Avoid being ripped-off by a cowboy tradesman

If you have a home improvement job that needs doing, follow these simple tips and you'll avoid losing out to a cowboy.

My father-in-law is without question the most practical man I’ve ever met. He can do pretty much anything with his hands, he’s even built from scratch a nifty chest of drawers for when the baby arrives in January.

However, a couple of months ago, in a moment of madness, he agreed to have his driveway completely relayed by a cold-calling tradesman with the gift of the gab. And it’s fair to say things didn’t exactly go smoothly.

So if you need to make use of a tradesman, but don’t want to waste money on a chancer, here are some of the things you should do.

Do your homework

One way to ensure you choose the right tradesman for your job is to do your homework on them first. In days gone by that probably meant relying on friends of yours for recommendations, but now the internet does that job for you.

A new site called Elite Trades was launched recently, offering users the chance to review the work listed tradesmen perform. So if you need a plumber, and find one in your area on the site, you can also do a bit of background on just what you can expect from them.

There’s a pretty rigorous process before tradesmen even make it onto the site too. They have to undergo a face-to-face interview with the site founders (tradesmen in their own right), provide a number of references, sign and agree to a strict code of conduct and agree to random visits of their work from Elite Trades.

And the views of customers are taken very much into account – if a tradesmen suffers three negative reviews, they will immediately be removed from the site.

While the site only covers workers in London and the South East, there are other sites that you can also use to ensure you get a decent workman. With Yourworkman.co.uk you post what job you require on the site, absolutely free, and local workmen will then contact you with quotes. You can then choose whichever tradesmen you want, taking into account reviews of their previous work from existing customers. MyBuilder.com works along the same lines. I

With TrustATrader.com you can search for traders in your region who have to have at least two years’ experience in their chosen field, as well as belong to the relevant trade association (more on that later), while you can also read reviews of their work.

Trade bodies

When considering which tradesman to go for, a good idea is to find out whether they are a member of a trade body.

In order to qualify for membership of the trade association, workers will usually have to reach a certain standard, while in many cases they will also need to agree to a code of practice. This does not guarantee that you’ll end up satisfied with the work you receive, but it’s certainly a good guide.

Friends and family

While the internet is a brilliant tool in allowing you to do some proper research on what to expect from any given tradesmen, nothing can truly replace getting a recommendation from a friend or relative.

In my experience, going with a word-of-mouth recommendation from someone you know tends to ensure the workman goes the extra mile too.

Asking questions

This might seem like a bit of work, but it’s worth it in the long run. If you don’t ask the right questions, you may end up saddled with a ropey tradesman and have to spend a lot of time, effort, and most importantly money rectifying the situation.

You should ask about how much experience the workman has of the job you’re looking for, ask for (and then follow up on) references, and in some cases, particularly with builders, to actually go and see examples of their previous work.

You should also make sure that they have insurance cover should anything go awry, including getting them to provide an insurance-backed guarantee, which will cover the cost of getting the job finished should your tradesman go bust before it’s all completed.

Getting in contact

A small but important tip. Before you go ahead with any tradesman, ensure you have a couple of different ways of contacting them – a landline telephone number and physical address are essential. If they will only provide a mobile telephone number, alarm bells should be ringing.

All about trust

Again, before going ahead with the tradesman you’ve found, see if they’re Trustmark approved.

Trustmark is a quality mark, which shows that the firm’s technical skills are regularly checked, they operate to a code of conduct, have all of the correct insurance in place and operate a clear complaints procedure should anything not be to your liking.

The Trustmark scheme is not-for-profit, and backed by various consumer groups, the Government and the building industry itself, so you should feel relatively reassured should your tradesman have it.

Get it in writing!

Most people have a horror story about the cost of the work ending up far more than they were originally quoted.

It’s a really good idea to insist on getting the quote in writing, and with a full breakdown of the various costs (and ALWAYS including VAT) before the tradesman even gets his toolbox out.

In some cases, particularly longer and more complex jobs, there may be the need to pay in stages. Again, be sure to get the timetable for these payments in writing so neither party is in any doubt when the money will be due.

Slap it on plastic

Inevitably, an awful lot of the jobs you will need to use a tradesman for will set you back more than £100. As a result it’s a really good idea to pay using your credit card, as should anything go wrong, you benefit from Section 75 protection – in other words, your credit card provider becomes equally liable with the tradesman. For more on how this protection works, have a read of Your credit card can protect you from the recession.

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