Cowboy builders are a proliferating scourge which can drain a householder’s savings. In response, online platforms have sprung up which list “vetted” traders in response to a postcode search. But how reliable are they?
In March, I reported how AF of Brighton was left with part of her roof missing after hiring a trader to repair a leak. To ensure that she was not scammed a second time, she sought a roofer to repair the damage on Checkatrade, which promises “guaranteed” traders, “rigorous checks” and “recommendations you can rely on”.
She only discovered that the trader recommended by Checkatrade had wrought even more havoc on her roof after she had paid him £12,900. Checkatrade told her she would be eligible for a £1,000 payment under its 12-month guarantee, subject to a survey, but refused to compensate her for the damage.
I intervened, whereupon Checkatrade told AF that, following the survey (and with the prospect of publicity), it had persuaded the roofer to stump up £6,000. It insisted that the surveyor had concluded that the roof did not need replacing. Only after she had reluctantly accepted the £6,000, was she sent a copy of the survey that stated the roof did, indeed, need replacing.
Checkatrade tells me helplessly that the trader was refusing to pay any more but that it would “continue to support” her. Now, after further media pressure, it’s had a change of heart and paid £5,600 in goodwill.
“I doubt I would have had this outcome without your ongoing interest,” she says.
Checkatrade did not respond initially to a request for a comment, but after publication said it was sorry for Ms Finch’s experience with this tradesperson, which did not reflect the vast majority of interactions their customers have with their members.
A spokeswoman added: ‘Though extremely rare, we take incidents of this nature seriously and, having conducted a full and thorough investigation, found that this particular tradesperson fell below the high standards we expect of our members. As a result, we have terminated their membership. As part of this process we were pleased to be able to support Ms Finch in receiving a full refund.”
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• This article was amended on 30 May 2024 to add a comment from Checkatrade that was received after publication.
