When trust goes out the door with tradesmen

It is the worst nightmare of anyone who's ever let a tradesman into their home - the sight of a middle-aged man, down on both knees, rifling through a woman's underwear drawer.
He was meant to be installing an alarm in a Cameron Rd home. But instead he seemed more interested in the lingerie in the bedroom.
An errant Tauranga tradesman was caught in the act by the hidden cameras of TV consumer show Target.
The TV3 show, which aired on October 14, employed a female actor who invited four Tauranga alarm installers into "her home" to install alarms.
What happened next has raised some worrying questions about the quality of Tauranga tradesmen and just what they get up to when left unsupervised in our homes.
Out of the four firms, the show says three fell short of industry standards by operating without proper qualifications.
The fourth, an employee of Stewart Browne Security and Sound, engaged in what Target called "inappropriate behaviour in the bedroom and kitchen".
This involved peering at magazines and rifling through personal belongings, such as an underwear drawer.
He was also caught using a tea towel to dry his hands, wipe his face and swipe the dirt from his clothes, before replacing it on the kitchen bench.
The other three firms, Alert Camera and Security Services, Total Security and Host Security, were said to have failed to perform safety tests, issued no certificate of compliance and used staff who were not registered electricians.
So, with dodgy and "unqualified" characters such as this working in the industry, how good are our tradespeople and should we trust them?
Not according to people on the streets of Tauranga.
When we plucked 10 people at random from city streets this week, eight of them said they were already wary of tradespeople before the knicker incident.
Otumoetai housewife Melody Johnson even went so far as to set booby-traps in her home.
"I set up tricks in places such as the bedroom or bathroom that will let me know if someone has been in there."
They were little traps - just small items placed behind doors - but they were necessary to give her peace of mind.
Other people, such as Brookfield housewife Melanie Adlam, always try to stay at home to keep a close eye on what is going on.
She is less concerned about personal security than she is about getting value for money.
"I never let strangers into my home when I'm not there," she says. "My greatest concern is whether they are there for the period I am billed for - rather than the possibility they may look through my property."
Papamoa's Tessa Hawkins agrees: "I do everything possible to avoid letting tradespeople into my home when I am not there. It is just too risky."
Maungatapu's Stu Wilson saw the Target show and says he has been "`ripped off" by tradespeople before.
"I rarely let tradespeople into my home when I cannot be there."
The one dissenting voice was that of Otumoetai's "Smurf" Jensen, who says he has no worries about letting people into his home.
He even leaves a key out for them. "You could probably put my trust down to me being old school."
With such strongly negative views of Western Bay tradespeople, what assurances do we have that we can trust them?
Plenty, according to industry groups.
Representatives of the Tauranga Master Builders Association, the Electrical Workers Registration Board and the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board say the public should not be worried about dealing with tradespeople.
The electrical board's registrar, John Sickels, says it is only a few dodgy types that spoil it for everyone else. He says the board, which looks after 32,000 people nationwide, received only 80 to 100 complaints a year about registered members.
The board does receive calls about unregistered tradespeople, he says.
Master Builders' local president, George Francis, says Tauranga has some of the best builders in the country.
"This year Tauranga businesses took out two of 11 awards in the 2004 House of the Year," he says. And last year, they took one.
Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board chairman Phil Routhan says tradespeople covered by his organisation rarely cause customer complaints.
However, he indicated there was always room for improvement. "We want our members to perform to the highest standard."
People working in most trades - such as alarm installers, plumbers and drainlayers - only required a practising licence to operate legally.
This is easily obtained and costs $120 a year to renew. Builders, however, do not need a licence.
Messrs Sickels, Routhan and Francis all said standards and regulations were being improved and the reputation of tradespeople nationwide was being lifted.
Mr Sickels says his board is developing a year-long course that will be required by all house alarm installers and security guards.
Mr Routhan says his board is working on courses for plumbers and drainlayers.
At present, he says, only gasfitters are required to complete a formal qualification.
However, Consumer Institute chief David Russell says no matter how good a tradesperson is, you should always be wary about leaving them in your home unsupervised.
"It may be an inconvenience to be home when they call - but it is a safeguard."
He urges people to check tradespeople and companies have the qualifications for the job.