5 easy ways to spot a dodgy Electrical Contractor (and what you should do if you think you have one working on your home)!

Anyone can fake being licenced

No matter the industry (and in spite of the associated regulations) there is always a bottom feeder ready to take advantage of people. People that want to grab cash and dash, with promises to fix everything in your home.

The problem with unlicensed contractors or people pretending to be licenced electricians is that you have no fall back on the work and the fix they apply to your home can have fatal consequences.

In Australia the Electrical industry is highly regulated for a reason, to keep you safe.

So how do you know if you are hiring the real deal? Here are a few things to watch out for:

Ask who they are insured through
It is illegal to operate as an electrician without insurance, this covers you and them from if something goes wrong. Most unlicensed electricians won’t have insurance as they either can’t (due to their lack of qualifications) or that it is an additional overhead they just dont want to pay.

They ask to be paid in cash to do a number of extra jobs
These creeps will often offer to do loads of extra work at limited cost provided you don’t involve a 3rd party (and pay cash). Things like offering to upgrade your switchboard, electric panel or other things, without involving the utility company. They may also offer to do work that doesn’t relate to the electrical work you hired them for. These are all red flags.

Ask them about permits
All Electricians need a permit – regardless of if they are working under a general contractor or own the business. Dodgy contractors will often tell you that one is not required. Ask to see the permit, they are always required.

Ask to see a licence
Licenced electricians tend to display their licences on the vehicle they drive, their website/business cards etc (or can produce it when you ask to see it).

No Paper Trail
These contractors will almost never provide formal paperwork for the job, and when they do, limited information is provided. Ask for a tax invoice and check for a licence number, an ABN, their full name / company name /trading name.

What to do if you think you have been the victim of an unlicenced contractor?If you suspect your “electrician” is not properly licensed or that you have uncovered previous unsafe work you should file a complaint.

Here at Brisbane Electrical, we believe that old-fashioned customer service and value for money are key to happy clients. As a bricks and mortar Australian owned, lucenced and operated small business it is important for us to ensure our clients experience the highest quality service every time.

Need a licenced Electrician? Call Brisbane Electrical today on 07 3378 3387 or check out our contact us section here.

We can help with:

Lights, Fans & Power
Telephone, TV & Data
Switchboards
Faults & Repairs
Electrical Safety Inspections
LED Lighting Specialists
Air Conditioning Supply and Installation
and much more!

No matter what your need we can help. Brisbane Electrical, Electricians you can trust!

Electrical contractor’s licence number: 73127
ArcTick Lic #L149375

ABN: 14 149 834 471

132 Bainbridge Drive
Pullenvale, QLD 4069

Phone: 07 3378 3387
Mobile: 0414 522 320

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