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Imagine you get home from work and you have water pouring through the ceiling, your personal belongings are ruined and the first thing that needs to be done is for the problem to be sorted out.  But who do you call? And how can you tell if they are a cowboy plumber or a professional qualified plumber?

Regrettably, dishonest plumbers regularly try to pass themselves off as reputable professional plumbers, before providing sub-standard work at a very high price . It can be difficult trying to work out who is honest and who could be a rogue trader trying to rip you off, but there are some simple rules you can follow which should help you pick an honest plumber who won't rip you off.
Don't be afraid to ask for evidence of certificates and credentials. Whilst it may be a hassle to the plumber, if they are legit and want the work they will have no problem about proving to you that they are fully qualified. Make sure that you see a copy of there liability insurance certificate. This is probably the single most important thing to check. They may also show you that they are a member of a trade association or  professional body and whilst there is no law to say plumbers have to be members of any association, those that take pride in their profession will almost certainly be members.

When quoted for the work, you should be given a written quotation. Genuine plumbers will have no problem providing one, but one sign of the cowboy plumber is to only offer a verbal quote or to scribble a note down with some figures on it on a scrappy bit of paper. In these situations, you should avoid using their services.
 

The most reputable plumbers will be able to provide you with the names and contact details of previous customers that are willing to vouch for their quality of work. They should also be able to present you with written testimonials from past clients Cowboy plumbers and heating engineers often make excuses as to why they are unable to provide suitable references, avoid these people at  all costs.

One way of discovering whether a plumber is any good or not is by their diary. A good quality plumber is normally booked up for weeks, so when you find a plumber that can start a program of major works tomorrow, such as a new bathroom or boiler install, he might not be a plumber that people would recommend. As you can see, with a bit of common sense and planning it can be quite easy to spot cowboy plumbers.

 

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Phoenix Plumbing & Heating, 97 Boxgrove, Worthing, West Sussex, BN12 6LX

How not to hire a cowboy plumber
and avoid being ripped off.