Homeowners are leaving themselves at risk by not checking tradespeople’s credentials according to the latest research from home service marketplace, Plentific.com. Nearly four out of five homeowners admit they would hire a trade professional without making sure they had public liability or professional indemnity insurance, leaving them vulnerable to financial repercussions if things go wrong.
Without public liability insurance, any costs arising from on-site injuries or damaged property will fall to the customer to pay. Similarly, if the work carried out, advice given, or specialist services offered by a pro are unsatisfactory, without professional indemnity insurance the financial costs to amend the project will again fall to the homeowner to organise.
The research also showed that only 54% of homeowners check the Gas Safe Register when hiring tradesmen to work on their gas utilities. This percentage drops to 48% for under 55-year-olds, but rises to 60% for homeowners aged 55 and over.
It was also found that 57% of homeowners believe checking reviews from previous customers is a must before hiring a trade professional. Checking their website also ranked highly, with 43% of respondents claiming that this was a key step when hiring a professional. This trend was stronger for younger homeowners, with 63% of 18 to 34-year-olds following this rule, compared to just 39% of respondents aged 55 or over.
