Householders urged to be more careful when choosing a plumber
- 23% of householders have been unhappy with work carried out by a plumber
- 44% of those people said the plumber couldn’t fix the problem
- 23% said the plumber had even caused further damage
- Plumbing problems can increase during Winter and plumbers will be in high demand Water Regs UK says using an approved contractor scheme provides peace of mind to householders who need help
UK householders are being warned to check a plumber’s credentials before asking them to carry out any work on their home this Winter.
A new survey of over 2,000 people* commissioned by Water Regs UK uncovered a list of unhappy customer experiences suffered by people who needed help from a plumber.
Overall, the findings revealed that more than one in five (23%) of those surveyed said they had been unhappy with work done by a plumber in the past.
Over four in ten (44%) of those who were unhappy said they had experienced occasions where a plumber had failed to fix the problem.
Even more worryingly, over a quarter (27%) said they had experienced a plumber actually causing more damage to their property.
Water Regs UK advises that many of these problems could be avoided by only using plumbers who are part of an approved contractor scheme.
Julie Spinks, managing director of Water Regs UK said:
“Our research showed that price and availability were among the most important considerations when choosing a plumber but making a hasty decision could be more expensive in the long run.
“Just 14 per cent of people said they had checked to see if their plumber was an approved contractor but doing so can make all the difference.
“It’s easy to check at watersafe.org.uk and it provides reassurance that work meets all legal requirements and that there is reduced risk of contamination to the water supply.”
Water Regs UK says that people can be more tempted to use plumbers that are not approved during Winter when cold snaps cause problems, meaning plumbers are in high demand.
The survey found that many plumbing problems in UK homes are caused by the cold.
Fifteen per cent of those surveyed say they had experienced burst or frozen pipes in their home. One in five said they had suffered central heating faults and a quarter of these were related to frozen condensate pipes.
Julie Spinks continues:
“There are simple things householders can do themselves to prevent problems occurring, such as lagging pipes, and locating their stop tap and making sure it’s working. However for most plumbing problems it really is better to seek the help of a qualified and approved plumber.”
For more information and to find an approved plumber, visit the WaterSafe website: Watersafe.org.uk