Thursday, April 5, 2007
Category:
Home Improvements
A recent study conducted by Direct Line has shown that one in six, (that is 17%) of British homeowners have had some home improvement work carried out in the last 2 years by an unqualified or improperly trained tradesperson.
As a result, British homeowners are shelling out millions to rectify these botched jobs. Figures collected by Direct Line Home Response show that every year 1.1 million homeowners spend £181 million to fix work carried out by improperly trained tradespeople.
The millions spent rectifying home improvement disasters is further worsened by the fact that rogue tradespeople refuse to revisit substandard jobs (16%) or to honour their work’s guarantee (9%). Consequently homeowners then have to rehire professionals, at an extra cost, to correct the second-rate work.
Andrew Lowe, head of Home Response 24 Insurance at Direct Line commented:
“Homeowners shouldn’t have to shell out twice for the same job. They should have peace of mind that the person they hire is up to the job and able to do the work to a good standard. We would strongly advise homeowners thinking of hiring a tradesperson to ask for ID and qualifications or to consider one of a number of services that have qualified engineers on hand 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”
Research carried out by The Direct Line Home Response 24 has also worryingly highlighted British home owners failure in checking tradespeople for ID before they enter homes, and also the widespread ignorance of the qualifications tradespeople should have. An enormous 92% of homeowners do not know the relevant qualifications of all tradespeople. As a result, 84% of homeowners believe that all tradespeople should have compulsory regulation.
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Homeowners who are thinking of making some
home improvements could consider a secured loan. One of many options, this could help to fund a licensed contractor or plumber to ensure that any improvements made to the home are to the highest standard. Whether the improvements are large, like adding a room extension or small like decorating or touch ups to the garden, a secured loan could be the answer. A secured loan is repayable over a term to suit you, from 5 to 25 years. Homeowners should remember that borrowing over a longer term will increase overall interest charges.
