After spying what she believed to be a tradesperson offering a good deal in the Grey Power Preferred Traders discount booklet, she hired the service to do some painting and repair work at her property.
Over the course of the job concerns about the work quickly began to arise.
A family member, who wished to remain anonymous, said they believed she was taken advantage of.
"The discount promised did not apply for seven months, the handyman refused to provide itemised invoices making it impossible to verify charges, unapproved costs were tacked on to the final bill. The paint work was deemed substandard and some of the behaviour on site made her feel unsafe and distressed.
"While not all unregistered tradespeople are dishonest, this experience highlights the potential risk and underscores the importance of raising awareness about the dangers of employing such individuals for substandard services, especially in the senior community."
After seeking a Master Painters NZ inspection report on the "completed" work, she was informed it had failed to meet the Master Painters understanding of the AS/NZS2311:2017 Guide to the painting of buildings professional standard.
The report highlighted issues such as paint not being strained, final coats of paint not being applied, paint not being cleaned off glass and a general lack of preparation.
Master Painters NZ Mid and South Canterbury president Steve Turnbull urged people to do their due diligence when it came to selecting a company or individual.
"People who don’t get a Master Painter might think they are getting themselves a deal or at a cheaper price or think a Master Painter would charge more than normal but it’s like anything, you get what you pay for.
"We are trained. By getting someone who is not registered or is a handyman, they might be able to paint but the quality of the finish might not be up to what people expect.
"There is a reason why people are in the Master Painters, there is a standard of workmanship that not everyone can adhere to, so by not getting someone like a Master Painter you’re rolling the dice really."
Age Concern South Canterbury manager Chris Thomas said that while situations like this were not a frequent occurrence in South Canterbury, they did very much happen.
"People need to protect themselves, your basics is the risk management process. We had someone come to us recently for advice after they were quoted $400 for materials but it was just a verbal quote and not a written quote.
"Turns out they were $1500 not $400. So what I would recommend is, get a quote and go to a reputable licensed firm. You can talk to Age Concern we have people we have vetted and reference checked who do regular work for us.
"Also, go to more than one person, do not just take the first one that comes your way."
He said to make sure you got everything in writing.
"Do not give people any money to start work unless you have a written quote and a written agreement about what they are going to do, when they are going to do it and when you are going to pay for it. Even if they insist for money up front, tell them you won’t do that until you get a written quote and you know exactly what will be happening.
"Older people are vulnerable and very trusting and we have been running an anti-scam service using the old ChiPs characters. It’s just about being skeptical not only when getting work done but just in general.
"Don’t be afraid to hang up on people or close the door, if something seems too good to be true, it is."
