Brits do not trust tradespeople

Friday, 16, May 2008 06:09

British homeowners do not trust the tradespeople coming to their homes to carry out repair, renovation and extension work.

According to new research from Quotatis.co.uk, some 82 per cent of Brits do not trust those employed to carry out such tasks in their property.

"The whole process of selecting and hiring a tradesman is increasingly daunting for the consumer," explained Derek Vaughan, managing director at Quotatis.co.uk.

"The sea of options makes it difficult for people to single out the best one, and the occasional horror story ends up tarnishing the whole industry."

Further results of the survey indicate almost half of people struggle to find a suitable tradesperson as there is too much choice, while 67 per cent do not know where to look for reputable people to carry out home improvement work.

"In order to restore faith in the UK's hardworking trade, those involved need to work on improving its image," said Mr Vaughan.

"By joining compliance schemes and industry bodies tradesman can present themselves as a credible business and marketing themselves through third parties could increase their exposure to consumers in a positive light."

Chris O'Toole