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Dodgy Paving Company Problems

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  • Absolutely definitely call Trading Standards. And don't hand over a penny!
    Got £820 back from HSBC! Now entering comps like mad with the hope of winning a nice long holiday....
  • Nippey wrote: »
    Hi,

    It was a flyer through the door but I did see referances and insurance certificates, and both the website, flyers and certificates had an address, however i can now only assume they are fake and I have drive to the address that was given and there is no house there!!!!

    I think I have been totally duped and will report them and save up to get the drive fixed...and I have learnt a valuable lesson...never trust anyone!

    You do really need to take your time, when references and "certificates" are shown, make checks etc, driveways really are the hardest things to sort out, a friend of mine has trouble because of door knockers etc, your best bet is to "BE AWARE" next time, ask family and friends etc if they have had work done by someone reputable, or if you see a lovely driveway, go and knock the door and ask them who done it!
  • Hi Yourlocaltrades, nice to meet you! Just out of interest how do you vet people - do you link with Trading Standards?
  • I am awaiting confirmation now from "portsmouth trading standards" to join thier scheme, I personally check trades memberships like corgi/fmb to ensure it is still valid and i also do the following:
    Call and or Visit three references
    Give all references a questionnaire- so they can Rate/Recommend the trade (or not)
    Check out proof of Public Liability Insurance
    Proof of address
    Proof of Business Account
    Proof of trading time
    Visit current job (if required)

    Takes alot of time but it really is something that HAS to be done nowadays and alot of people, like above, seem to take for granted what they see as being truthful (which should be the case!!) or worse still are too "busy" to checkout or look for numerous quotes and check companies out and end up in a deep mess.
    Sorry but I find nearly all these "validated tradesmen" either scams, a waste of time and money from the tradesman's point of view, or a waste of time or a con from the customers point of view. Not even the government can get a system going and working. The previous government version (forgotten it's name it was so successful) has been superseded by Trustmark. Two Trustmark agency websites searched fail to find a plumber in my area. When I last tried several months ago, the nearest listed plumber was in the midlands.
    All people like the FMB and IHP will tell you how wonderful they are and how useful it is to be a member etc. then take your money. If a customer ever complains then at best they will get some sort of insurance type payout and the tradesman will get crossed off that list. So what? there's plenty more lists to pay to join, and if you don't want to pay, just pretend to be a member. The organisation concerned will take ages before taking legal action to stop you.
    The only two organisations the typical consumer needs to care about are CORGI and FENSA, because they have authority to do work covered by Building Regulations.
    A house isn't a home without a cat.
    Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others.
    I have writer's block - I can't begin to tell you about it.
    You told me again you preferred handsome men but for me you would make an exception.
    It's a recession when your neighbour loses his job; it's a depression when you lose yours.
  • ....you will see that it is free for the public and the trades pay for the vetting and listing,
    No surprise there then....
    from then on the public can have there say and the trades can either apply for extra work or not. We will also contact, in the unlikely event of a trader being bad, any association they are with,(corgi/fmb/local council membership etc)
    Or none as the case may be.....
    the listing on our site WILL NOT be removed because we will clearly state the situation to the public if they view the listing, what the last customer has said, (taking that this is the case). They WILL be blocked from logging in to access our customers details, and if the situation is not resolved, the trade wil be removed after six months - this should allow enough time to correct any issue (if correctable) and for a vast number of the public to see what has happened with the trade, thus avoiding in the future- regardless of any advertising he/she does elsewhere.
    I think you mean unless you hear from my barrister.
    Now, how will we all find your website among the thousands out there except by you link-whoring it all over the internet trying to get its Google ranking up. Oh, by the way, they don't allow links in your details or I'd put my website in all mine.
    A house isn't a home without a cat.
    Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others.
    I have writer's block - I can't begin to tell you about it.
    You told me again you preferred handsome men but for me you would make an exception.
    It's a recession when your neighbour loses his job; it's a depression when you lose yours.
  • No surprise there then.... I cant be doing ALL this for nothing!
    You and hundreds of others who think they can make money like this.
    Or none as the case may be.....They have to be with at least ONE!
    That's me out then, I'm so disappointed....NOT.
    I think you mean unless you hear from my barrister.????????
    You have the resources to face up to someone like a SME who can afford one?
    I shall remove it then!
    Don't worry the mods would have done it for you in the next 24 hours.

    You still haven't told us how customers will find you website before all the other 1000's out there. I tried a Google on a typical phrase and you haven't appeared before I gave up at page 12. I'd have a word with your web designer about SEO, but then you are your web designer, aren't you?
    A house isn't a home without a cat.
    Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others.
    I have writer's block - I can't begin to tell you about it.
    You told me again you preferred handsome men but for me you would make an exception.
    It's a recession when your neighbour loses his job; it's a depression when you lose yours.
  • I AM! (making money) ONLY BEEN IN BUSINESS TWO WEEKS!!!!!

    And you are making money already, wow! How many people have you signed up then? Must be loads or that website was very cheap.


    You still haven't told us how customers will find you website before all the other 1000's out there. I tried a Google on a typical phrase and you haven't appeared before I gave up at page 12. I'd have a word with your web designer about SEO, but then you are your web designer, aren't you? BEING SORTED,....


    That is a laugh. Going to be 1st ranked on Google in how long then?
    A house isn't a home without a cat.
    Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others.
    I have writer's block - I can't begin to tell you about it.
    You told me again you preferred handsome men but for me you would make an exception.
    It's a recession when your neighbour loses his job; it's a depression when you lose yours.
  • yourlocaltrades - I've seen you post the same story on other DIY websites a few months back.....you don't seem to have got very far with Portsmouth Trading Standards. Perhaps they're seen through you to:mad:
    Snootchie Bootchies!
  • if your a good tradesman, you dont need to be listed on these stupid sites anyway...........so, this 'could' mean theres a higher proportion of bad tradesmen listed on them?
    go on, adopt a greyhound
    http://www.dgrescue.org.uk/
  • BobProperty
    BobProperty Posts: 3,245 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Got another job myself through my website today. Didn't pay anyone for it.
    Are you listed with Plymouth Trading Standards yet?
    People I know are always searching the internet for "Denise Jones Ltd", must be disappointing to come second.
    DO explain the usefulness of your site when searching Google for "First line response" because the company "first line response" comes out 1st and 2nd.
    A house isn't a home without a cat.
    Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others.
    I have writer's block - I can't begin to tell you about it.
    You told me again you preferred handsome men but for me you would make an exception.
    It's a recession when your neighbour loses his job; it's a depression when you lose yours.
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