Electricians are most trusted by home owners in the UK

Roofers and builders are considered the least trustworthy trades people while electricians are the most likely to inspire confidence in home owners, new research has found.

Some 38% of householders do not trust builders and roofers when employing them for the first time, making these trades the least trusted for domestic building work and repairs, according to a survey from consumer group Which? Trusted Traders.

But 80% of those surveyed said they trusted the electrician they called in to make repairs and improvements in their home. Central heating engineers were also widely trusted, with 75% feeling confident that they would do a good job.

The survey also asked people about their biggest worries when hiring a trades person, revealing that the largest concern was that they would not turn up at the agreed time, which was cited by 62%.

Poor workmanship and being taken for a ride were other top concerns, with 55% worrying that a trader would do a bad job and 46% anxious that they would be ripped off.

‘It can take a lot of trust to welcome a trader into your home, particularly if they’ve never worked for you before,’ said Raj Kakar-Clayton, managing director of Which? Trusted Traders.

He said that home owners can take the stress out of home improvement by reading online reviews, asking for references and making sure they have a contract in place before the job starts.

Other advice from the consumer group is to be clear about the work that you want completing and ask for quote, rather than an estimate, always ask for references when employing a new trader and to get a contract in place to protect you in the event of a problem.

It also pointed out that membership of a trade association isn’t a guarantee of a good quality trader but it’s generally a sign that a trader wishes to work professionally.