Call-out Charges (Hansard, 27 April 1978)

§ Mr. MacLennan

As my announcement on 5th July 1977 made clear, the Price Commission found that most of the complaints relating to call-out charges concerned emergency plumbing services. They recommended that the Department of the Environment should inquire into the problem to see how far the trade and water authorities could provide a suitable service. This has now been done.

I am advised that water authorities and water companies are not in a position to undertake a full range of domestic plumbing repairs. However, in an emergency all of them offer advice and provide assistance to seal off burst pipes to prevent flooding. Most authorities also have lists available to the public of private plumbers prepared to provide plumbing services outside normal working hours.

A voluntary registration scheme for plumbing contractors, currently being discussed by the Plumbing Industry Working Group and the National Water 653W Council, should help to improve the public's access to emergency plumbing services. The scheme, would provide for the maintenance of publicly available lists of approved plumbers within a water authority's area.

As well as extending the information available to the public, the scheme would provide some assurance that those plumbers on the register were of a reasonable standard of competence. I hope therefore that it will be implemented as soon as possible.

My advice to the public when faced with plumbing emergencies is that they should not hesitate to contact their local water authority or water company for advice and assistance. As far as repairs are concerned, if they cannot rely on personal recommendation, as the Price Commission suggested, they should ring the water authority to see if they have a list of reliable plumbing contractors. Finally, it should be remembered that the Commission recommended customers to obtain an estimate in advance if it was at all possible to do so.—[Vol. 934, c. 484.]