How to Avoid a Rogue Tradesman
- Do not use companies who insist on being paid in cash or are not prepared to give you an invoice. Your work will not have a valid guarantee and you may be liable to prosecution for VAT fraud.
- Do not use employees of a company who offer to do work privately for 'cash' at a lower price. Again you will not have a guarantee and there is the risk of prosecution for VAT fraud.
- Tradesmen dishonest to employers or Inland Revenue may be dishonest to you.
- Do not use companies that do not have a verifiable address - If they won't tell you where they are, perhaps they do not want to be found.
- Avoid tradesmen who do not have a land based telephone line - What sort of response will you get from a switched off mobile phone if there is a problem?
- Never use an unknown company that has not been recommended to you.
- Do not employ tradesmen who are not members of the appropriate, reputable, trade association - In the case of powerflushing, the Chartered Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineers.
- Never allow any tradesman who does not carry photo identification into your house.
- Make sure you can communicate with your tradesman - He might be cheap, but can he understand what you want him to do?
- Do not employ scruffy tradesmen without company uniforms who drive rusty old vans - Their work will probably be of a similar standard as their appearance.
- Guarantees and Promises are worthless if you cannot find or communicate with Tradesmen.
