Fife’s Trusted Trader scheme a big success

TRADES: Initiative protects consumers from rogue workers who would seek to exploit them

A tool which Fife consumers can use to protect them from rogue and bogus workers is paying dividends, according to a new report.

Fife’s Trusted Trader scheme was set up in 2011 to help residents select appropriate people to do certain jobs, while also providing a platform for legitimate local businesses to showcase their work.

Nineteen local authorities support some sort of similar assured trader scheme, with 11 of those councils coming under the Trusted Trader banner, six labelled Buy With Confidence and the remaining two operating stand-alone initiatives.

With no single national scheme in place, there had been fears the set-up could cause confusion among consumers in knowing if there is a scheme in their area and, if so, how to identify it from other commercial schemes that do not provide the same level of vetting and protection.

However, members of Fife’s environment, protective services and community safety committee have been told the region’s Trusted Trader scheme is going from strength to strength.

Lisa Duncan, lead professional in the Trading Standards team, said: “The outcome is to reduce doorstep crime and cold calling. The impact in terms of the public is enhanced alertness to the problem and risks of doorstep crime, increased confidence among vulnerable people to resist the pressures of doorstep traders and the detriment it can cause.

“Officers have investigated recent cases where some consumers have lost hundreds or thousands of pounds which has a huge impact on personal health and confidence.

“Knowing there are Trusted Traders locally they can rely on without resorting to those who may be rogue traders or bogus workers offering something which seems too good to be true will help to keep our communities safer.”

A report to committee revealed there are 60 traders enjoying membership of the scheme, with five applications in progress.

A wide variety of businesses are represented including joiners, plumbers, roofers, electricians, vehicle repairs and sales, pest control, gardening/landscaping, carpet and upholstery cleaners and even a tree surgeon.

Statistics also suggest more than half of the website’s traffic is from mobile devices and that in the last three months the Fife site has received 26,466 page views with a bounce back rate – how many people leave the site after visiting one page – of just 33.11%.

“The industry standard for bounce back rate is around 60% which shows the Fife site is being engaged with to an even greater degree already, with two thirds of visitors to the site accessing multiple pages,” Ms Duncan added.

The outcome is to reduce doorstep crime and cold calling. LISA DUNCAN