Don't let them in unless they are house-trained

Published 02nd Jun 2008

Schemes that are designed to weed out the workmen who take advantage of your vulnerability in a domestic crisis.

PEOPLE who pick plumbers and electricians at random from phone directories are playing Russian roulette with their wallets.

The less scrupulous tradesmen know only too well that, in an emergency, you don't have time to compare them and that they can charge you almost anything they like.

A solution to this is often much closer at hand than many people realise. Those with household buildings or contents insurance will often find that their policy booklet contains details of a 24-hour helpline that can put them in touch with approved contractors.

Some helplines only deal with emergencies such as broken windows and burst pipes but others cater for repairs to most domestic appliances. Many can also offer useful advice at a time when your common sense can desert you.

They might, for example, remind you to turn off your electricity or water supply at the mains and even advise on where to find the relevant switch or tap.

You will still have to pay for repair costs unless the work carried out actually falls within the scope of your insurance but at least the charges are likely to be in line with the market norm.

Robin Belsom, director at Ipswich-based insurance broker Ryan Insurance Group, said: "The helpline services can be particularly valuable for emergencies that happen out of hours, so policyholders should make sure they keep the number handy. If the risk is likely to be covered by the policy, the insurer will probably send a selected contractor round. However, if it clearly isn't covered, it may give you a short-list of three suitable ones in your area.

"Some insurers will vet the quality of the work after it has been done but even in cases when they don't, the fact that the contractor is on the insurer's panel gives you a valuable degree of protection. Because they get a lot of work from the insurer concerned, they are likely to keep their rates at a reasonable level to maintain their credibility. Some even have agreements with insurers about charging."

Those requiring emergency repairs to kitchen goods, central heating, personal computers and audio visual equipment are also able to access Flyingtoolbox, a free vetting service offered by extended warranty insurer Domestic & General. However, this cannot be used for plumbers and electricians.

Items must be under eight years old to qualify, except in the case of central heating, which, depending on the system, must be less than either five or 15 years old.

The service, which can be accessed by both phone and internet, provides details of repairers from a national network built up by Domestic & General over 15 years. Repairers are allocated quality ratings based on feedback from customer questionnaires and none has paid to be featured. Central heating contractors are guaranteed to arrive within 24 hours and others within three working days.

Flyingtoolbox users can either pay repairers directly or take out a fixed-price deal that covers the cost of the immediate repair and any further repairs needed to the item during the next year. This typically costs about £100. Furthermore, if the item proves beyond repair or more expensive to repair than buying a new one, the customer will get either a direct replacement or, as Paul McDonald from Woolpit, Suffolk found, they can put what this would have cost towards a higher-grade model.

Mr McDonald opted for a £99 fixed-price deal this January after his washing machine broke down at home, where he lives with his wife Katherine and their three children.

After learning from the repairer that his Blomberg washing machine would need a new timer and motor at a cost of £329.27, he elected instead to replace it with a top-of-the-range Zanussi, paying an additional £80 to cover the costs of upgrading, delivery and installation.

Mr McDonald said: "I wasn't expecting the repair to be quite so expensive so the whole thing came as a big surprise. It only took me 15 minutes to choose a suitable contractor and to arrange the fixed-rate deal over the internet. I am extremely wary of using workmen from Yellow Pages because I have been overcharged by them in the past."

Internet-based Improveline offers another free vetting service, providing details of all craftsmen relevant to home repairs and improvement. It cannot, however, be used for emergencies and does not offer a fixed-rate option.

Improveline, which can select a shortlist of three suitable options, gives recommendations from previous customers about contractors together with details of how long they have been in business and whether they have any county court judgments against them.
By Edmund Tirbutt

Source: ' Telegraph '

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