Now John Lewis is selling plumbers!

THE days of wondering if your plumber will actually turn up could be over.

In a bid to help busy families find reliable tradesmen to do jobs in the home, retailer John Lewis is offering to arrange the work for them.

An online service launched by the department store lets users choose from companies it has vetted itself, including plumbers, electricians and decorators.

Using its website or a smartphone app, customers can then choose a time for them to come round.

John Lewis yesterday said it had already trialled its service in Milton Keynes and would now expand this to Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Gloucester and Taunton.

It said the tradesmen would be expected to deliver service worthy of the John Lewis name.

The retailer already has a list of approved tradespeople that it recommends to home insurance customers. Development director Tom Athron added: ‘We know how difficult it can be to find the time in our busy lives to source trusted trade professionals and hope our customers find the service helpful.’

It is the first High Street retailer to offer such a service and an example of how firms are being forced to branch out as they battle a squeeze on consumer spending.

But retail expert Richard Hyman warned the move could be risky.

He said: ‘The challenge for John Lewis is that its greatest strength is customer service and what it is proposing here is to put its name to services offered by subcontractors.

‘When it goes wrong – and it will on occasion – the damage will be done to John Lewis’ reputation, not the tradesman’s.’

The retailer said it planned to launch its expanded service from September 12.