Finding Trusted Traders in Ealing

---

Which? check and endorse local firms

The consumer magazine, Which? has launched a new scheme to endorse traders in Ealing.

Action Fraud estimates that customers lose out at least £6.6 billion every year due to unfair trading. The National Audit Office says many people over the age of 55 can also lose an average of nearly £1,100 when they are victims of rogue traders.

With this new scheme traders pay a one-off fee to be assessed. The assessment consists of a credit check, customer reference checks and a visit from a Which? Trusted Trader Assessor (a Trading Standards professional) who will assess various aspects of businesses such as materials, website, advertising, training/competence and complaints procedures. Businesses that are successfully endorsed must then sign up and adhere to a code of conduct, terms and conditions and a ‘What’s expected of you?’ guide.

Stephen McCluskey, managing director at Which? Trusted Traders, said: “Improving your property can pay off and increase the value of your home but people may feel nervous hiring a trader to carry out the work and worry they will be ripped off.

"By choosing a firm endorsed by Which? Trusted Traders, consumers in Ealing can be confident that they will be able to find a reputable trader.”

Andrius Muchinas, a Which? Trusted trader, from Ealing-based LT Carpentry Ltd, said: “Whether it’s an emergency or planned home improvement, people want to hire someone they can trust, but if you’re starting from scratch it’s hard to know who will get the job done – and well.

“Getting an endorsement from Which? means people immediately know my business has been assessed by experts who really know their stuff.''

Which? Trusted Traders and local trader LT Carpentry Ltd have offered their top tips to help people find the right trader:

• Shop around. Get three detailed quotes for the work you would like to be carried out and see what other people say about the traders you are interested in.
• Agree and sign a contract. Before starting any work, get a contract drawn up setting out the cost, the details of the work being carried out and a start and completion date.
• Don’t pay all the money up front. Agree a written schedule of when payment instalments will be made, with the final payment to be made on satisfactory completion of the job.
• Keep records. To better protect yourself if things go wrong make sure you keep the contractual paperwork in a safe place. This would be required if you wanted to pursue any issues.
• Pay by credit card. Paying by credit card, where possible, offers extra protection if things go wrong.

22nd April 2015