1. When they don’t answer the phone

There are few things more frustrating than arranging a service but then constantly being sent to voicemail every time you call to follow up on their work.

They were extremely responsive at the start but now seem to have completely stonewalled you; in fact, you’re sure that they’ve saved your number just so they know when to leave their phone ringing.

Look, being busy is a fair excuse but there’s a limit to how long it can be stretched out for and everyone’s patience has its limits.

2. When they don’t turn up to do the job

You’ve got through to your tradesman, you’ve arranged a date and time and you’ve cleared your calendar of all commitments. You might even have taken some time off work just to make sure you’re home when they arrive.

And then they just don’t turn up…

No forewarning or anything, just a complete no-show. When you get through to them, they might tell you that they forgot about you or that something urgent cropped (which may or may not be true).

It can be forgivable for the first time, and maybe even the second time, but when it happens again and again, it’s probably just time to cut your losses.

3. When they rip you off

Many tradesmen don’t have a set price-list for their services which you can contrast and compare with other people. It all depends on the context and the circumstance and whether a certain import has been delayed en route to Malta or not.

However, sometimes you just get that niggling feeling in your bones that they’re taking advantage of your ignorance of the topic and are just blatantly ripping you off.

However, you won’t know for sure and it’s only when you do some studies afterwards that you find out, by which time it would be too late.

4. When they provide a shoddy service

It goes without saying that when you hire an expert to carry out a service on something you own, you expect them to do a pretty decent job. But the sad fact of the matter is that sometimes they simply don’t.

You may not realise it straight away, but if your car’s engine experiences the same problems it did shortly after your service or if your pipe starts leaking again just days after it was fixed, then you know something is not right.

Either the problem wasn’t correctly assessed or the solution provided wasn’t the right one – either way it’s money down the drain.

So what’s the solution? How do you find the right person for the job and how can you be sure they’re the right person for the job if you’ve never used them before?

A common tactic is to ask a Facebook group and pick the tradesman whose name features in most responses or who elicits a particularly stellar rating.

However, this system could be flawed at times – people often recommend themselves or their relatives and friends, even though they’d have never used their services.

Enter Check Your Traders.

A website for verified tradesmen is trying to shake up the game in the industry by providing a platform through which homeowners and businesses can search for all types of tradesmen.

Tradespeople of all crafts, from electronics to auto repairs, are invited to register themselves and go through a strict verification process.

Clients will then be able to search for the exact service they need, filter them out according to their locality and pick and assess the available options. There’s also a map option to check exactly where they’re located.

You will also be able to check out and compare the reviews left by clients, a system that in and of itself incentivises the tradespeople to provide a quality service. Check Your Traders has a clear target – to rebuild trust between tradesmen and homeowners.

Here’s the testimony of two trades businesses explaining why exactly they joined Checkyourtraders:

ACJ Cleaning & Hospitality Services:

“We choose Check You Traders because we have done our research on this company and we truly believe that it is the best possible match for growing our customer base and giving our customers that added peace of mind.”

“Over the years, we’ve learned that great service begins and ends with experienced and friendly professionals, which explains our rigorous hiring process. We believe that our team is the best in the business, and have complete and total confidence in every person providing our services.”

“We are ecstatic to announce that we are looking for members to join our growing team in various jobs including Labourers, Cleaners, Housekeeping, Construction Workers, Welders. We will provide the best possible fit for anyone interested in joining our team.”

Cars & More

“We strive to source excellent conditioned vehicles at the best price possible, whilst also offering monthly payments schemes and part exchange.”

“Clients need reassurance that they are working with an honest and trustworthy company, and being verified by Checkyourtraders.com is a great way of showing it.”

Many of us have experienced serious issues with tradesmen and social media groups are awash with customer complaints. However, by providing a platform solely for qualified and competent tradespeople, Checkyourtraders intend to weed out the ‘rogues’ and eventually rebuild trust in the industry.

It’s time to get serious, it’s time to get accountable, and it’s time for a change. Check Your Traders is here to rebuild the lost trust once and for all.

Tag someone who has had problems with a tradesman!