Plumbing - ''Tradesmen ripping off customers'', homeowners claim

08/11/2007

Over a quarter of UK homeowners claim to have paid over the odds for repairs or home improvements carried out by a tradesman, it has been revealed.

According to a poll from classified ads website Gumtree.com, 27 per cent of Brits feel they have been ripped for work carried out around the home, either for unduly costly labour or for unnecessary parts.

Meanwhile, dissatisfaction with the standard of tradesmen's work was also widespread, with 28 per cent saying they have been unhappy about work carried out by tradesmen in the past.

Gumtree.com spokeswoman Sophy Silver said that it is the general public's lack of awareness of the going rates for the work that leaves us open to being charged extra by unscrupulous workmen.

She said: "The bottom line is that while most Britons know the average to leave as a tip in a restaurant, most of us don't have a clue how much we should be paying for basic repair jobs like a leaking tap, broken window and a handyman."

Homeowners considering shunning professional tradesmen in favour of making home improvements themselves might like to consider consulting Heat and Plumb.

As well as selling a wide range of bathroom and kitchen fittings from leading brands such high-end kitchen sinks from Franke and Oliver Haffne and fitted kitchens from Rapide, Heat and Plumb prides itself on the quality of its advice to guide you through your adventures in DIY.