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How To Pre-empt A Rogue Trader

Posted In Technology Reviews - By Techtiplib on Friday, October 25th, 2013 With No Comments »

There are few things quite as sinister as the rogue trader. This is a man or a woman who makes their living by deliberately deceiving people. Not only do they lie to homeowners, they very often leave them out of pocket and struggling with problems that they just can’t handle. It’s not uncommon for people who have been targeted by rogue traders to suffer from depression and nervous exhaustion. 

That’s not to mention the fact that their bank accounts have been ransacked and their homes left in pieces. Yes, there are few things quite as sinister as a rogue trader. Luckily, we now know more than we ever have about the operating techniques of these ‘bodge it’ job repairmen, say the experts at Citizens Advice. Here’s a handy guide to spotting, and hopefully pre-empting, the next rogue trader that tries to target your home. 

How To Pre-empt A Rogue Trader
If It’s Too Good To Be True

If a construction ‘expert’ gives you a quote that’s far lower than any of the others that you have received, don’t just jump in blindly. More often than not, there’s a very good reason why this man can offer you such low rates. He either doesn’t know enough about the work he’s agreeing to carry out, or he doesn’t have any intention of seeing it through to the end anyway. Whilst this isn’t always the case – there are some very reasonably prices experts out there – if a quote is a wildly different to the others that you have, there’s a very good chance that it’s not genuine. You should never agree to hire an individual if their quote is the only one that you have sought out, says TradeAdvisor.com. 

Openness & Honesty 

A genuine builder or construction expert will always be happy to put your mind at rest, by showing you references, qualification certificates and trade association documents. If there’s no evidence of foul play, there’s no reason to be impolite to your builder. It is your right to ask him for verification of his claims, but do it in a well mannered way. If he’s a true professional, he’ll understand and want to reassure you. If he’s not a true professional, he will be extremely cagey about this issue – he might even flat out refuse to show you these documents. In this case, you should call any companies that he has claimed to work for and ask them for verification of his qualifications. 

No Money, No Honey 

A genuine professional will never ask you for money upfront. According to WallStreetAndTech.com expert Phil Albinus, all balances should be paid for after a job has been completed. If you’re hired expert is running a genuine business, or is employed by a genuine construction company – he will have enough money in place to pay for materials as he goes. Do make sure that you ask for a copy of all relevant receipts, too. This is an important piece of advice whether your builder is a rogue trader or not. You should be in the loop at all times, not just when the job is drawing to a close. If the task at hand is one that’s going to last for a very long time, it is okay to pay your builder in instalments. As long as he completes enough work to justify monthly or bi-monthly payments, there shouldn’t be a problem.

Catching The Rogue Trading Rats

If you suspect that your builder isn’t a true professional, don’t waste time confronting him. This can be quite a frightening move and may even put you in danger. It’s a much better idea to immediately start gathering a dossier of evidence on his movements and false promises. Invest in telephone transcription software from a company like Intelligent Voice and use it to record everything that your builder tells you over the phone. When the time comes, you can use these conversations as evidence of the fact that this individual hasn’t delivered on his promises. They will actually act as legally binding documents in a court of law. 

Author Bio: 

Larry Tyrell has been a consumer right consultant for seven years. He recommends Intelligent Voice for top quality, reliable telephone transcription services. He can usually be found preparing clients for court cases, or helping people targeted by rogue traders to get their money back.

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