Ensuring a fair deal for householders

trusted to do work on our behalf? It's a major problem that has been

facing the general public for many years.

This, in fact, is where a body known as The Fair Trades Advisory

Bureau comes into the picture. It shares the concern of householders

over the plight of consumers, left with lost deposits and worthless

letterhead guarantees.

When cowboy companies disappear over the horizon, with no redress for

their poor workmanship -- or maybe collect deposits but do not return to

start the work -- Fair Trades agrees fully that it's surely necessary

for people to be given a much better deal.

Speaking for the bureau, Joyce Macdonald points out that Fair Trades

has been in existence since 1983, established to assist the consumer in

making the right choice of tradespeople to carry out work, mainly in and

around the home.

''We have been offering our services in Scotland for about three

years, and are setting out to make ourselves better known in this part

of the world,'' she adds. ''Throughout the UK as a whole, we have

between 3000 and 4000 members.

''We cover a wide range of services and as we say, we are only a

''phone call away for anyone wishing to use our helpline. The public

have welcomed our service, as it has clearly met an important need for

many people.''

Restoring customer confidence in trades is an important aspect of Fair

Trades operations, and a priority for the bureau this year. It all

starts with a strict vetting procedure carried out on any companies

which seek to become members, and continues with the corollary of a

helpline service for householders.

Joyce said: ''It has always been a daunting task deciding just which

tradespeople to choose, for home improvements or indeed for any service

to be carried out. The problem is how best to identify those who can

provide good quality and reliable work, while at the same time avoiding

those who are not reliable.''

One answer, she adds, is the simple one of looking for the ''Black

Scales of Justice'' -- in other words, the Fair Trades logo, displayed

by accredited members of the bureau. This is seen as the guideline to

choosing a reputable firm.

''Before making a final decision on employing a company,'' Joyce says,

''the best thing is to get in touch with our consumer helpline. You can

obtain full updated information of our members' credentials and more

detailed information of the service we offer.

Fair Trades has checked the business track records of thousands of

firms who apply for membership. It makes sense to check on companies

before proceeding..''

It is, as she points out, all about giving people peace of mind.

Services covered range from double glazing and roofing to gardening and

car repairs, with many more besides.

''We take the headaches away,'' Joyce says. ''The whole success of our

service comes from being of practical benefit to the general public, and

also to our approved members, who gain a quality image over non-approved

competitors. '' As appropriate, there is a conciliation service, whereby

trained staff can mediate between the trades person and customer. This

provides a useful way of continually monitoring members.

''We can't afford to have people linked to us who cause us problems,''

Joyce says. ''We aim to keep our standards high. We are looking to

combine peace of mind for the householder with credibility for our

members. Knowing the work background of companies means we can indicate

who is reliable and worthwhile.''

The vetting procedure before accepting a company's application to join

the bureau is strict. All qualifications are checked out where

applicable. Around a dozen completed jobs are selected at random from

the past year's work of applicant companies, and a consumer survey

evaluates the quality of actual workmanship provided. All companies are

encouraged to obtain public liability insurance cover. This protects a

customer against accidental personal or property damage.

Financial checks are also carried out on all warranted members. If

accepted, members pay an annual subscription.

''We believe that an insurance-backed guarantee scheme is the

professional way to ensure customer confidence,'' Joyce adds. ''This

seeks to give the maximum protection possible, should a company cease

trading.

''Our warranted members, who can provide this guarantee, can offer

from one year up to 10 years' insurance-backed guarantee on most home

improvement work. It covers work in progress, and various cover for

workmanship and materials. Deposit indemnity is also available.

For those who wish to try out the bureau policy, there is a telephone

number available -- 0891 335678 -- giving access to advice and

information about approved members, from head office at The Quadrant,

Hoylake, Wirral. These calls are charged at 39p a minute on the cheap

rate, and 49p at other times.