A leading trade association for the plumbing and heating industry has started a war against rogue traders. But it’s up to us, the consumer, to fight their battles for them – and us.

Good honest plumbers are fed up with rogue traders ruining their reputation by ripping off customers and leaving them exposed to potentially fatal dangers.

So the Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors hopes the launch of a new scheme will signal the beginning of the end for the rogues.

Clive Dickin, chief executive of APHC, commented: "Rogue traders are not only a nightmare for consumers, but also for the thousands of skilled, experienced and trustworthy plumbers and heating engineers out there.”

“We represent over a thousand plumbing and heating firms and they have all had about enough. The launch of our Competent Persons' Scheme is a fantastic opportunity for consumers and the plumbing and heating industry to work together to make sure that rogue traders don't cause anyone else to lose thousands of pounds - or even worse, their lives - thanks to a botched job."

The Competent Persons' Scheme offered by APHC means that consumers who choose a plumber who is a member of the Scheme will know the work is being done by a professional, skilled and experienced plumber.

All scheme members are closely monitored to ensure they reach high standards. In the unlikely event of a tradesman falling short of the required standard, customers are protected by a warranty that will be honoured by APHC.

How the war will be waged

Vigilance by consumers will drive the scheme, along with new legislation.

Clive Dickin said: "If all consumers ask plumbers if they are a member of a Competent Persons Scheme - and only use those that are - there would simply be no room for rogue traders to operate. Vigilance by consumers is the key to squeezing these rogues out of business."

New legislation this year means all tradesmen operating under Building Regulations are required to gain approval from their local building control officer. Doing this on a job-by-job basis is a slow and costly process. Competent Persons Schemes have been devised by professional bodies to allow proven high-quality tradesmen to self-certificate their work, rather than calling out the local building control officer every time. For the consumer, this simply means that the work done in their home is automatically approved by building control.

If work is done by a rogue trader who is not a member of a Competent Persons Scheme and who does not notify the local building control officer, that work is not legal and will hinder them if they come to sell their home. It is likely, of course, that a rogue trader wouldn't dare contact the building control officer because he knows the work is substandard and possibly even dangerous.

APHC says the scheme they have launched is the most comprehensive Competent Persons Scheme for the plumbing and heating industry. It allows plumbers and heating engineers to certificate a wide range of work in the home, and APHC's very high quality standards mean customers will only be dealing with the most professional and skilled tradesmen.