OFT advises on protection for consumers buying home improvements
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The Office of Fair Trading is highlighting the options available to consumers to protect themselves should something go wrong when making home improvements to their property.
It says if consumers are buying goods or services costing over 100, they should always consider paying by credit card.
That way they pay by credit card you can claim your money back from the card company if the seller fails to honour the contract, or if the item is faulty or if the seller wrongly describes it or if the supplier goes out of business.
It also recommends making staged payments and keeping back a significant part of the cost of the home improvements until they are satisfactorily completed, particularly where work such as fitting is involved.
This is so you can ask for defects to be put right without the need to make a claim or go to court for compensation.
It also advises DIYers to be wary of contract terms requiring full payment in advance, particularly for supply and fit contracts.
Check the small print and only pay in full if there is a satisfactory independently-run pre-payment protection scheme, such as that run by Qualitas that will cover you if something goes wrong.
Christine Wade, director of Consumer Regulation Enforcement at the OFT, says: "It is important for consumers who are asked to pay considerable sums in advance for home improvements to be aware of the ways in which they can protect their interests.
Going to court can be difficult and expensive, but these simple steps can provide consumers with some redress should things go wrong."
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