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Tradespersons' fees too high for 1 in 10

With DIY becoming a dying art, more Britons are forced to rely on professional tradespersons when something goes wrong at home.

However, with the high call-out costs charged by many tradespersons, one in ten Britons have had to go without hot water or heating.

Research by Direct Line found that half of those affected had been without hot water over the winter months.

"Going without heating or hot water is never pleasant - particularly not at this time of the year - but finding a tradesperson, let alone someone who is reliable and reasonably priced - can be problematic," said Andrew Lowe, head of Home Response 24 Insurance for Direct Line.

He added: "There is no way that people can predict when they will be faced with a home emergency that needs to be dealt with quickly and professionally."

Nearly two-thirds of respondents confessed they did not know what the going rate for a tradesperson is, although a third would phone around to get at least three quotes before calling one out.

According to Direct Line, one in five people will pay £50 an hour for a tradesperson, while four per cent will be stung for £100 an hour.

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22/12/2006 09:40:33

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