Monmouthshire Trading Standards is warning people to be aware of rogue traders targeting residents affected by the recent flooding.

It is not illegal for handymen to canvas for work in this way, but it is important that people are cautious and don’t make hasty decisions about agreeing to have work done by traders who come directly to their doorstep. Rogue doorstep trading is an ongoing problem in the UK and work or services carried out can sometimes be unnecessary, of a poor standard, much more expensive than originally quoted or not done at all.

If your home has been damaged by the recent flooding or high winds, getting your house repaired will be something you will want completed as quickly as possible. Monmouthshire County Council Trading Standards have the following advice to help make sure that remedial work goes ahead as smoothly as possible:

Do not agree to have work done by anyone who cold calls or door knocks at your property

Cold callers rarely give householders their contact details or provide them with details of their legal right to cancel a contract within 14 days. They may also tell you that work is required when it is not. If things go wrong you are unlikely to be able to contact the trader again and will have no guarantee for the work.

Obtain at least three quotes for any work

Obtaining a choice of written quotes ensures you can have time to assess and compare the price of work and can make an informed choice about which tradesperson to use.

Check trade body approval or certification

If a tradesperson claims to be a member of a trade body or approval scheme check whether this is true on the scheme or body website. There are advantages to using a trader who is a member of a trade body or approval scheme as they will have been vetted and it is likely that there will be a complaints or arbitration procedure in place in the event that anything goes wrong.     

For certain work, such as electrical or gas work, traders must be qualified and approved as fit to do that work. For gas work, traders must be registered with Gas Safe and you can check who is registered via the Gas Safe website. For electrical work, traders must be registered with NICEIC or ELECSA and you can check who is registered via the NICEIC website and via the ELECSA website. Always check before you engage a trader that they hold the appropriate authorisation to complete work safely and certify it to Buildings Regulations. As well as ensuring the work is safe, you will be required to have certification if you sell your home in the future.   

Do not pay the full contract price upfront

Legitimate tradespeople will generally not expect to be paid anything until work is completed to your satisfaction. You may be required to pay an amount upfront if the work involves expensive parts or fittings but you should only pay the full amount once the work is completed. If work is not satisfactory, the law allows you to withhold a reasonable percentage to reflect any deficiencies in the work.

Speak to your insurance company

If you are insured, make sure you speak to your insurance company before arranging for work to be done. The insurance company may well have their own list of approved contractors or will want to see quotes before they agree to pay for work.

• We hope that everything goes well with the repairs to your home but if you do need more specific advice at any stage you can ring the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133 (Consumer Service Welsh Speaking – 0808 223 1144). Alternatively, you can contact the Helpline via their website. The Citizens Advice website also has guidance on ways to find a trustworthy trader.