Taxi Driver Online

Manchester Evening News

November 28, 2007 Wednesday

A SYSTEM of local licensing could rid the trade of bogus or bad builders.

Whitby believes that if builders had to have an annual licence issued by the local authority, in a similar way to taxi drivers, it would give consumers an easy to check reference and eliminate cowboys.

He said: "At the moment, anyone can get a few letter heads printed and set up as a builder and sadly, the recent case of the elderly widow who paid out a fortune shows conmen are still operating.

"Builders should have to have a licence to trade, issued locally each year. They would have to show valid insurance, VAT registration and any qualifications and it could be run from the building control department whose inspectors are already out there inspecting jobs on a daily basis. They know who can do a job, and who can't."

Currently, just about the only mark of competence is membership of the Federation of Master Builders, an organisation that is a starting point for many people looking to appoint a builder. But, although FMB members, they have to give initial references and have valid insurance, firms can pay to join and members are not always masters of their craft.

Annual membership of the FMB costs £330, plus a one-off joining fee of £150, and there is a strong argument that a similar amount could fund a system of local licensing, enabling far closer checks to be done.

Whitby said: "We have about 200 builders registered with us in Stockport and if they had to pay for a licence the local authority could afford to take on a specialist to do the checking.

"Every authority could do the same and you would have a high level of consumer protection. If builders were consistently found to do sub-standard work, or overcharge, their licence would not be re-newed.

"It would ensure that no longer were people ripped off because they would know to ask for a licence, but just as importantly, the housing stock would improved to a good standard.

"We have already written to No 10 asking for them to look at setting up such a scheme but have not had any response."
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