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How to Avoid Rogue Trader Horrors…
September 2008Budget Van Insurance’s Handy Pocket Guide keeps the Cowboy Builders and Brickies Away!
Research from Budget Van Insurance* shows the great British public are still leaving themselves wide open to shoddy workmanship and getting ripped off by rogue traders. Nearly half of the nation have been the victim of a ‘rogue trader’, and 48% of people find it difficult to find a good tradesman.
An astonishing 59% of people still don’t check a tradesman’s qualifications before allowing them into their homes, despite a massive 82% admitting they would find a nationally recognised tradesperson’s badge useful. Also, 49% only get one quote before having work undertaken!
With shocking statistics like these, it is easy to see why rogue traders are able to carry on earning their dishonest living despite the many horror stories in the media and seemingly endless television documentaries examining the problem. And, with the current economic climate squeezing everyone’s purse-strings, it is even more important to select the right person for the job in the first place.
To put an end to rogue trader nightmares, Budget Van Insurance has produced a guide to help you hire the tradesman or woman most suitable for the job. With statistics revealing nearly 60% of people have no plans to move house, the likelihood is that many of us will want to make our homes even more perfect. By following the tips inside the guide, home improvements should be as painless as possible.
Mnveer Arkan, Head of Marketing, Budget Van Insurance says: "It is frightening to think that nearly two thirds of people in the country are opening up their homes to complete strangers, without having checked they are who they say they are.
"Whilst the vast majority of tradesmen are honest, hard working professionals, it is the few who are not that give the industry a bad name. It is vital you know who you are employing and what their standard of work is. We hope that our guide will really help consumers to make a wise decision when hiring a tradesperson."
The survey carried out by Budget Van Insurance reveals regional variations in opportunities for rogue traders. For example, the Welsh are less likely to use a tradesperson in the first place, with 21% saying they are “good” at DIY themselves; whilst Londoners are more savvy at checking identities with nearly half of the capital’s inhabitants saying they would check a tradesperson’s qualifications. Scotland is the nation in the UK most likely to use a tradesperson at 46%.
The Budget Van Insurance ‘Guide to Avoiding Rogue Tradesmen’ is an essential pocket-sized guide to keep handy when you’re next booking the services of a tradesperson! The guide can be found at http://www.budgetvaninsurance.com/
* All statistics quoted are from a survey of 1,072 respondents carried out on behalf of Budget Van Insurance between 18.07.08 - 24.07.08 by Opinion Matters.
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Rogue Traders - Key Findings
National Findings:
- 43% have used a tradesperson in the last 12 months - 44% male, and 42% female
- Those aged 55+ were most likely to have used a tradesperson 57%, and those aged 16-24 were the least likely 28%
- 22% haven't used a tradesperson because they can't afford it
- 18% have a friend/relative who is handy about the house
- 15% are good at DIY and don't need a tradesman
- 72% were pleased with the quality of the work, whilst only 7% were disappointed
- 51% think the work was good value for money, 20% thought it was overpriced
- 49% of people only get one quote for a job
- 59% don't check a tradesman's qualifications
- 82% would find a nationally recognised tradesperson's badge useful
- 64% of people find their tradesmen through word of mouth
- 48% struggle to find a good tradesman
- Those who are aged 55+ struggle the most to find a good tradesman at 50%
- Quality of work was the most important trait customers looked for in a tradesperson at 46%, followed by honesty at 29%, and competitively priced at 19%
- 51% have never experienced any type of 'rogue trader' nightmare
- Of those who had, the most frequent was corners being cut resulting in poor quality work at 24%, a mess being left behind 18%, and being overcharged at 17%
Regional Findings:
Scotland-
- Scotland was the highest region to use a tradesperson 45.9%
- Those in Scotland struggle the most to find a good tradesman at 53.2%
- Those in Scotland placed the greatest emphasis on quality of work at 55.9%
London-
- Those in London are most likely to get 3 quotes at 32.4%
- Those in London are most likely to check a tradesman's qualifications at 49.3%
- Those in London would find it the most helpful to have a nationally recognised tradesperson's badge at 90.1%,
- Those in London valued honesty the most at 33.9%
- Electricians are the most demanded tradesman in London at 38%
Wales-
- Wales was the lowest region to use a tradesperson at 35.5%
- Those in Wales didn't need a tradesman as they were good at DIY - 20.4%
- Those in Wales were most pleased with the work at 81.5%
- 22.2% use gardeners in Wales
Yorkshire-
- Yorkshire were the most disappointed with the quality of the work at 13%
- Those in Yorkshire thought that the work was best for good value at 61.1%
North West-
- Those in the North West were the most likely to be unable to afford a tradesman at 30.7%.
East-
- Those in the East are most likely to only get one quote at 60%
- Those in the East were least likely to have suffered a 'rogue trader' nightmare at 46.8%
- Only 9.3% use gardeners in the East
For further information please contact:
Roland Cross/Joanne McGilway
Broadgate
020 7726 6111
The BGL Group
The BGL Group, formerly known as Budget Group of Companies (the Group) was founded in 1992 and has grown to become one of the UK's largest personal lines insurance intermediaries, through a combination of organic growth and a series of major strategic acquisitions (the last major acquisition was five years ago).
The Group now arranges and administers insurance for 1.9 million customers. It operates major contact centre operations (Fusion) in Peterborough, Coventry, Sunderland, Peterlee in the UK, and Cape Town, South Africa. The Group currently employs 2,255 people with its head office in Peterborough.
As an intermediary, the Group is able to access a wide range of underwriters, making it highly competitive in the marketplace, offering core products such as motor, home, commercial vehicle and motorcycle insurance. The Group also offers a wide range of supplementary products, which include breakdown cover, legal protection, travel insurance, life assurance, pet insurance and mortgage payment protection insurance.
In 2006 the Group received 'Intermediary of the Year' (Insurance Age UK Broker Awards) for its outstanding contribution to the insurance industry. In April 2007, the Sunday Times 'PricewaterhouseCoopers Profit Track 100 rankings selected the Group as 'one to watch'. And in October 2007 the Group was ranked 229th in the Sunday Times HSBC Top Track 250 of Britain's 250 biggest mid-market private companies by latest sales.
Budget Van insurance searches a panel of 12 insurers to offer competitively priced van insurance, in addition to exceptional product benefits. In 2006 Budget Van launched various innovative marketing campaigns including 'it's a van man thing' and 'flying traffic wardens', which resulted in it being awarded 'Marketing Campaign of The Year 2006' (Insurance Times Awards). More recently Budget Van and News of the World have joined forces to produce the Dream Dates Calendar 2008.
BISL Ltd, part of the BGL Group is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
Registered Address: Pegasus House, Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, PE2 6YS.
Registered in England no 3231094
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