reasons why I had enough and left. - I couldn't even as a site manager kick off contractors not doing their jobs right because the boss of the company I was working for was mates with the boss of the idiotic other contractors. That was the final straw.

But these housing association bosses frequently had their own houses upgraded and renovated as back handers from the contracting company who got these larger tenders.

I'm well clear of all that nonsense now, but I know people who aren't and it still goes on. Wow just the thought of all that stuff has totally wound me up.

and its horrible when you're on the receiving end of this policy, the LA landlord who sub's out on that basis for a kitchen and major structural upgrades and neanderthals turn up who literally nail kitchen cabinets together and silicon fix wall cabinets instead of screw fixing and the work is blindly approved by the inspector. Its not too funny when you have you're home collapse with evident corruption.