HOW TO TAKE ON THE COWBOYS AND WIN!
Finding the best person to carry out work in your home can be something of a minefield – here’s how to sort the rogues from the professionals
More than 1.5 million homeowners a year report issues with rogue traders – with the most common complaints including poor quality work and a lack of professionalism. And almost 2 million British homeowners have had a trader disappear after being paid, without completing the work. So, how do you find a tradesperson you can trust?
CHOOSE THE RIGHT SITE
Many websites have standards that their members must adhere to, so it’s important to understand exactly how each one works.
❖ Ratedpeople.com connects homeowners with more than 50,000 local tradespeople. The company says: ‘All tradespeople who sign up are screened with Experian so we can establish their identity and financial stability. We also work with Action Fraud UK and Trading Standards, as well as Trustmark [see below]. Tradesmen pay a subscription fee and transactional revenues. We always support homeowners if they aren’t happy, and offer a low-cost alternative dispute resolution and mediator service.’
❖ Checkatrade.com Tradespeople follow a comprehensive vetting process, in which each member is interviewed and a strict background check is carried out. The site carries 23,616 registered services. It says: ‘We verify every member’s identity and contact five former customers to get feedback. We have also worked with nine local council Trading Standards partners to ensure the vetting system is executed to the highest possible standards.
Our members do pay a fee to be part of the site, but they must pass the background checks and promise to uphold the Checkatrade Standard. When an official complaint is filed, we call in that person for a formal review. If a tradesperson receives regular complaints, they will be removed.’
HIGHER STANDARDS There are certain websites that offer even greater assurances to the customer. ❖ Trustmark (trustmark.org.uk) is a Government-endorsed scheme. Firms are given Trustmark accreditation after thorough vetting and on-site inspections to ensure they are upholding industry standards. Trustmark has its own approved alternative dispute resolution scheme. ❖ Federation of Master Builders (fmb.org. uk/find-a-builder/) Before becoming a Master Builder, members must meet the organisation’s strict membership criteria. The FMB also offers a dispute service.
DO...
Ask to see evidence of qualifications and training. For example, anyone working on a gas appliance should be Gas Safe registered.
Request references and follow them up. Look for accreditations with trade associations, and see whether the trader is approved by Trading Standards or registered with an ombudsman.
DON’T...
Sign up a person who knocks on your door and points out a small problem. Reputable tradesmen will not cold call.
Hire someone who says they can start work straight away. Also tread carefully if you get a quote that seems too low.
Choose workmen who will only give you a mobile number, and who can’t – or won’t – provide any references.
Kate Faulkner, property expert from Propertychecklists.co.uk, says: ‘Check reviews online and search the person with “complaint”on Google – you might be surprised at what comes up.’ And for advice on what to do when things go wrong, see goodhousekeeping.co.uk/find-a-tradesman.