Is there a Law to stop people claiming to be qualified tradesmen when they are not?

[Jane Doe]

Re: False advertising

these guys provide a service...............it is up to you to decide whether to accept their services or not.................depending on price , quality , etc

Under the sale of good and suply of services 1980 they must be competent to carry out the services they advertise

 

[bond-007]

Re: False advertising

.I wouldn't like to see the rediculous system some US states have where generic terms like "engineer" are protected (and licensed.).

Why? It would put a stop to the likes of Sky dish installers calling themselves engineers when they are clearly not.

 

[ubiquitous]

Re: False advertising

Big statement that - I don't actually know how many are not qualified to either agree or disagree with your assertion that 'the country is full of' them - what I do know is that the few I have encountered have by and large done their clients untold damage in terms of bad advice, whether in terms of tax advice, investment advice or succession planning advice.

Why haven't they sued?

 

[Purple]

Re: Is there a Law to stop people claiming to be qualified tradesmen when they are no

I wouldn't like to think my house was wired by a guy who wasn't trained as an electrician.

 

[bond-007]

Re: Is there a Law to stop people claiming to be qualified tradesmen when they are no

It is entirely possible. Electrician is not a protected term.

 

[PaddyBloggit]

Re: Is there a Law to stop people claiming to be qualified tradesmen when they are no

I wouldn't like to think my house was wired by a guy who wasn't trained as an electrician.

house wiring has to be certified otherwise ESB will refuse to connect. Also important for house insurance purposes etc.

If the electrician is registered with RECI it's a help too.

 

[bond-007]

Re: Is there a Law to stop people claiming to be qualified tradesmen when they are no

Actually the ESB no longer connect your domestic wiring to their meter, that is left to the electrician to do now. The ESB only provide the meter and a contractors switch. It is up to the electrician to switch on the power to the house. It basically protects the ESB from any liability if something went wrong.

 

[PaddyBloggit]

Re: Is there a Law to stop people claiming to be qualified tradesmen when they are no

Actually the ESB no longer connect your domestic wiring to their meter, that is left to the electrician to do now. The ESB only provide the meter and a contractors switch. It is up to the electrician to switch on the power to the house. It basically protects the ESB from any liability if something went wrong.

But it does have to be connected by a certified/registered electrician.

 

[bond-007]

Re: Is there a Law to stop people claiming to be qualified tradesmen when they are no

But it does have to be connected by a certified/registered electrician.

Nope. I have heard of first year apprentices being given the switch key to energise new houses.

 

[ubiquitous]

Re: Is there a Law to stop people claiming to be qualified tradesmen when they are no

But it does have to be connected by a certified/registered electrician.

This is correct. Although there is nothing to stop the certifying electrician from delegating the work. However it is their neck that is on the line if anything goes wrong. Btw the same principle applies in every solicitors and accountants office in the country. For example, a very high proportion of audit work by Big 4 firms is done by trainees.

 

[Padraigb]

Re: Is there a Law to stop people claiming to be qualified tradesmen when they are no

Nope. I have heard of first year apprentices being given the switch key to energise new houses.

I don't doubt what you say. But the ESB requires that the work be certified by a qualified electrician. Who has done the work, and who makes the final connection to the mains supply, is not material. It is done on the responsibility of the certifying electrician.

 

[MrMan]

Re: Is there a Law to stop people claiming to be qualified tradesmen when they are no

I don't doubt what you say. But the ESB requires that the work be certified by a qualified electrician. Who has done the work, and who makes the final connection to the mains supply, is not material. It is done on the responsibility of the certifying electrician.

Which leaves you in the same position, you can't be certain the guy doing the job is qualified.

 

[Padraigb]

Re: Is there a Law to stop people claiming to be qualified tradesmen when they are no

Which leaves you in the same position, you can't be certain the guy doing the job is qualified.

True. But the intention is that the work be checked out by somebody who is qualified to ensure that things are done to the right standard.

If all work had to be conducted by somebody who is qualified, apprentices would not be allowed on a site.

 

[bond-007]

Re: Is there a Law to stop people claiming to be qualified tradesmen when they are no

Apprentices are supposed to be supervised on a site, they are often never supervised. Certs were often completed using standard values from an old job. With the new system the ESB came up with, certs were often submitted to the ESB before any work was ever carried out. As the ESB employee you are caught in the middle.

 

[Bank Manager]

Re: False advertising

Why haven't they sued?

Two did or attempted to, but apparently legal advice to them at the time was that the 'accountant' had no assets, and even if they were successful and obtained a judgement there would be nothing to enforce it against. They decided to walk away from it at that stage, as they would have only incurred costs with no benefit to themselves.

Couple of others reached that conclusion without seeking legal advice, and the remaining four, I genuinely don't know what if any action they either have taken or intend to take.

Regards,


Bm

 

[Graham_07]

Re: False advertising

The country is full of accountants with no qualifications, many of whom run their own practices. I don't think they do much harm.

I have seen excellent work done by unqualified accountants and equally appalling work done by members of recognised accountancy bodies. I expect the same may happen at times in all trades/professions. It is, as always, up to the client/customer to carry out sufficient enquiry to know who they are dealing with, what qualifications (if any) they expect the person to have and proceed accordingly.

 

[ubiquitous]

Re: False advertising

what I do know is that the few I have encountered have by and large done their clients untold damage in terms of bad advice, whether in terms of tax advice, investment advice or succession planning advice.

Personally I believe if someone is selling themself as an 'accountant' they should have a qualification to back same up.

Would you apply the same logic to the many cases where bank managers have given dodgy "tax advice" and "investment advice" to their clients, without having either the qualifications or expertise to do so competently?

 

[Bank Manager]

Re: False advertising

Would you apply the same logic to the many cases where bank managers have given dodgy "tax advice" and "investment advice" to their clients, without having either the qualifications or expertise to do so competently?

I'm not aware of any (many) cases you refer to. But if they did give advice when they were not quailified to do so, then yes, they should be held accountable - and therein lies the hub of my original point: if one gets questionable advice from a qualified (accountant, using the original example), then as least there is some comeback to the representatitive body/umbrella orgainisation - whereas if someone is doing this without a quailification, there often is little/no comeback.

regards,

BM

 

[Padraigb]

Re: False advertising

I have seen excellent work done by unqualified accountants and equally appalling work done by members of recognised accountancy bodies.

Same here.

It is, as always, up to the client/customer to carry out sufficient enquiry to know who they are dealing with, what qualifications (if any) they expect the person to have and proceed accordingly.

That is easier said than done. For many people, accountancy is an arcane thing, more mysterious than the protocols of freemasonry or the philology of Sanskrit. People can be intimidated by their accountants.

I am not sure what is the best approach to take, but it seems to me that an open market with a buyer beware warning might not be sufficient.

 

[Graham_07]

Re: False advertising

accountancy is an arcane thing, more mysterious than the protocols of freemasonry or the philology of Sanskrit.

I love it.