NICEIC continues the fight against misuse of its logo

The NICEIC has been seeing an increasing number of electricians advertising themselves as being registered with NICEIC when they are not. This is a serious problem in a number of ways, not least because the NICEIC logo is recognised by the public as a mark of excellence and is used by electrical contractors as a way to promote the quality of their work. 

 

Any person or company abusing the logo is likely to reduce the public’s trust in it, whilst disadvantaging bona fide NICEIC registered contractors. Fraudulent electricians are also far more likely to produce sub-standard or actively dangerous work.

 

For these reasons, the NICEIC continues to work hard to protect use of its logo. In January, for example, David Taylor, who trades under the name of London-based DT Property Maintenance and Electrical Contractors, was found guilty of leaving jobs unfinished and homes unfit for human habitation. He was also found to have been using the NICEIC, Trustmark and Part P logos with being authorised to do so.

 

The action was taken by Hackney Council’s Trading Standards – working alongside the NICEIC - who took Taylor to Snaresbrook Crown Court after he left jobs with dangerous electrical re-wiring that required urgent work to put right. In addition, a roof that was leaking had to be replaced and – in addition – all of his efforts required other contractors to remedy his poor workmanship. This cost affected residents over £10,000 on top of what they had already paid Taylor.

 

Previously, in November last year, he had also been found guilty by Isleworth Crown Court for committing a fraud against his employer. This case had been brought by the Metropolitan Police.

 

Taylor pleaded guilty to 12 counts under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, including the unauthorised use of the NICEIC, Trustmark and Part P logos. As a result, he was sentenced to eight months for the trading standards offences, and a further 12 for the action taken by Metropolitan Police - both suspended for two years at Isleworth Crown Court.

 

The NICEIC’s CEO Emma Clancy said: “We take misuse of our logo very seriously and we welcome this latest prosecution. The NICEIC name is associated with quality and we must protect those contractors who are legitimately registered with us and have the quality of their work assessed on a regular basis.

 

“We must also send out the message that anyone thinking about misusing our logo will be caught and dealt with appropriately by the courts,” she concluded.

 

Hackney Councillor Feryal Demirci commented: “Hackney Council’s Trading Standards Officers have worked tirelessly to ensure that Mr. Taylor was held to account for duping unwitting residents into allowing him to undertake complex improvements to their homes with disastrous and expensive results.

 

“Our advice is always check out any potential trades person. If a trader claims to belong to a trade association or professional trade body, such as the NICEIC, the advice is to check with these organisations.” 

 

The sentence passed down by the court should serve as a warning and deterrent to others who misrepresent themselves in this way.

 

 

In the past, as now, the NICEIC has fought against firms incorrectly using its logo. One innovative way of going about this was to set up a ‘Wall of Shame’, where contractors caught falsely claiming to be members were named and shamed, both on the NICEIC website and – in one case – by erecting a real ‘Wall of Shame’ brick by brick at Euston Station, London. A ‘trade trickster’ actor was bricked slowly but surely into the wall while thousands of commuters passed by. Some even added bricks to wall in the fraudster.

 

This stunt formed part of NICEIC’s then ASK campaign, which encouraged householders to check the ID of all tradespeople at their doors, and to report any cowboy traders found fraudulently misusing a trade logo. Their details were then passed on to Trading Standards. As in the recent case above, offending companies could face a heavy fine or sentencing.

 

The recent difficult economic climate is thought to have led some traders to misuse the NICEIC logo as a way of winning work. In 2010, the organisation received 185 reports, whilst in 2008 and 2009 the figures were 156 and 154 respectively.

 

A significant number of electricians are still advertising themselves as being registered with NICEIC when they are – or have been - using the famous logo on their websites, vans and paperwork to mislead those hiring them into believing they are registered with the NICEIC. To see the ‘Wall of Shame’, click on: www.niceic.com/householder/wall-of-shame