According to CheckaTrade, 6.7 million UK adults have been impacted by a rogue trader over the past year.
Rogue Trading
Rogue trading covers a range of activity where a trader is acting outside of the law or to the detriment of the customer. This includes things like:
- Substandard work which is either poorly done, incomplete, or both
- Providing unnecessary work
- Using products that don’t meet the required weights and measures
- Escalating the price of work from the pre-agreed amount
- Being aggressive or intimidating to the consumer, such as pressuring you into signing a contract you don’t want to sign
Rogue traders can offer a whole range of legitimate services but fail to carry them out in a legitimate way. This may include work on:
- Driveways
- Garden maintenance
- Electrics
- Roofing
- Financial products, such as pensions or investments
- Building work
- Security alarms
Your Right to a Cooling-off Period
If a trader comes to your house and you agree to have a service carried out by them or to buy goods worth more than £42, they must give you 14 days to cancel.
They should not start work without your permission within these 14 days. If you do cancel in this time, you may still have to pay for any work that has already been done and any materials that have already been supplied.
Finding a Good Tradesperson
One of the best ways to find a good tradesperson is through word of mouth, by going off the personal recommendation of someone you know and trust.
Before using a tradesperson’s services, you should ensure they have relevant qualifications and accreditations for the work required. You should also check if they are a part of any national trade schemes.
- You can click here to find registered gas engineers
- You can click here to find registered electricians
- You can click here to find tradespeople who are part of the Competent Persons Scheme
You can also visit CheckaTrade to find recommended tradespeople along with customer reviews.
It’s also worth requesting quotes from multiple tradespeople to get an idea of different prices and what a fair price for the work will be.
Avoiding Rogue Traders
When it comes to rogue traders, you should:
- NOT agree to make full payment before work has been undertaken
- Get a written quote which states what work will be covered and any terms and conditions involved
- NOT accept work from tradespeople who show up on your doorstep. Don’t let them bully you or pressure you into buying goods or services off them
- Be wary of cheap quotes- quotes that are significantly cheaper will often be that way because the work is rushed or corners have been cut
- Be wary of high availability- rogue traders can use busy periods to their advantage by being the only person available to do the work
- Read customer reviews and contact these past customers to check the references yourself
- NOT rush into anything- take your time to do your research and compare prices
- Make sure traders are qualified to undertake the work you require