A new weapon has been launched to help in the fight against rogue traders. Sutton Council has joined forces with a local company to help weed out the conmen who prey on vulnerable residents, and help good causes across the borough at the same time.
Builders in Your Community is a website, run as a social enterprise, which allows users to share information about builders, plumbers and electricians in the Sutton area. They can read customer reviews, get quotes and recommend tradesmen to other residents from the comfort of their own home.
Sutton Council is supporting the initiative, run by Joe Teakle, of Sutton, and hopes it will complement the information provided by its own Safer Sutton Trader Scheme.
Cllr. Simon Wales, Executive Member for Communities, Transport and Voluntary Sector, said: “Unfortunately rogue traders and doorstep cons are becoming an increasing problem across the country, so we want to do all we can to help stop Sutton residents becoming victims of them. By sharing information about the many skilled, honest and reliable traders working in the borough, residents can help each other and local businesses.
“Builders in Your Community builds on the successful Safer Sutton Trader Scheme, which lists local, approved business, and many of these companies have already signed up to Builders in Your Community.”
The service is free to use for customers and makes a small charge to traders. Money raised by the scheme will be invested back into the community. 25 per cent of profits will be split between Sutton Education Business Partnership, Sutton Community Fund and Ecolocal.
To find out more about recommended local traders visit www.sutton.gov.uk/safersuttontrader or www.biyc.co.uk.
For advice about rogue traders contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.