The ACT’s peak plumbing body, Master Plumbers ACT, has introduced a nation-first $5,000 consumer guarantee in response to a stream of complaints about non-member plumbers operating in the Canberra region.
Master Plumbers ACT CEO, Claire Howe, said the Association had introduced the $5,000 consumer guarantee to emphasise to all ACT residents the importance of hiring an ethical, MPA-accredited plumber.
“Plumbing is a fully-licensed industry, regulated by the government, and it’s a blight on our professional reputation to have unethical operators giving our industry a bad name. So we’re doing something about it by reassuring residents with our consumer guarantee”, said Ms Howe.
“It’s unfortunate we need to introduce a consumer protection policy such as this, but having only been in this role since early 2021, I’m stunned by the number of complaints we receive from the Canberra community about unethical practices taking place.
“We’re seeing a stream of problem cases – some worth tens of thousands of dollars – being referred to Fair Trading at Access Canberra, to the Consumer Legal Service at Care Inc, and ending up in the ACT court system. This consumer guarantee is one way we can reassure our Canberra community that you can trust our MPA plumbers,” she said.
“We’re urging residents to do their homework, and always choose a reputable plumber:
- Don’t be taken in by slick sales tactics – the ‘Smooth Talking Shady Salesman’’ who may come to give a quote, who may not have relevant licenses, insurances and business registrations, who may lock you in for work via a document you sign, and then disappear, leaving you dealing with an impersonal service from an ‘umbrella Company’ and a long list of exceptions in relation to their work;
- Don’t use a plumber if you haven’t personally checked their Australian company and business registrations, ACT company and individual plumbing licenses, and public liability insurance;
- Don’t simply call a number, that pops up in Google, in newspaper or magazine advertising, on a fridge magnet from a magazine or the phone book (perhaps with misleading discount vouchers), without checking details above;
- Do check if your plumber is a member of the Master Plumbers Association – we’ve done the hard work for you. We’ve checked company and plumbing licences, we’ve checked insurances, and our members sign up to our MPA Code of Ethics as well as the terms of our nation-leading $5,000 consumer guarantee.”
- Do ask your plumber if they’re a member of the Master Plumbers Association – call the MPA office on 02 6112 8630 or search our online ‘Find A Plumber Database‘ to ensure you have ‘plumbing peace of mind!’”
Ms Howe said “We’re aiming to see a significant drop off in complaints as a result of our consumer guarantee, and look forward to being in touch with our wonderful ACT community around the high standards we uphold as an organisation and as a profession.”
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