By Rise in individuals pretending to be traders in North East Lincolnshire since Covid-19 pandemic
There has been a rise in complaints about individuals who advertise on social media pretending to be traders in North East Lincolnshire since the Covid-19 pandemic began, according to the Council’s Trading Standards team.
Once they have been contacted and paid, these individuals often do not turn up to carry out the work that was promised – or do a “poor job” in the event that they turn up to the property.
They can then be difficult – or even impossible – to track down, as they often do not provide a physical address or valid contact details.
Now, consumers in North East Lincolnshire are being urged to check the validity of traders who they pay to carry out work.
A spokesperson for North East Lincolnshire Council said: “Consumers should always check who they are forming a contract with. Ideally, they should be able to provide a physical address where you can contact them.”
Councillor Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities, said: “Don’t part with your money until you have done your research. When looking to get any work done, the advice is always to get at least three quotes from different companies.
“Don’t necessarily go with the cheapest one as this can often be a sign that they don’t fully understand what is required as they don’t have the correct skills, experience or are being dishonest to get the work.
“Always discuss the job with them and be specific on your needs and wants. A legitimate tradesperson should be available to discuss the work you require, give a realistic financial quote and approximate estimate on how long the work should take.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for two or three recent examples of work they’ve done and contact previous customers, verbally if possible, as some traders provide fictitious references.
“Checking a business beforehand is especially important when dealing with trades such as electricians or gas engineers. If they claim to be a member of a trade association, then you should be able to check this out online.
“Once a written quote has been provided, the trader cannot change the price, unless you ask for extra work not originally included in the quote or they advise you that extra work was required and you agree to it.”
