A poll of 2,000 adults on the property ladder found those from Newcastle, London and Sheffield are most likely to have fallen victim to a tradesperson scam.
However, 23 per cent confessed they’re still likely to choose the cheapest tradesperson on offer and run the risk, due to the cost of living. And more than a quarter (27 per cent) have booked a trade without sourcing references in findings by Checkatrade, which commissioned the research.
With 24 per cent having completely skipped background checks altogether. This has left 33 per cent of those who have done so regretting their decision to cut corners and forego tradesperson research.
Kim Faura, chief product officer at Checkatrade:
“Recently, we’ve been hearing from our Checkatrade trades that they are being asked to rectify problems created by rogue and unqualified trades. With one in five homeowners intending to do home improvement work this summer, it’s vital that they do their research before hiring a trade. This includes not only referring to directories like ours and our online reviews but also leaving a review once a job is complete.
“This helps us to continuously monitor if members are upholding the Checkatrade Standard, including committing to carrying out quality and fair work.”
The study also found 65 per cent have been left at least slightly disappointed by work carried out in their homes or garden, even if they wouldn’t necessarily describe the worker as a rogue tradesperson. With poor quality results (62 per cent) and leaving a mess behind (24 per cent) the biggest gripes.
But for 20 per cent, the biggest bugbear was the job taking much longer than initially estimated to complete. And 17 per cent felt they were overcharged for their job, according to the OnePoll.com figures. Plumbing was revealed as the trade most likely to leave homeowners dissatisfied (24 per cent), followed by painting and decorating (19 per cent) and bathroom installations (17 per cent).
Nearly a fifth (17 per cent) have also been left disappointed by work done outside, either in gardening or fencing. When it comes to unsatisfactory work carried out by a rogue trade, people have found themselves on average losing £1,150. With six in 10 (60 per cent) saying they had to invest additional money to fix or finish the disappointing work left by a rogue trade.
The five cities residents are most likely to have had a rogue trade
- Newcastle
- London
- Sheffield
- Liverpool
- Bristol
