Doing up your house before selling? How to spot and avoid rogue tradesmen

Rogue tradesmen are the bane of every honest tradesmen’s life, as – like the few individuals who abuse the trust of the public in every sector – they give the industry a bad name. Whilst the majority of tradesman are honest and reputable, there are some who will do a bad job and be lazy and rude about it, whilst charging you a fortune.

However, for many people, doing up their home is the key to selling it at a good price – in fact a recent DIY website poll showed that around 60% of those proposing to sell their home will carry out repairs and renovations first – so the risk of coming across a rogue tradesman is there. If you’re concerned about encountering rogue tradesmen, remember that you don’t have to bring in the professionals to carry out the smaller tasks, and there is plenty you can do to make your home more attractive for sale without going for costly full scale renovation. For example, something as simple as tidying up your driveway, replanting the garden and mowing the lawn. If your house is a hotch potch of colours then try neutralising the walls in a uniform cream. Replace easy to repair fixtures, such as the bathtub or the kitchen sink and remove old mouldy grout and bathroom seals and replace with new. You may also want to consider replacing old carpet, or hanging new curtains, and decluttering is the home seller’s most effective secret weapon.

However, if you have decided you want to bring in the professionals then there are a few simple steps that you can take to make sure you are dealing with someone dependable. First of all be sure to shop around – using the first plumber you come across means you won’t have a good idea of whether you’re paying the right price for anything and this means you can be ripped off. Avoid using people who have approached you, unless they come with genuine personal recommendations from friends or family. Be sure to get plenty of quotes before you decide to use someone – three is ideal – so you can see what services you should be getting for your money and how much you should be paying for it.

Most tradesmen should have no problem supplying references if you ask for them and it’s a good idea to do a bit of research to check these references are genuine. Finally, spend some time looking at the company you’re thinking of using to see how long they have been trading – you can do this via Companies House, which has a record of all companies in England and Wales. Watch out for very new companies, especially where the tradesman has been in business for years as this could be a sign of a business that has cut its losses and started afresh – often leaving unfinished work and unpaid debts.

If you are confused about these options and wish to speak to a real person, contact us at Jemima Poppy, as we have lots of experience with preparing homes for sale and can offer valuable advice.

If you are facing problems, and would like to speak to one of our advisors in confidence, please call Jemima Poppy today on 01908 232879.