Why is it so difficult to find good tradespeople to repair and maintain properties?

One of the main tasks you have as a landlord is finding quality tradespeople to repair and maintain your rental properties. Whether it’s a big landscaping project, or a small leak it’s important to hire people who know what they’re doing. 

Unfortunately for many landlords, finding tradespeople is a problem on the rise – let alone getting ones that are trustworthy and reliable. The typically stressful experience of getting hold of quality traders results in a number of scenarios: 

• A delay in projects that need to be carried out on the property 
• Only small, DIY improvements can be done 
• Failure to undertake repairs completely
• Between the rising cost of living and the struggle of receiving competitive quotes, many feel they don’t have a network of tradespeople to turn to, leading to a home maintenance crisis in the UK.

If any of these scenarios sound a little familiar, then this article is one for you. We’ve rounded up the main reasons why hiring tradesmen is proving complicated, and what the best solution is for finding reliable professionals to get the job done.

Here’s a handy summary of the article so you can skip to the part that interests you the most:

• Key factors making it harder to find trustworthy tradespeople
• Current difficulty with getting quotes 
• How to find quality tradespeople within minutes
• Practical tips for hiring the best tradesperson 

Why is it hard to find trustworthy traders?

Difficulty in getting quotes

Getting quotes from tradespeople directly can be a laborious process as – simply put – their working hours are the same as ours! 

As a result, you may be trying to get through to suppliers after hours which isn’t easy and, most of the time, near impossible. 

You’ll also find that it’s a lot more complex to describe the job over the phone as the trader will want detailed specification alongside visuals to be able to quote more accurately. 

The best way to get the most competitive and accurate quotes is to use comparison platforms who offer instant quotes from reliable tradespeople – without the hassle of ringing around. 

Not only does this save you a ton of time, but it also means you can share images and videos of the job as well as communicate with traders via instant messaging functions. 

Fear of falling foul to cowboy builders

Research shows that over 125,000 landlords and homeowners in England fall victim to cowboy tradespeople each year.

This means, unfortunately, there are many tradespeople who are grossly overcharging for work and requiring large upfront deposits for projects that are then left incomplete.

These cowboy tradesmen are unqualified to carry out the job and, in most cases, won’t have insurance to protect themselves or you.

This frustrating yet common scenario is only making it harder for people to trust their traders, but here’s how you can avoid this happening…

Choose a home service marketplace that matches you with qualified traders for your rental property projects.

“Using a third-party platform means you can trust that the work will be completed, and, in the event of any issues, they can get involved on your behalf.”

Rezigo ensures every trader on their site is fully vetted so you don’t have to do this yourself. You can also view previous jobs by this tradesperson and customer testimonials for further reassurance.

Say no to cowboy builders, and yes to professional, high-quality property improvements!

Lack of labour availability 

Tradespeople are in high demand and it’s no surprise considering that UK landlords are eager to improve their rental properties post-pandemic. Though, this means it’s harder to get a date in the diary at a short notice, and even more so for smaller jobs as tradespeople may prioritise larger projects that pay more. 

Rather than waiting numerous months for a job to get done, getting in touch with tradespeople via online platforms, like Rezigo, is a much speedier process that also lets you book the date and time that best suits you. 

Such home services marketplaces give you the option to negotiate on availability and receive multiple quotes to compare, so you know you’re getting the most competitive price for the work. 

How to find quality tradespeople within minutes

Now that we’ve looked at what is affecting your tradesperson search, the question still stands of how exactly you can find quality tradespeople you can trust…

Online comparison platforms are the best way forward for landlords and tradespeople to connect these days, without you having to trawl through dozens of websites. 

We’d recommend using Rezigo, a home services marketplace that matches you with reliable tradespeople and helps you get the job in the diary as soon as possible – all in one place. 

You can rest assured knowing any trader that walks through the door is trustworthy and diligent as Rezigo puts all their suppliers through a careful vetting process first. 

How exactly does rezigo work? 

Once you sign up to the platform, simply post the job that needs doing and give a few details about the service.

You’ll then be sent up to five quotes by different tradespeople to compar. You’ll then have the choice to either accept the quote or negotiate with the trader until you’re happy.

(Top Tip: Getting multiple quotes not only informs you of the price range for the job, but it also increases your chance of receiving the most fair and competitive quote overall.)

Your chosen trader will complete the work on the day that suits you (and your tenant) – this cuts out a lot of waiting time you’d usually experience elsewhere!

Once you’re happy with the job, you can pay securely via the Rezigo platform to ensure a smooth process throughout. 

No more unreliable tradespeople with unfair prices – Rezigo eliminates the hassle so you can maintain your property faster, smarter and easier. 

If you need work done to your rental property, get a quote on Rezigo today, or you can learn more about the platform’s features in this short video. 

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