Tag Archives: homeowners

Ratedpeople.com Launches Find a Tradesman App

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The Ratedpeople.com app connects homeowners with quality, local tradesmen on the go

The UK’s number one tradesman recommendation service RatedPeople.com has today announced its new tradesman comparison app. Available both on Android and iPhone platforms, RatedPeople.com’s Find a Tradesman app enables users to easily locate job-specific tradesmen instantly through their mobile phones.

Predominantly functioning as the fastest and easiest way to connect homeowners with quality tradesmen, the RatedPeople.com app gives homeowners the opportunity to upload descriptions and photos of the work they would like to be done, whenever and wherever. The user is matched with up to three tradesmen in their local area, who are interested in the submitted job. Each tradesman will provide a quote for the work. The homeowner has access to ratings and reviews from the tradesmen’s previous customers, to help when selecting which tradesman to hire.

When the job has been completed, the user can add their own review and recommend the tradesman to their friends. The app also automatically builds a list of all the tradesmen the homeowner has used, creating their own ‘little black book’ of tradesmen.

Key App Features:

·         Upload up to 5 photos to the posted job

·         View each tradesman’s profile: ratings, photos of previous work and qualifications

·         View the RatedPeople.com checklist, with advice for hiring a tradesman

·         Rate their tradesman

·         View all their tradesmen in an address book

·         Share the app and tradesmen details with friends

 

Tariq Dag Khan, CMO of RatedPeople.com, commented: “The mobile industry is booming in the UK at the moment, with 75% of Brits now projected to own a smartphone by 2013. Our tradesmen are well ahead of the curve, 70% already own a smartphone, which is why our business is taking off. With both homeowners and tradesmen able to react with immediate response, finding a tradesman has never been quicker or easier.

“We understand how busy homeowners are during the day and we wanted to come up with a solution that enabled them to more speedily and efficiently manage their home improvement needs. The RatedPeople.com app now gives our customers the chance to instantly connect with tradesmen whilst on the move, providing a service that we believe will help generate more and better quality leads for tradesmen.”

How To Not Get Ripped off By a Rogue Trader

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Half of UK Homeowners Have Been Ripped Off by Rogue Traders – Survey reveals

According to Checkatrade.com – the UK’s most trusted website for monitoring the reputation of tradespeople – half of homeowners in the UK have been ripped off by a rogue trader or cowboy builder, while one in seven has been targeted three or more times.

The survey, conducted amongst 2,000 UK homeowners, found that Londoners are most at risk, with 53 per cent having fallen victim to rogue traders. In Northern Ireland just 3 in 10 have suffered at the hands of cowboys.

Despite the perception that older people are more likely to be preyed on by unscrupulous traders, the research highlighted that younger people are almost twice as likely to be ripped off as the over 50s.

Two-thirds of 18-24 year olds have already been ripped off at least once and a quarter three or more times. Only a third of over 55s have been regularly targeted.

Commenting on the findings, Kevin Byrne, founder of Checkatrade, said: “This research highlights the sheer scale of the problem we face in ‘Rip Off Britain’.

“Rogue traders perform substandard work for financial gain, a disgraceful and often lethal practice that ruins properties and costs people thousands of pounds every year.

“It is important that we vet and monitor trades companies to protect homeowners and their families from cowboys.

“Checking up on someone is quick, easy and free. It is an essential precaution that helps avoid accidents, disruption and financial loss.”

Top Tips to avoid rogue traders

* Watch out for contractors who cold call or doorstep you – ask yourself why they need to.
* Make sure you have adequate contact details for your trader in case things go wrong. In addition to a mobile number you should be looking for a landline number, office address and trade association membership details.
* Reputation is everything. Try to use builders who have been recommended to you by people you trust. Take up references from other satisfied customers who have had similar work done and have a look online.
* Have a look at www.checkatrade.com for details of tradespeople who have been vetted to a high standard, and had their insurance, qualifications and professional memberships verified, with scores out of ten from customers.
* Take the time to properly brief tradesmen and put it in writing to avoid any confusion. Be as detailed as possible.
* Obtain quotes from at least three contractors and insist on a written quotation or estimate for the work. Keep them all on file in case of any disagreement.
* To avoid costs spiralling, try and get the job done on a fixed-price basis in case the work takes longer than expected.
* Delayed start dates or long drawn out works can have a major knock on effect on any other buildings works so agree a start date and estimated finish date. However, trades can be delayed by factors outside of their control.
* Avoid anyone who specifically asks for cash – it is illegal to ask for cash payments if the trader does not put it through the books and declare it as taxable income. Cash jobs may result in a receipt not being given, without a receipt you will have no come back if things go wrong.
* Be careful about requests for upfront payments – it may imply they have cashflow problems. In our experience traders who ask for upfront payments often do so because they cannot get credit at their local builders’ merchants, which may indicate they are not financially healthy.
* Once you agree terms and before work starts draw up a simple contract, including the work to be done, the price and the timeframe. Any reputable builder will be happy to sign it, you should sign it yourself and have it witnessed and signed by an independent third party.
* Once work has begun, regularly check that works are on schedule and keep talking your contractor to make sure things are on track.