Six tips for finding a tradesman you can trust

Horror stories about the work and failings of rogue tradesmen are such great fodder for television programme makers that it would be easy to think that they'd all been seen off.

But according to a new survey by a leading home insurance group, as many as one in five British homeowners have fallen victim to cowboy workmen. And getting their botched work put right has cost each one of them an average of £1,592 to put right.

However, it is possible to take measures which minimise the risks of falling prey to a dodgy repairer, and the following tips give ways to avoid coming across one.

1. Rely on recommendations Ask family and friends who have had improvements carried out in the past for recommendations of the companies or tradesmen who did their work.

2. Search online Check localquoter.net to find details of experts nearby who specialise in the type of work required. Good reviews on their work and service from past customers also helps experts achieve a better ranking, and thereby get more recommendations. Such recommendations can therefore be used as a guide to a specialist's reliability and quality of work.

3. Ask for references Tradesmen who have been in business for a number of years may well keep any letters they receive from past customers, which they will be happy to show to other potential customers. Some will even ask if they can take photographs of an installation they have completed to accompany their own sales literature. But try to get at least two satisfactory references – after all, they are ‘applying' to carry out a job!

4. Use Government-backed information sources TrustMark is a not-for-profit organisation supported by Government, the building industry and consumer help groups, which aims to help you find reliable tradesmen. In order to be promoted on this website firms have to gain approval after undergoing a series of independent checks on their technical skills, business records and financial status. They must also have a fair complaints system in place.

5. Consult websites run by trade associations A tradesman who is registered with an official body which specialises in his area of work is more likely to be responsible and legitimate, because most of these bodies require a business to reach a particular level of competence and/or experience before letting them join. Many bodies also undertake their own checks on members. But be wary of firms which claim to be members of some such groups, or even non-existant bodies. So always check with the body to which they claim to belong.

6. Resist cold callers These are merely opportunists. There is every chance that they are simply looking to get money from the gullible. A reputable tradesman is likely to have a busy diary of prior commitments, so an indication that someone can start work immediately should set alarm bells ringing.

Tradesmen who appear too friendly, try to use jargon, or seem very pushy are also likely to be trying to exploit weak customers. A genuine expert should be happy for a potential customer to have ‘thinking time' to allow them to do some background research.

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