‘Gas engineers are the most trusted tradespeople’
Gas Safe Register has launched a new public safety campaign nationwide. Called Trust The Triangle, it reminds the public that the only sign of a trustworthy gas engineer is that they are registered with Gas Safe – have the Gas Safe ID card with the triangle logo.
New research carried out among the British public as part of the campaign, revealed that gas engineers are the most trusted of all tradespeople, followed by gas and electricity meter readers, carpet fitters, and electricians. Builders and plumbers were considered the least trustworthy.
Worryingly, however, the research also showed that Brits are putting their lives in danger by employing tradespeople based on their appearance and behaviour rather than their qualifications and skills to do the job. People look for politeness, good eye contact, confidence, good clothing and a nice smile. One in four people also admitted they decide whether someone is trustworthy within the first five minutes of meeting them.
Gas Safe Register says these figures are concerning because millions of people are letting unscrupulous tradespeople into their homes. The Register estimates that around a quarter-of-a-million illegal jobs are carried out every year by bogus fitters who do not have the correct qualifications and cannot be trusted.
Jonathan Samuel, chief executive of Gas Safe Register, says: “We know that in the right hands gas is safe, but in the wrong hands badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can be deadly and can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and CO poisoning.
“With hundreds of thousands of illegal gas jobs being carried out every year in the UK, people are putting the safety of their families in the hands of people they don’t really know and whose competencies they certainly haven’t checked. This research highlights the importance of gas engineers differentiating themselves from cowboy tradespeople who are sweet-talking their way into jobs.
“It is great to see Gas Safe registered engineers instilling trust in the public with your appearance and behaviour. But to make sure your customers know that you are qualified to work on gas, you should proudly present your ID card when arriving at a job. Seven in 10 people say they would look for an ID card when searching for a trustworthy tradesperson anyway4, so why not show them before they have to ask?”
To reach the public, Gas Safe Register has employed the help of Jo Hemmings, an expert behavioural psychologist, who has reiterated how important it is for tradespeople to win people’s trust by showing them they are qualified. She said: “While human interaction and instinct is vital in helping people determine whether or not to trust someone, people appreciate seeing qualifications. Offering credentials is the only sure way for tradespeople to prove they are trustworthy and safe, particularly for jobs that require legal qualifications, such as gas and electrics.”
Gas Safe Register is calling on all registered gas engineers to help encourage the public to Trust the Triangle and look for the Gas Safe Register logo. If you are aware of someone working illegally, you can report it anonymously to Gas Safe Register at www.gassaferegister/reportillegal
Look out for the ads all over the country – and why not get involved on social media too, using #TrustTheTriangle.
* Survey conducted of 2,191 UK adults in February 2016 by Opinion Matters on behalf of Gas Safe Register
