Would you trust a solicitor who hadn’t passed the BAR to represent your best interests in court?
Or let an unlicensed Doctor perform surgery on you?
No, of course not. Professionals have to train and gain the required experience in the tasks beyond our comprehension.
You may have seen across all our service pages. Everything from fire safety, confidential waste disposal; and our training services every supplier we use is accredited.
In this article, we’ll explain why accreditation is important and how unlicensed contractors can do some real harm to your business.
How Do You Become Accredited?
Accredited contractors are extensively assessed to make sure they carry out work to the highest standard. The process of becoming accredited follows a strict system, which is monitored by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service; a body recognised by the government to assess organisations that provide certification.
To become accredited, organisations must make sure certifications are:
- Undertaken impartially (not the same company giving out the accreditation)
- Objective, transparent and effective (for example following a testing system)
- Use highly professional, competent assessors and experts in the related professional field.
Accreditation puts businesses on a level playing field. When everyone follows the same code of practice, then the work will be subject to the highest quality standard. This ensures the average person hiring an accredited business will be getting their money’s worth.
Why accreditation is important!
Safety regulations affect every aspect of our day-to-day lives. Everything must pass strict regulations from packaged food to our phone chargers. When you purchase items or hire accredited companies, you get many benefits; for example:
Highest standard of work
We make sure every supplier we use is fully qualified and certified. Every business be it big or small should have the peace of mind that they are getting a legally compliant, high-quality service.
For example, we carry out services vital to your business, such as fire extinguisher servicing. Our engineers check off all extinguisher components, assessing the class of fire extinguisher you need and ensuring extinguishers are working to legal standards.
Trustworthy
Everything needs to go through testing to mitigate risk. The same goes for services like PAT Testing. You’re making an informed choice that the technician has the knowledge and training to ensure your electrical appliances will be safe.
Competent
We’re confident that the products we use daily are safe to use. We should also feel secure in the buildings we occupy. Asbestos in your premises is hazardous; this can be present in many different areas such as floor tiles, cement and ceiling cavities. Hiring someone with the know-how and advanced equipment needed for the job is a must.
Competence and compliance are inseparable bedfellows. You can’t have one without the other.
What’s Holding Business Owners Back?
The Status Quo. When you’re working on a budget, under stress and handling a business all by yourself; some matters take less precedence. A few reasons business owners would instead use unlicensed contractors are the following:
The Knowledge
We have to accept at times that we don’t always have the best solution and to put our trust in someone more qualified. Fixed wire testing sounds simple enough on paper. It’s just the electricity running through your building, right?
Only when you find out that fixed wires cover everything from your main panels, socket outlets, lighting and more does it become a lot clearer. You need a professional.
The Price
Cheap often wins out on trust. Waste removal always comes down to price. However, when you put your money in the hands of a man in a van, you have no idea where that waste is heading.
For business owners, you could land in a heap of bother if that waste gets fly-tipped and traced back to your establishment. It’s worth paying for a trusted waste management company than spending £400 in fines.
The Time
Busy schedules and time commitments play massive roles in our lives. It’s hard to stop and wait when we want things immediately. An unlicensed contractor will always be on hand to do the work at a moment’s notice.
However, when you notice problems and the jobs do more harm than good. They aren’t anywhere to be seen.
Think of it this way.
How much time would you have to escape if the fire alarm stopped working?
What happens When You Use An Unlicensed Contractor?
A licensed contractor means they can prove they’re a professional in their industry. An unlicensed contractor can’t give you that same assurance. By using an unlicensed contractor, your business could fall foul to:
Danger
You have a real threat to your employees, visitors and customers when taking out an unlicensed contractor. For all the thousands of skilled electricians in the country, the small minority of unlicensed ones give them a bad name.
Choosing someone to take a look into your electrics should be an informed decision. However, the number of electric shocks and electrical fire fatalities still happen. Prevent the worst-case scenario by taking the best option with a licensed professional.
Risk
Imagine taking a first-aid course only to be given entirely pointless advice. Never take a risk you can’t afford. That’s what happens when you put your trust in an unlicensed contractor. They can do any mediocre job and leave you to pick up the pieces when everything falls apart.
Fines
Using unlicensed contractors can throw out significant problems later on. Many health & safety guidelines such as legionella testing require a licensed professional to carry out the assessment. Failing to adhere to guidelines can lead to rejected insurance claims, fines and ultimately, the demise of your business.
Avoid this happening by using a qualified professional.
Why You Can Put Your Trust In Direct365
At Direct365 we won’t use someone if they aren’t approved. Sometimes the wait is longer than going with someone unlicensed. However, if you’ve learnt anything from this article.
The wait is worth it.
View our range of services here.
