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News Release from: National Home Improvement Council [NHIC] | Subject: TrustMark scheme
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 27 July 2005
NHIC on Government consumer protection
scheme
National Home Improvement Council says government consumer protection scheme should also take into account vat changes.
The National Home Improvement Council welcomes the Government's home improvement consumer protection scheme but suggests that special Treasury concessions on VAT rates would also help underpin the new proposals NHIC Director, Graham Ponting, points out: "The Government's recently announced TrustMark scheme has considerable potential for reducing the billions of pounds which householders waste each year due to shoddy, unprofessional workmanship"
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 30 Nov 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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"But our Members also firmly belief that by reducing VAT or by eliminating it altogether on home improvement projects, this would go a very long way to nailing down the cowboy tradespeople who create the problem".
"Many homeowners with a home improvement project in mind are naturally cautious about costs," says Ponting".
"So it's understandable when they go for the most economical price".
"But more often than not, the cheapest quote is from the tradesman who is not VAT registered and most likely will not be sufficiently trained to competently complete the task in hand".
"Also because he lacks the skills training and efficiency he will not have the membership of an accredited professional/trade organisation".
All of the NHIC's trade and professional organisation Members who have been working closely with the Government, endorse comprehensive training programmes for their individual members.
As a result, all competent, qualified operatives are backed by their relevant organisation's warranty scheme ensuring that in the unlikely event of the work not being up to standard a satisfactory guarantee system exists to rectify problems.
The TrustMark scheme will be up and running in the autumn when it will provide householders with a reliable means of identifying bone fide local tradespeople and builders.
Consumers using a TrustMark approved scheme operator will have the peace of mind of knowing that the work should be in good hands and will executed to a high standard.
Graham Ponting explains: "Each year over 110,000 complaints are received concerning below par workmanship and the NHIC is pleased that the new scheme will uphold highstandards and, hopefully, reduce the numbers of disillusioned homeowners who have fallen foul of cowboy workers.".
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