We're always hearing about the importance of checking how legitimate your plumber's reputation and qualifications are before they start working on a job in your home, but how many of us actually follow through with asking for proof of what they claim?
The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) is aiming to educate consumers on how they can best protect themselves against potential rogues traders, and is now encouraging people to take part in a survey to find out more about how they go about choosing their plumber.
CIPHE technical and educational manager Bryan Clark said: "It’s very important to establish whether the person employed to work on your plumbing or heating system knows what they are doing."
He added that the body has received feedback from its members that they have been called in to carry out "a lot" of rectification work, with jobs being carried out by unqualified or inexperienced tradespeople a common reason behind this.
While the cost of having to get someone in to tidy up bathroom work that has already been paid for once is an obvious downside, Mr Clark noted that another element to consider was the potential health hazard being created by inadequate workmanship.
The survey - titled How Safe Is Your Plumbing Or Heating? - focuses on several areas, asking consumers about where they would find a plumber, how to turn off their water in an emergency and what they would consider to be the most important attribute when employing a plumber.
It also queries whether or not the respondent would feel awkward asking a tradesperson about their qualifications and industry experience, and what they would do if they felt as though the quality of the work being carried out in their home was below standard.
Plumbers were recently voted among the most trustworthy tradespeople in a study carried out by Helly Hansen Workwear.