Counterfeit electrical contractors putting lives at risk

NICEIC is warning homeowners to be aware of counterfeit contractors. The organisation has found that over the past year the number of electricians fraudulently claiming to be NICEIC Part P registered has increased by over 60%.

Emma McCarthy, chief operating officer of NICEIC Group said: “Electricians advertising their services as being NICEIC registered, when they are in fact not registered, are not only committing a criminal offence but may put lives at risk by carrying out electrical work that they are not certified for. It is important that homeowners are aware that these scam electricians are out there and of the dangers that they pose.”

NICEIC and Trading Standards are taking a strong stance towards cracking down on this abuse of consumer trust and blatant flouting of safety laws. The introduction of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Act, which came into effect in May 2008 has also led to an increase in investigations resulting in prosecution.

Home owners have been alerted to the rise in fraudulent claims via coverage in the national and regional press. The aim of the campaign is to not only support genuine NICEIC registered contractors, but keep the home owner safe too.

“Every fraudulent claim to be NICEIC registered is taken extremely seriously and our complaints team works closely with Trading Standards all over the country,” said McCarthy. “We have helped to secure prosecutions and our expertise means that we’re the first port of call for many consumer protection bodies when they want advice on where to find a good electrician.”