Finding a tradesman

blue_haddock

Hi folks,

Further to my thread about getting my electrics looked over i'm now in the process of getting someone to come and have a look. I've already asked colleagues and they have been no use in recommending so can anyone either recommend an electrician in the Stoke on trent area or a decent website for finding one.

I've tried www.trustatrader.com and their nearest one is probably 30 miles away and the rest more like 100 miles away! I've also signed up to rated people and looked at a few other sites.

I am however a bit of a cynic and i always wonder how impartial some of these sites are and if the references given are actually genuine. I know in the motor trade there are several schemes that on first glance look like a reputable trade association but are anything but.

Your help as ever is muchly appreciated!

ormus

you may as well stick a pin in the yellow pages.

ask around. family and friends.

zax47

ormus wrote: »

you may as well stick a pin in the yellow pages.

ask around. family and friends.

Sometimes you give really useful advice, Ormus, and yet sometimes.....

The OP should look here for a suitably registered, qualified and competent electrician to perform a Periodic Inspection Report (PIR) {in England and Wales};

http://www.competentperson.co.uk

blue_haddock

ormus wrote: »

you may as well stick a pin in the yellow pages.

thats what i was hoping to not have to do!

elsien

Have you had a look on your local trading standards website - ours has a list of approved traders.
"All traders carry public liability insurance, have been vetted and signed up to the Trader Register Code of Conduct."
It still doesn't necessarily guarantee anything, but it's a starting point.

Kirri

I've used tradesmen from checkatrade, they have all been excellent except one who was a typical cowboy talking !!!!! type of tradesman, messy, overweight so got a boy to do his running around and nearly electrocuted himself, so I guess they may have fabricated some of their reviews. However I left a bad review for them, but all the others from there were spot on.

blue_haddock

Kirri wrote: »

I've used tradesmen from checkatrade, they have all been excellent except one who was a typical cowboy talking !!!!! type of tradesman, messy, overweight so got a boy to do his running around and nearly electrocuted himself, so I guess they may have fabricated some of their reviews. However I left a bad review for them, but all the others from there were spot on.

I've just put my details into their system and their nearest electrician is in surrey.

I'm in Stoke on Trent by the way! :rotfl:

Kirri

blue_haddock wrote: »

I've just put my details into their system and their nearest electrician is in surrey.

I'm in Stoke on Trent by the way! :rotfl:

Oops, hadn't ever checked what areas they covered, presumed they would be nationwide!

fluffpot

You could try joining Which Local (not sure of cost) but this is a website that tradespeople can only get listed by being nominated and 'scored' by Which members. Others, including Checkatrade (IIRC) allow trades to pay to be on there.

The other thing is to see if there are any local online community forums, as these often have a section dedicated to recommended tradespeople.

Fluff

Here's the link
http://local.which.co.uk/

and looks like you can join for a quid!

ankspon

Do not use ratedpeople or alike,they do not vet tradesman and anyone can write reviews.

zax47

blue_haddock wrote: »

I've just put my details into their system and their nearest electrician is in surrey.

I'm in Stoke on Trent by the way! :rotfl:

You should look here for a suitably registered, qualified and competent electrician to perform a Periodic Inspection Report (PIR) {in England and Wales};

http://www.competentperson.co.uk