Electricians are everywhere, and that’s a good thing … mostly. Despite it happening in a minority of cases, it is far too common that we hear of unqualified electricians completing their work to a dreadful standard, taking your money, and disappearing. All too often, tales of rogue electricians appear in local newspapers, reflecting the fact that a lot of people have been affected.
Therefore, it is essential that you understand how to tell whether you’re dealing with a qualified electrician. Here, London Electricians explain how you can check that the person you’re handing your money to is genuine, and that they know what they’re doing.
Are they registered?
First and foremost, check to see whether they’re registered. If they’re not, this doesn’t guarantee that they don’t know what they’re doing, but it should make you wary. If you don’t know and trust them personally, and they’re not registered, we would strongly advise that you look elsewhere.
There’s much more chance that they’re not a qualified electrician if they’re not registered, as all registered electricians will have been thoroughly checked by a government-approved scheme. If you’re not into taking chances, then go for someone who’s registered. “Electrical Safety First” have incorporated a page on their website for finding out who’s registered, making it incredibly easy to check for yourself.
Be thorough
That means both of you. Make sure that you’re thorough when you’re asking your potential worker any questions you may have, and make sure that they’re thorough in their responses. If you ask for a lot of detail about the work required, and they can answer in a considered, knowledgeable way, then it’s more likely that they are qualified. If they stumble over their explanations, or keep making excuses not to answer you there and then, the alarm bells should start ringing.
If you’re in any doubt, we’ve put together a list of questions to ask before choosing an electrician; head over to the post if you need a helping hand.
Ask for proof
While it might seem a little rude to demand proof of someone’s legitimacy, the number of people being poorly serviced by electricians is simply staggering. Your potential electrician should understand if you ask them to prove they’re qualified. Provided they accept, you can use your own judgement as to the weight of their qualifications. The likelihood is that they’ll be able to provide you with a registration code; as long as they can, you’ll know you’re dealing with a qualified electrician.
If, after all of this, you’re still in any doubt about whether you’re dealing with a qualified electrician or not, then why not come to London Electricians? We’re registered, reputable, and can provide exceptional rates to anyone in London. You can call us on 020 8728 9179, or fill out one of our online contact forms.
