Latest news with #tradespeople
The Sun
18 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
UK hotspots for rogue traders revealed – how bad is your area?
THE worst hotspots for rogue tradespeople have been revealed, as thousands of households have been left with shoddy work done. A total of 9,703 reports of suspected rogue trader work were recorded last year, consumer charity Electrical Safety First found. 4 4 4 The highest number of reports was for roofing work, with more than 2,000 people filing complaints. Reports were also linked to: General building works (1,018) Plumbing work (881) Electrical work (655) Carpentry work (633) Other types of jobs reported included work on driveways, bathrooms and windows. The data, gathered through a Freedom of Information request, also revealed Greater London as the worst hotspot in the country. It had 2,462 reports of suspected rogue tradespeople last year. Yorkshire and Humber followed closely behind with 2,341 reports. East Anglia and the East Midlands were next with 934 and 793 reports respectively. The West Midlands had the lowest number of reports at just 108. The areas with the most suspected rogue trader reports Greater London - 2,462 Yorkshire and Humber - 2,431 East Anglia - 934 East Midlands - 793 North West - 722 Northern Ireland - 695 Scotland - 438 North East - 364 Wales - 287 South West - 271 South East - 198 West Midlands - 108 Households are being warned rogue traders can leave them at serious risk. Richard Harvey, electrical installation safety expert for Electrical Safety First, said: "With so many reports of suspected rogue trade activity, there's a real chance of dangerous work being carried out in homes that leaves victims picking up the pieces, or worse, at serious risk of harm. "People are still feeling the squeeze from the cost-of-living crisis, and rogue traders will exploit this, perhaps offering to do the work in an unrealistic time frame or at a cheaper price." HMRC Spying on Social Media, M&S Giving Away Free Cakes, & Unemployment at Four-Year-High – Money News Today He warned electrical work can be the most dangerous as shoddy electrics leave you at risk of fire, burns and electrocution. Plus, having poor work done can leave you thousands of pounds out of pocket as it can cause further issues and you'll need to get it fixed. Last year, a rogue trader from Cornwall was sentenced after he left customers £90,000 out of pocket. In one case, he removed load-bearing walls without adequate support for the roof and left electrics in a dangerous state. Another rogue trader from Swindon was sentenced after it was found he carried out dangerous electrical work which was not compliant with building regulations. He'd also issued houseowners with an electrical installation certificate for the electrical work claiming it had been signed off by an electrician who had not visited the property. Red flags to watch out for You can avoid getting caught out by a rogue trader by looking out for these signs… They're available immediately Builders and tradespeople are in demand, so be wary of anyone who can start work straight away. Of course, there might be legitimate reason for this - perhaps they had another job fall through - but it's worth asking some questions. Read the reviews on websites like Checkatrade or on Google Reviews and make sure the person is vetted and qualified to carry out the work. They're VERY cheap If one tradesperson comes in with a quote that's significantly cheaper than all the others, you should be wary. This might be because the work is done in a rush and corners will be cut. Remember, cheap work can't always be rectified and you may pay out more in the long-term to repair the damage. When getting any work done, get a few quotes to give you an idea of the sort of price you can expect to pay. Online cost guides can also help to provide an overview of the amount that various types of work might typically cost. They're asking you to pay upfront A tradesperson should never ask you to pay the full amount upfront. You'll usually pay in instalments, keeping the final chunk of money until the work has been completed and you have confirmed that you are satisfied. You should get a detailed written quote that includes T&Cs and states exactly what is and isn't covered, as well as a receipt for every payment you make. Pay using a secure method rather than handing over cash. They've knocked on the front door While it's not unusual to get a leaflet through the door advertising work, you should never feel pressured into committing to any works by someone who has turned up uninvited on your doorstep. Experts say a reputable tradesperson would never canvas work by knocking on doors - they'll be so in demand they don't need to. Instead, a better way to find a decent tradesperson is through recommendations from friends, family and colleagues.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Shoddy tradeswork sparking more than 700 complaints a week
Shoddy tradeswork is sparking more than 700 complaints a week, Citizens Advice said. The advisory service said it received almost 37,000 complaints about home maintenance and improvements in the past year, making up 12.6% of all complaints it dealt with – the second-largest issue after used vehicle woes. Of the 36,534 complaints, 5,230 of those (14.3%) involved scams or rogue traders. These included cases where a consumer paid for a service but the tradesperson never arrived, and householders being targeted by high pressure sales for services they might not need, at high prices. The top five problems with home maintenance and improvements involved roofing, roof sealing and chimney repairs (22.2%), major renovations including lofts, conversions and extensions (11.9%), window frames and doors (10.6%), plumbers and plumbing (7.2%) and fitted kitchens (7.1%). Citizens Advice said it had helped consumers navigate everything from damaged properties to jobs not being finished, products not working, being charged premium prices for cheap materials, extra costs being added and being 'ghosted' or ignored by tradespeople they had employed. Citizens Advice consumer expert Jane Parsons said: 'The summer is a peak time in which people look to improve or renovate their homes and gardens, but unfortunately, things don't always go to plan. 'Every year, we hear from thousands of people who are left out of pocket, waiting weeks or months for work to be completed, subjected to poor quality work – or even scammed. 'It's so important consumers know what steps to take when there's an issue. It can make all the difference in getting the problem fixed or getting a refund. And it's also important for people to know how to find tradespeople that can be trusted.' Citizens Advice advises consumers that organisations like local councils and trade associations can provide a list of reputable traders. Those who encounter problems should gather paperwork and receipts, take photos to use as evidence, and make notes about what has happened, including times and dates. Problem should first be raised with the trader who arranged the work, but this could be followed up by complaining to the credit card provider if the job was paid for by card, or by using 'alternative dispute resolution' (ADR) – a way of solving disagreements without going to court. If the trader is not part of an ADR scheme, the Financial Ombudsman Service can accept complaints.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The most complained-about home maintenance work revealed
British homeowners are facing a deluge of issues with tradespeople, with Citizens Advice revealing more than 700 complaints about shoddy work are lodged every week. The advisory service reported nearly 37,000 grievances concerning home maintenance and improvements over the past year. This figure accounts for 12.6 per cent of all complaints handled by the advisory service, making it the second most significant issue after problems with used vehicles. Alarmingly, 5,230 of these complaints – 14.3 per cent – involved scams or rogue traders. Consumers reported instances where they paid for services that were never delivered, or were subjected to high-pressure sales tactics for unnecessary and overpriced work. The most common issues reported included roofing, roof sealing, and chimney repairs (22.2 per cent), followed by major renovations such as loft conversions and extensions (11.9 per cent). Problems with window frames and doors constituted 10.6 per cent of complaints, while plumbing issues accounted for 7.2 per cent, and fitted kitchens 7.1 per cent. Citizens Advice has assisted consumers grappling with everything from damaged properties and unfinished jobs to faulty products, inflated prices for cheap materials, unexpected extra costs, and being 'ghosted' or ignored by tradespeople they had hired. Citizens Advice consumer expert Jane Parsons said: 'The summer is a peak time in which people look to improve or renovate their homes and gardens, but unfortunately, things don't always go to plan. 'Every year, we hear from thousands of people who are left out of pocket, waiting weeks or months for work to be completed, subjected to poor quality work – or even scammed. 'It's so important consumers know what steps to take when there's an issue. It can make all the difference in getting the problem fixed or getting a refund. And it's also important for people to know how to find tradespeople that can be trusted.' Citizens Advice advises consumers that organisations like local councils and trade associations can provide a list of reputable traders. Those who encounter problems should gather paperwork and receipts, take photos to use as evidence, and make notes about what has happened, including times and dates. Problem should first be raised with the trader who arranged the work, but this could be followed up by complaining to the credit card provider if the job was paid for by card, or by using 'alternative dispute resolution' (ADR) – a way of solving disagreements without going to court. If the trader is not part of an ADR scheme, the Financial Ombudsman Service can accept complaints. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
The most complained-about home maintenance work revealed
British homeowners are facing a deluge of issues with tradespeople, with Citizens Advice revealing more than 700 complaints about shoddy work are lodged every week. The advisory service reported nearly 37,000 grievances concerning home maintenance and improvements over the past year. This figure accounts for 12.6 per cent of all complaints handled by the advisory service, making it the second most significant issue after problems with used vehicles. Alarmingly, 5,230 of these complaints – 14.3 per cent – involved scams or rogue traders. Consumers reported instances where they paid for services that were never delivered, or were subjected to high-pressure sales tactics for unnecessary and overpriced work. The most common issues reported included roofing, roof sealing, and chimney repairs (22.2 per cent), followed by major renovations such as loft conversions and extensions (11.9 per cent). Problems with window frames and doors constituted 10.6 per cent of complaints, while plumbing issues accounted for 7.2 per cent, and fitted kitchens 7.1 per cent. Citizens Advice has assisted consumers grappling with everything from damaged properties and unfinished jobs to faulty products, inflated prices for cheap materials, unexpected extra costs, and being 'ghosted' or ignored by tradespeople they had hired. Citizens Advice consumer expert Jane Parsons said: 'The summer is a peak time in which people look to improve or renovate their homes and gardens, but unfortunately, things don't always go to plan. 'Every year, we hear from thousands of people who are left out of pocket, waiting weeks or months for work to be completed, subjected to poor quality work – or even scammed. 'It's so important consumers know what steps to take when there's an issue. It can make all the difference in getting the problem fixed or getting a refund. And it's also important for people to know how to find tradespeople that can be trusted.' Citizens Advice advises consumers that organisations like local councils and trade associations can provide a list of reputable traders. Those who encounter problems should gather paperwork and receipts, take photos to use as evidence, and make notes about what has happened, including times and dates. Problem should first be raised with the trader who arranged the work, but this could be followed up by complaining to the credit card provider if the job was paid for by card, or by using 'alternative dispute resolution' (ADR) – a way of solving disagreements without going to court. If the trader is not part of an ADR scheme, the Financial Ombudsman Service can accept complaints.
CBC
04-08-2025
- Health
- CBC
Trades workers among most susceptible to toxic drug deaths, new data suggests
New data from the B.C. Corners Service suggests those working in the trades industry are among those most susceptible to toxic drug deaths. The data stems from a report that monitored the occupations of those who died from toxic drugs over a three-year period.
