Avoid a cowboy with plumbing insurance

The case of yet another cowboy tradesman may have reminded the people of Blackburn of the importance of getting the right plumbing insurance policy in place.

However, in this situation, the fraudster didn’t even get chance to ruin a plumbing system - he simply got paid for work he didn’t carry out. According to the Lancashire Telegraph, the bogus tradesman brazenly asked staff at a working men’s club for cash for non-existent work – and walked away with a fistful of notes a few minutes later.

A stewardess was approached by the man, who told her that he’d carried out work and had come for his money. Shortly after shelling out for the imaginary job, the poor member of staff checked with her bosses and found out that the club’s plumbing was in rude health – and had not been fixed recently at all.

In an attempt to track down the cocky cowboy, police have published a picture of his mug in local papers in an attempt to warn people not to fall for the same scam. If you live in and around the area, you may be advised to take a good look at the snap – and refer back to it if a person purporting to be a plumber turns up on your doorstep. PC Kerry Gillibrand from Blackburn Police said that she’s keen to speak to anyone who may recognise the conman. "I would ask people to take a close look at the CCTV image if they recognise this man to contact police. The stewardess had only been working in the club for 10 days and the plumber seemed very genuine and implied that he very good friends with the club secretary," she said.

It’s an incident that only serves to highlight why businesses and homeowners need to be on their guard – cowboys are everywhere and they’ll stop at nothing to relieve you of your money, with or without carrying out any work.

One of the best ways you can ensure your home is protected from cowboys is to get the right plumbing insurance in place. Once you’ve got this policy, you can be sure that you’ll be able to get in a fully qualified tradesman to do the job if you have any problems with your plumbing and drainage. No thumbing through directories, no getting quotes from emergency plumbers, no cowboys trying to rip you off – what could give you and your family more peace of mind?