'Knicker' worry shuts drawer on home trades

By CHRIS DANIELS consumer reporter

Worry about dodgy tradespeople wandering about the house is changing public behaviour.

TV3's hidden-camera Target show has encouraged the belief that tradespeople are closet knicker-sniffers or cowboys, tarnishing the reputations of honest, hardworking tradespeople.

As a result, some firms now send out workers in pairs rather than leaving one alone in a house, while some tradespeople feel they will be trusted only if they work for a "branded" or franchise operation.

The general manager of the Electrical Contractors Association, Ray Barbara, said Target, fronted by Leanne Malcolm, had been a "useful wake-up call" for businesses to check the staff they hired.

He said association members checked professional qualifications and contacted former employers to see if potential staff were reputable. Police checks were probably not warranted, as the kind of behaviour seen on hidden-camera shows would not be on a criminal record.

"Common sense is the key. If people have any doubt, then it's my belief they shouldn't leave people in their houses," said Mr Barbara.

Private investigator and former detective Michael Campbell said former employers might yield as much information as a full criminal record check.

It was common for employers, when confronting theft, to sack the offender and not go to the police.

Greg Longstaff, franchise manager for Crewcut, which specialises in lawnmowing and gardening, said a police computer check was done on all potential franchise holders.

He "looked closer" at those who needed to go inside homes, and said any record of dishonesty or recent violence disqualified potential workers.

Hire-A-Hubby prides itself on hiring "good Kiwi blokes."

General manager Mark Lewis said public concerns at the behaviour of tradespeople had prompted some contractors to approach his organisation for work. These were decent, hard-working men, but shows like Target portrayed them as "dodgy" and suspect. Consumers worried about security were turning to "branded" services for reassurance that workers had been properly checked.

Hire-A-Hubby does not run criminal record checks, but conducts extensive interviews with applicants, often with their wives present, and thoroughly verifies business and personal references.

Meanwhile, public fears might be having an unexpected benefit for consumers, putting an end to endless waiting for tradespeople to arrive.

The chief executive of the Master Plumbers Association, George Verry, said it was now more common for customers to ask plumbers to come on weekends, or after 5 pm. Many also took time off work, and therefore expected the plumber to arrive on time.

"They then put the heat on the tradesman, and say, 'Well this is poor - I'm not going to sit around all day.' But we think it's not a bad discipline, making sure the plumber comes on time."

This change made life more difficult for some plumbers, who in the past would have picked up a key and turned up when they were ready.

Mr Verry recommends being home for the first couple of visits by tradespeople, then, once comfortable with them, letting them work alone in peace.