One expat’s frustration at the local trade and construction industry has seen the birth of a ‘tripadvisor’ for certified tradespeople that she hopes would help save fellow homeowners several headaches.
Lauren Rampley, originally from the UK, settled here seven years ago.
“I’ve lived in other countries across Europe and grew to like the Mediterranean lifestyle, so I decided to settle in Malta. I felt welcomed here and decided to call it home,” she told Times of Malta.
The headache began when, pregnant with twins and already a mother to a small child, she moved into her own house.
“The local trade and building industry market is very difficult to navigate, especially for expats like myself,” she said.
“Most of it relies on word of mouth and being put in touch with tradespeople that your friends have hired in the past.
“This increases the risk of hiring tradespeople whose standard of work leaves much to be desired, and others who go as far as packing their toolbox and disappearing in thin air before the work is complete.”
Rampley recalls that what should have been the most beautiful time for her – having twins and moving into the most expensive thing she had ever bought – turned into the most stressful and frustrating experience.
“This was meant to be our safe space, but we did not feel safe at all. We felt violated,” she said.
“We had no proper ventilation and cooling system in place, in the middle of a heatwave after giving birth to premature twins. Doors had been installed the other way around, we were experiencing sewage and plumbing problems… you name it.”
Mother-of-three Lauren Rampley settled in Malta seven years ago.'A widespread it is what it is attitude'
After spending more money than she should have to finish her place and speaking up about her frustration with other homeowners, Rampley realised several had given up on accountability in local trade and construction industry.
“I noticed a widespread ‘it is what it is’ attitude. This is not fair on clients spending their hard-earned money,” she notes.
“And the bad name that some tradespeople have brought upon themselves also tarnishes the whole industry, making it unfair on other professional and licensed tradespeople.”
So, when COVID-19 hit the world by storm and she had plenty of time on her hands, Rampley set up a system through which she would verify tradespeople’s qualifications, licences, years of experience and work permits.
If a tradesperson moves from one trade to another – say from fixing faulty washing machines to car valeting – this would also be noted on their profile for transparency’s sake.
1,500 tradespeople verified
So far, together with five others on her team, she has verified 1,500 tradespeople, some of whom inherited their artisanship from previous generations.
Their documentation is reviewed every year, while the team at checkyourtraders.com follows up on the feedback submitted by clients.
Checkyourtraders.com is free to access for clients, who can look up a tradesperson by name, to ensure their accountability, or else look for recommendations depending on what kind of service they require – whether it is fixing a broken heel or torn insect screen, to taking care of damp and mould in their house.
If a client files a complaint, the tradespeople are given a fortnight to rectify the situation, otherwise their negative rating is published online.
Just like tripadvisor, tradespeople get a rating, and a further seal of approval by the checkyourtraders.com team, depending on their qualifications.
“We’re not taking the shame and name attitude, as ultimately, that leaves no room for growth. Rather, we’d like to help foster a professional relationship between tradespeople and homeowners… something that seems to be missing in Malta,” Rampley said.
“I’m trying to create a movement that would bring about a change in the industry by the tradespeople and clients themselves.”