Consumer Protection has advised people planning to hire a tradesperson for a home project to check the tradie’s credentials.
“This applies to whether you are seeking a qualified tradesperson for major work or a handyman for a quick repair,” the Commissioner for Consumer Protection, Trish Blake said.
“It’s important to know the operator you’ve hired is trustworthy and reliable.”
Ms Blake said that while the majority of tradies did the right thing, Consumer Protection was contacted by disgruntled consumers about the minority that don’t.
She said that in the past 12 months, her Agency had received 579 complaints about those working in trades, mostly to do with them failing to exercise due care and skill, as well as wrongly accepting payment.
“To avoid being left in the lurch if a tradie fails to deliver or goes broke, we always recommend only paying a minimal deposit of about 10 per cent or, for larger jobs, negotiate progress payments as stages of the work are completed,” Ms Blake said.
“Paying by credit card is a good option as it provides the protection of getting a charge-back if the goods or services aren’t delivered.”
She said pricing and over-charging were other common issues reported to Consumer Protection “so always get several quotes to compare prices and avoid any surprises once the job is complete”.
“Ensure tradies are licensed (if required) or accredited by trusted industry bodies, and search online for positive or negative reviews,” Ms Blake said.
“Verify claims by asking to see previous work and speaking to past clients,” she said.
“Ask to see a certificate of currency for public liability insurance, which will protect you or third parties against any damage the tradesperson may cause.”
Finally, consumers can conduct a licence search for professions such as an electrician, builder or plumber, on the Building and Energy website.
