Forty per cent of women would feel some degree of apprehension letting a handyman or tradesman into their homes, according to a new poll from AA Home Insurance. In comparison, 20 per cent of the men polled said they would have cause for concern.
The results of the AA’s poll of more than 25,000 people further reveals that the over 65s, despite being considered one of society’s most vulnerable groups and most likely to need outside help, are less nervous than others. Overall, 24 per cent of those over 65 said they would feel some anxiety opening their front door to a handyman or tradesman.
Younger women, the poll results suggest, are the most likely to feel uncomfortable at the prospect. Close to half of the women aged 25 to 35 surveyed said they would be nervous to some extent.
“Various stimuli such as the home improvement tax incentive scheme and the increase in DIRT have been put in place to encourage people to spend on their homes, and provided these measures are successful we’re likely to see a rise in activity in the sector over the next year or two,” said Conor Faughnan of AA Ireland. “Against this backdrop it’s interesting to see that there’s quite a sense of mistrust when it comes to tradesmen these days.”
The top of mind fears revealed during the poll were being robbed, assaulted, or having a shoddy job done, but there are plenty of ways to allay these worries and source a first rate professional.
AA tips on finding
good tradesmen
1. Look for word of mouth recommendations from friends and family.
2. Ask for references and speak to past customers.
3. Search for reviews about them online.
4. Ask to see his insurance before he begins work.
5. Source preapproved lists of providers from the likes of your local residents’ association.
6. Know your rights; you are protected by the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980.
7. Ask to see a copy of his training certificates.
8. Check if he is a member of the appropriate regulatory bodies, for example RGII for gas installers and the ECSSA for electricians.
