If you are planning on having work done on your house you should contact your local home improvement agency and ask them for a list of approved trades people.
You should also follow these guidelines before you have any work done.
If you decide to have some work done, make a plan of what you want to do and get written quotes from more than one company before you decide who will do the work. Ask friends and neighbours if they can recommend any companies to you.
When you decide who will do the work, you should use the following guidelines to make sure it is done properly.
Agree on a written contract covering details of the work, costs, payment dates, start/finish dates, guarantees, how to sort out any disputes and so on. Don't rely on a handshake.
Ask for details of the company's satisfied customers and try to check them out. Never pay for any work beforehand, especially not in cash. Reputable companies will always accept cheques as payment.
If it is a large job and the trader needs some money before they start the work, pay them in stages and only pay them for the next stage if you are happy with the work they have done.
If you pay or agree to pay over £35 for any services or goods sold to you during a visit to your home or place of work, you have seven days to cancel the agreement. The trader/company must give you a written cancellation form setting out your rights when you agree the contract - if they do not, they are committing a criminal offence and the agreement isn't valid. If you decide to cancel the agreement within the seven days, the trader/company should give you back any money you have paid.
Who to contact
If you have a complaint about a product or service, you can call contact Consumer Direct on 08454 040506.
If you think that there are rogue traders are operating in your area, call your local police or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 1111. And, if you have been a victim of a rogue trader, contact your local Trading Standards office - visit the Trading Standards website and use their postcode finder to find your nearest office.
