Consumerline - News

Beware of the pitfalls of home improvements - Trading Standards - 15/01/2009

The Trading Standards Service (TSS) has warned consumers to be wary when engaging traders to carry out home improvements.

Consumerline, the advice line for the TSS, has received 800 complaints in the last year, from consumers who have had problems with what seemed to be good value home improvement opportunities. These included improvements such as having a new kitchen fitted, building a conservatory or getting double glazing installed.

In relation to kitchens, the complaints were mostly about non-delivery or partial non-delivery of units, wrong goods being sent and kitchens being mis-described.

Complaints about conservatories were mainly about poor workmanship and failure to carry out effective repairs

Stephen Thompson, Consumerline Manager, advised: “Consumers can reduce the chance of experiencing problems by taking a few prudent steps, for example:-

• Ensure you know exactly who you are buying from;
• If you are thinking about buying, a personal recommendation from a friend or neighbour is a good way of ensuring that you are less likely to have problems;
• Research the company - entering business names and telephone numbers into internet search engines may provide you with important information on the company; you are less likely to have problems if you buy from a reputable dealer with an established history of fair trading;
• Do not act in haste - a reputable dealer will allow you time to come to a decision;
• Be wary of un-named traders advertising seemingly great deals – if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is;
• Don't buy on impulse, even if you're given a so-called 'once in a lifetime offer' - you won't know whether it's a good price unless you shop around;
• Don't get drawn into conversation about family or interests - this is a business transaction, not a social call;
• Check out any expert endorsements yourself;
• You don't owe the salesperson anything - if you don't want to buy, refuse firmly;
• If you buy from a salesman who calls to your home, you have a legal right to cancel your agreement, provided you do so within seven days;
• Finally, where possible, pay by credit card. Consumers can minimise the risk by paying at least the deposit by credit card. By using a credit card, the credit card company is usually jointly liable in the event of any breach of contract, or if the supplier goes out of business, provided the cost is over £100.”

If consumers have a complaint, they are asked to contact Consumerline on tel: 0845 600 6262 or tel: 028 9025 3900 or log on to www.consumerline.org

Consumerline is the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment's consumer advice helpline.

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