Property Care Association Warns Customers to Beware of Rogue Traders

Home owners are being urged to call in the experts before getting work done to combat damp problems.

The summer floods have left thousands of properties across the UK vulnerable to damp and dry rot.

Now experts at the Property Care Association (PCA) say customers must beware of cowboy operators.

The warning comes after the BBC Rogue Traders television programme recently exposed companies who exploit homeowners’ fears over water entering and damaging their properties.

It demonstrated the fact that householders should combat the cowboy by only using companies from a recognised trade body, according to the PCA.

The Association carries out rigorous checks before offering membership to companies. All members are then subjected to a regular audit process, to ensure high standards of professionalism are upheld.

Choosing a reliable contractor can be daunting, but consumers should look out for the PCA logo – formerly the BWPDA - when looking for contacts in a telephone book.

Alongside the strict checks on members, the PCA offers a mediation service and independent arbitration to help investigate and resolve disputes. All members can offer FSA regulated insurance that covers deposits, work in process and long term guarantees. It also offers a dedicated qualifications and training structure that is the only one of its type in the UK.

The PCA is also a member of TrustMark, the Government-backed initiative which aims to help consumers find reliable and trustworthy tradespeople when making improvements or repairs to their homes.

Trade bodies that are accredited with the TrustMark logo have been certified as meeting certain criteria in verifying that the tradesmen they represent can in fact be depended upon to do a good job. Technical skills, financial position, insurance provision and customer care policy are some of the areas in which they must meet stringent standards.

Yasmin Chopin, Chief Executive of the PCA, which has its headquarters in Huntingdon, said: “The recent Rogue Traders programme once again highlights the fact that property owners should always choose approved contractors when getting work done.<.p>

"People should be on their guard against potential cowboys. They may well offer you a free survey but as a rule you should expect to pay for services such as a survey in exchange for a professional opinion, the details of which are on the PCA website."

By employing a member of the PCA customers will get:

• Peace of mind that the problem has been correctly diagnosed
• Work done by skilled and experienced operatives
• And an option to take out guarantee protection insurance.

A host of useful information for property owners is available via the PCA’s website at www.property-care.org or by contacting 0870 121 6737.

The website gives helpful tips, highlights case studies and offers a list of approved PCA contractors.

For four years, the PCA has been in existence as part of the British Wood Preserving and Damp-proofing Association (BWPDA) but last year officially became an independent association, along with the Wood Protection Association.

The new Associations have been created to concentrate on their own areas of expertise – namely for the Property Care Association damp-proofing, timber preservation, structural waterproofing and structural maintenance.

Although a relatively new trade body, the Property Care Association has inherited the stability and professional strengths of the BWPDA and its 75 year history.

The PCA has a UK wide list of contractor members who are all carefully vetted before being awarded membership and are subject to regular rigorous audits of their work.