"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
. uk...
Andy Hall wrote:
On 2007-12-02 01:10:05 +0000, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

My local council's trading standards dept operates a 'Fair Trader'
scheme & I've just been accredited as a member!

http://www.medway.gov.uk/index/busin...fairtrader.htm

Not that difficult to satisfy their standards TBH, I already did 90%
of it anyway. According to several people I've met who are members
it gets you a lot of business. Cost me £124 a year.

You get to use the logo on your web site (CD supplied with images is
absolute crap), get listed on the councils web site, you can use the
logo on the van etc.

Another opportunity to tuck up the punters :-) (Just joking).

Don't know if these schemes run anywhere else in the country, might
help some readers?

Which section? Property Maintenance? Will Consider all Jobs?

Don't know yet - typical council they react with the speed of a ruptured
ferret. I've asked for a handyman category.

How do they check that you do what you say you will do, or what they
think you will do?

Little bloke comes around for an hour & asks questions. Things like
customer records, pricing structures, complaints procedures etc. I think
the main point is that they now know who you are and are able to react
more efficiently in case of a complaint.

They come back & audit you every year or can spot check whenever they
want.

My glazier mate told me that he had an unreasonable complaint about him,
they looked into the circumstances & sided with him. They told the client
he was being unreasonable.

As do Trading Standards if the tradesman is correct.

Adam