TRADES YOU CAN TRUST
If you don’t have recommendations to go on, there are still ways to make sure you get a reliable and properly qualified tradesperson
EVEN top DIY enthusiasts sometimes need builders, plumbers, decorators, or electricians – some jobs such as gas connection are for approved professionals only and others may require several pairs of hands or specialist equipment.
The best route to avoiding a cowboy contractor is hiring someone you, or friends and family, have been happy with.
But that’s not always possible. The next best thing could looking at one of the dozen or so organisations promising traders with the best credentials. Checkatrade is one of the most visible – it sponsors TV programmes. Traders pay from £69.99 a month, for which they get visibility – search for plumber in your postcode and one should pop up.
They have to undergo interviews and be checked for complaints with trading standards.
Potential customers can phone the Checkatrade “appraisal line” and can complain on completion. This is published and traders can rectify work. The Federation of Master Builders has been around since 1942. Membership – starting at £370 a year – requires a minimum twelve months trading, independent inspections every three years, insurance, plus checks on credit and directors. There’s a code of practice, a warranty, and access to an independent disputes arbitration service. The National Federation of Builders has a free “find a builder” facility. Members must provide business and financial references, have public liability insurance, and adhere to a Code of Conduct. It does not provide guarantees but it has a complaints procedure and can expel members. Most pay £535 a year.
Rated People lets you specify what sort of job you want – and then provides up to three contacts among its trader membership, who pay for leads. It has a vetting process. There is disputes resolution and you can complain online.
TrustMark is a not-for-profit, government-backed, organisation which covers 32 different contractor schemes. It costs builders, who sign up to a code of conduct, £40 a year to display the logo. They have to undergo an on-site inspection but there are no customer reviews – instead where there is a complaint, work can be inspected by experts.
The Which? Trusted Trader scheme starts with a minimum £240 non-refundable assessment fee for contractors. This includes finance and trading history, and, in some areas, criminality checks.
Which? looks at 10 customer references taken at random, and, if accepted, traders pay £58 a month. Customers can search online for free for tradespersons.