LOMUK (ERG – Emergency Response Group)
Is a company that advertises on Google Adwords under various keyword phrases like electricians Luton, plumbers Bedford, locksmith St Albans, pest control Dunstable, glazing Bedfordshire. In fact they seem to cover the whole country.
When you call, they tell you the call out fee is £95 + vat per hour – This seems to have been changed recently to £150 !
and then they ask for your credit card details before they send out an engineer. So they can turn up and drag out a small job to a few hours and charge you whatever they like.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL REPORT
One of the many comments about this company
I had the misfortune to contact a company called ERG – Emergency Response Group for some work. They took my card details beforehand and never sent a receipt for work that turned out to be substandard. They also helped themselves to an outrageous amount of money from my a/c.
I sent repeated e-mails and rang loads of times but just got the run-around from the staff – Lewis, Tyler, Gemma, Laura and another guy who’s name I forget. It seems like several people work there but no-one has authorisation to deal with customer complaints !
In the end I had to contact the card issuer to get the money back and they still haven’t arranged to correct the faults.
ERG are operating from a back office behind an estate agents at 516 London Road, Westcliffe on Sea, SS0 9LD and their Director is Tara Sexton. 0800 211 8597
To read all the comments – Click on Recent comments to the right >>>
As an update to the above, I’ve done some digging.
If you have a look on Company Check and put the name Tara Sexton into the box, it reveals some interesting information. (All this info is in the public domain BTW)
Tara is listed as a director of ERG maintenance and the company is worth – £26.4k , yes you got that right MINUS £26,400.!! (Info correct as of todays date)
So I wonder if ERG will be following LON into obscurity ?
Watch this space !
Worldwide Scams 
They are still ripping off vulnerable customers: taking card details, hiking up the cost when they ring and claim the job has gone over 30 minutes and adding on outrageous fees for “materials”. All with no proof.
Lots of tradespeople are posting that they haven’t been paid for work done – yet ERG charge £65 per 30 mins plus VAT. Don’t use them and warn others!
I used this company last week I have had £162 taken out my account by them for a FIVE minute visit was then told it would be a additional £598 too fix the circuit board, currently in tears as can’t afford it no heating and water for two weeks and have a son with disabilities and a single parent I am in tears and having panic attacks . I read the previous post was charged £62 I was told £135 not told about vat either for five minutes and now cannot get the work done this company something should be done do. To touch this company with a barge pole anyone.😓So upset .
Charged £162 for five minutes . Did not fix anything , whole job was done by another company for £198 for two visits labour and materials, erg are a disgrace, hope they are stopped soon.
I also had a disastrous experience with this lot. Hot water immersion heater broken and they charged £162.50 to send someone out 24 hours later (they claim they can get someone to you within 30-90 minutes of logging your call) and confirm that, indeed, it is broken and if you want it fixed call us back and arrange another job because we don’t carry the parts necessary to fix what’s broken!!!! Utter shambles. Steer clear is my advice. Kat
Emergency Response Group
RIP OFF MERCHANTS !!!
This company should be prosecuted for fraud as they not only charge exorbitant fees they employ or sub contract, so called professional people, who have to be called out again to rectify faults which they did not rectify, for which they charged another £150:00 so a job to service a central heating boiler lasting less than an hour they took £320:00 !!
Their so called customer services is a Sham! They cut you off when they cannot give any valid reasons or excuses and they certainly never ever call you back and once your number is registered they will not answer your calls. Do not deal with them. They have hundreds of complaints and comments on line.
Have complained too everywhere I can about this company , disgusting what they are doing too vulnerable people.
I got ripped off 174 pounds for CCTV cameras installation, The so called engineer which they claimed to be theirs came , walked around and left to come back later as he was going home.. as he was in a rush to go home and come back next week, i got him and cancelled and was charged 174.
Has anyone ever been able too prosecute this company ? I am on a mission I am fuminggggggggggg
Contacted this group at 9am today as needed someone quick to fix heating problem,took card details to book the appointment 125/hr +vat and on top more if I should need material’s,be with you before 1pm,came and went,called them up was told 4pm ,engineer had to deal with a gas leak elsewhere,smelled a rat,checked them out and had to cancel my bank card completely,cancelled the appointment knowing that they they wouldn’t get a penny.total scammers do not use them.lucky escape at this time of year for us.
Hi Lynn so glad they did not get your money , they came too me two weeks ago took £162 out my bank for a guy too come out for five minutes, they then tried too quote me another £598 on top , tried too cancel the £162 but they had took it out before they gave me the quote, reported them too trading standards and found out they have already been prosecuted once, taking them too the small claims court after Xmas . They have done it too hundreds of people .
I have also reported them to trading standards. I am now considering contacting the fraud police.
Wow look in trust pilot the reviews are all terrible .
These lot have just been featured on the ‘Rogue Traders’ bit of the BBC’s Watchdog programme. Never a good sign for a company.
What I can say now, DO NOT USE their service. Also, any company asks card first, Better do not give.
I absolutely can not believe how they rip people off. My elderly parents were scammed by them and we are taking them to the ombudsman. Roll on rogue traders…
Tough shit. If you signed it off, you agreed to the terms over the phone before hand, no excuse to you all.
Dick head, you’ll get what is coming!!
Agree trading standards should take action against this rogue company only targeting vulnerable customers. I am seriously considering taking legal action against this company a call out charge based on telephone conversation stated we only need your bank details to confirm the appointment. Fortunately the whole conversation is recorded. Came out for 5 minutes quoted a ridiculous quote for over 700 pounds and the work costs less than 100 pounds to complete. I naturally ignored their stupid quote but they then had taken funds from my account.
Chris Ford Shoreham by Sea. This company just ripped us off with a bill for £150.00.
Arrived for 16 minutes stated they could not gain access to the problem. They did not return despite promising. Next day we received a bill for £150 on our account.
I spoke to a nice chap called Kieran who had only started with the company 4 days previously who was very sympathetic but unable to help in anyway. He agreed it was appalling and this old man {me} advised him to get out asap. Really distressing for us. Not sure the above comment {tough shit} is particularly helpful or reasonable.
Had same experience with man who came to deal with a wasps’ nest. In the house for 15 minutes and gone without any paperwork. My own stupid fault but what to do next is the question. Still a few wasps crawling about as well!
TOTAL SCAM – run by serial fraudster Laurence Patrick O’Mahony of Southend-on-Sea, Essex (DOB 11Jan1975). Tara Zoe Sexton (DOB 11May1980) is now a Director of one of O’Mahony’s newer scam companies. Look them up on Companies House online. O’Mahony has had numerous companies over the last decade and they all operate in the same way for a few years, as a “call centre” for tradesmen, before they eventually close down. Currently various “ERG” and “All-in-One” companies are operating to scam anyone who phones their 0800 telephone number. All-in-One Home Care Services operate at First Floor Finance House, 20/21 Aviation Way, Southend-on-Sea SS2 6UN. They take your credit card number and charge extortionate fees. Sometimes the local tradesman doesn’t even get paid. If they have scammed you, take out a claim online – research “County Court Business Centre (Online Civil Money Claims)” part of the UK government court system. Costs approx £100. The company is issued with your claim direct, online, no waiting. It’s clear and fast, your best chance to get a result.
Contacted by ERG to do some plumbing work in our local area. Asked them about payment to us, they said, no problem just send in Invoices. After reading the comments on here, we have decided we don’t want to be associated with rip off scammers like them and declined the work. Our customers and our reputation is very important to us, ERG would be bad news I’m sure.
RIPPED – OFF PAID £145+vat (30mins)
Engineer could not read the instruction manual (and finally did exactly what I did this morning before the call out)
Then he had to follow a Youtube clip to help him try to reset the boiler
Finally left unable to help – but will try next visit no doubt at a similar price to my pocket for 30mins plus the part – If indeed it is the right one!
Spent half an hour at my home and should I really pay another £145 plus VAT? when its only a “MIGHT”?
The so called Emergency Response Group ERG needs to get competent engineers
This lad was on his second job with you and “only advertises on facebook”
I will not use again and will not recommend
Very unhappy and I think the company needs to be checked by TRADING STANDARDS – WATCHDOG
TOTAL SCAMMERS!!!!! (Saturday 16th Feb)
I wish I had read reviews before using ERG today – COMPLETE SCAM! PAID £145 plus VAT for an engineer who followed the book (but I was not sure that he was able to read that well) and then followed a Youtube video to help him complete what I had already followed in the morning. Then he left after half an hour with the boiler “MIGHT” need …. I wish I had seen this and the other review sites: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/ergplumbing.co.uk
NEED TO CONTACT THE BBC RIP-OFF BRITAIN
I shall not have them back and have already enlisted the help of a local tradesman
Hello, I am an electrician who has been contacted by ERG have have responded to 18 electrical emergencies and in each case have been able to solve the customers problem; tripping problems etc. I have just realised that I have just been scammed as I have only been paid for 6 of the call-outs and when I contacted them by email to ask them to pay my outstanding invoices, they replied that I have no outstanding invoices. When I think that i have gone out at all times of the day, evening, performed a service and now find that I am not going to be paid, it makes me feel rather sick.
Welcome to the club
BE WARNED: DONT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ERG !
I am a gas safe engineer. ERG called me today to do a boiler repair local to me.
After I had accepted the job I had a feeling I recognised the company phone number and checked them out on line.
The same people have traded under several different companies in the past. As LOM they went into liquidation owing me a large sum of money.
i called back and said i would only carry out the work if they gave card details so I could take payment on completion of the work. Of course they wouldn’t.
The person I was talking to said his name was Travis and he had only been there 4 months working in the call centre and knew nothing about LOM. or other previous companies.
I asked him who the owner of the company is now and he said it was a guy called Laurence but couldn’t remember the surname. However, although LOM was a few years ago that voice seemed awfully familiar and I suspect that I was actually talking to Mahoney himself.
MS TARA ZOE SEXTON former director of ERG MAINTENANCE LIMITED
Current director of ERG FACILITIES LIMITED, ERG HOME LIMITED, ERG FACILITIES HOLDINGS LIMITED
MR LAURENCE PATRICK O’MAHONY former director of LOM
Current director of ERG FACILITIES LIMITED
I wish i had read the comment first. I was desperate and they said they would come out. Call out £145 plus V.A.T. saying they could sort the problem. The man came and said that is was not his department and that he could not do it. He said he would report back to the office and send someone else. I have just received my credit card bill for £348.00. I tried to contact them but they are having no of it. Please stop descent, hard working people from getting ripped off.
I too have been scammed by this company. Surely this is theft and they should be reported to the Police for them to take action. This company has ripped people for far too long and ACTION by the POLICE is required NOW!!!
I was nearly scammed by this company for a dripping tap. I have cancelled my card before they took money out. Why are they still operating??? Surely there is enough on them to stop them
Hi , I have just had the same thing done to me . I also stopped the payment , I’m wondering now if they will fight me for the £150 they say I owe them. They sent a plumber who walked in and said he was the wrong man for the job I needed a drain engineer, they want me to pay for that . I think it’s so wrong when people are desperate for help and they send someone who cant help and expect you to pay for the privilege.
I was scammed for electrician, he walked in after his work in the evening and they took out £150 from my credit card. I reported to credit card card company of the transaction and got my money back.
Tradesmen beware – I am an honest reputable tradesman and this company ERG facilities owe me almost a thousand pounds for work I have completed for their customers over a number of months. My hourly rate was no where near what they were charging their customers. I was constantly being fobbed off that delayed payment was because they had changed offices! I’ve now given up and will take court action. However I am expecting them to go bust so I’ve probably no chance of being paid what I owe now. Con men.
I too have been properly scammed by this company. Used them to unblock drains following a flood. They came out for 20 mins but said it was 2 hours charged us £400 and sure enough the place flooded again two days later. They are complete conmen
I am a Debt Recovery Officer and one of my clients has informed me about ERG as he was conned by them himself. He informed me about this forum and I am bewildered how many people have been just as unfortunate as my client. I am currently in the process of retrieving the money which rightfully belongs to my client, with the evidence he’ll provide ERG wont have chance. We specialize in recovering these sort of debts and I’d love to help more of you. If you’ve had this issue and you’d like our help please call 07511 513049
Hi Gary, I am being chased byERG for payment of 175. I blocked my card after the plumber who arrived came to look at my boiler, I had no heating or hot water and knew it was a pressure thing. Water from the condensing boiler had dripped onto a pipe causing damage. The plumber arrived and was in my house for less than 10 minutes and was not able to fix the problem, leaving me with the same problem . He also stopped more water out of the condensing pump which caused flooding in the kitchen below. They do not take responsibility for this. They say they are passing my bill onto a debt collection agency. Should I pay up? I’m a single mum on a low income, not that that excuses anything just that I needed reassurance which I did not get
Hi Rebecca,
This is the Admin from the Worldwide Scams website.
Please be careful taking any advice from Gary or anyone else who has posted their comments.
I suspect some comments are directly from ERG as I have deleted the ERG website from their comments before approval and I think Gary was in that category. My advice is to pay nothing and ignore all letters from them or the debt collection company. Never answer their letters but return them unopened. (Not at this address) If you respond to them, you basically agree you have a debt and that enters you into a contract and they can take you to court. Get some independent advice… but never respond to a debt collection company.
All the best.
Have done some contracted Gas boiler work for them.
Do NOT trust this company under any circumstances.
They rip their customers off most unethical company l have ever had the misfortune to come into contact with.
Contractors DO NOT do any work for them you won’t get paid. And that is this company’s policy NOT to pay you!!!
I did some work for them six months later no payment keep on promising to pay you next week several times.
Finally got fed up filled in and posted small claims court paperwork.
They then paid me within 2 days
I am newly widowed living alone and coping with things that hubby used to. Had a plumbing emergency few days ago and called this company. Was told £125 plus VAT and parts. They sent someone quickly and he did actually fix the problem and replace a broken Toilet Syphon parts were £30 grand total of £186, ouch! BUT left me with a leak I didnt have before. I did manage to get him back, he fed me a load of bullshit but fixed the leak. Before he left he said he would be willing to do more work on the side cash in hand, hmmm! Well he didn’t fix the problem in fact he made it worse than before. I called again but was told I would have to pay again for call out. Long story short got another plumber someone my son knows and has used , he spotted the problem straight away and said it was something caused by the other plumber. He will fix the leak for a quarter of the price. When i told my son he checked ERG and told me about them featuring on Rogue Traders. Should I try and make a claim for a refund from my bank under Section 75?
Hi Ya Jane,
Do not waste your time as the Credit Card companies will not charge back as this was a service and not a purchased item. I too was scammed by this company and watch out for any new charges on your card, as they have tried to take money out of my account twice previously. This company should be prosecuted for theft. They are a sham company and give a very bad name to honest tradesmen. Google should Ban them, but they will not as they pay Google to be near the top of the listing. I just do not know what the answer is. In future ask friends and neighbours for a recommendation, as this invariably is the best way. Good luck in the future.
I am a tradesman and have done hundreds of jobs for ERG over the past few years and I have been paid for every one of them probably 99% on time with the rare occasional delay but nothing serious. Customers are always happy that the terms are explained to them and are all happy to sign the paperwork at the end of the job. It appears to me that the problem is more with dodgy tradesmen falsifying timesheets or incompetence on their part rather than the company trying to organise tradesmen.
I find this hard to believe but have approved it for entertainment purposes only. Lets see if the customers feel the same…! ADMIN
Not sharing my name as I was only a member of staff and would not trust any of them as far as i could throw them. I naively ended up working for ERG for a few months, before my moral campus finally pushed me away from working for these people. The man that runs ERG is exactly who you all think it is, and this is a scam he has been using for a number of years. Please, If you read this and are considering using them, I strongly advise you not to. I could tell you so many stories of the poor people getting scammed out of money, but that would be pointless. But know this, these are not nice people, and the man in charge is a scumbag. They will bleed you for every penny they can without a second thought.
The only example i will give is when i was forced into charging a elderly man with parkinsons £125+vat to have someone come out and change a light bulb because he couldn’t do it himself. This was the straw that broke the camels back, i left only days after this.
Complete con artists. £162 charged to my partner’s credit card for a 5 min job with no parts. ERG on a Google search came up as a local company, they were not…they simply contact tradesmen in your area to carry out the work. We since found out ERG charged nearly 3 times as much as what the tradesman would’ve charged directly, the tradesman was shocked hearing what we’d been charged up front. Avoid these scammers at all costs or you will regret it!
Its good that you have used your credit card, I got my money back after raising this transaction as fraud. It took some time but the transaction was reversed. I hope this helps.
I called this company because I had a leak in my toilet waste and answered the phone call quickly and efficiently. I was told a plumber would be with me within 4 hours which he was, he told me that he could repair the pipe but if it happened again they would have to replace the pipe, I was so grateful as this is my only toilet, however, the leak was the same , I called them back and they said they would get a quote out to me as a matter of urgency, this quote arrives nearly a week later and it was £334.80 plus the original £162 making a total £496.80. I had already contacted my local plumber who charged me £100 took less than an hour including the cost of the pipe which was £15.00 I have complained to them but got nowhere