Cheap, fast, high quality – that’s what some online offers from tradesmen and construction companies promise. Why this often goes wrong and how customers can recognize dubious offers.
This is original content from the Capital brand. This article will be available for ten days on stern.de. After that, you will find it exclusively on capital.de. Capital, like the star to RTL Germany.
Anyone who wants to hire a tradesman or even build an entire house today will have to dig much deeper into their pockets than they did just a few years ago. Increased costs and the shortage of skilled workers mean that many people go bargain hunting online. But be careful: the Internet often promises quick solutions at a low price. These can be tempting offers from unskilled hobbyists or dubious companies. However, if you ask the right questions and recognize warning signs, you can benefit from the variety of information and offers available online.
Regional craftsmen are usually more reliable
For example, the advice center of the Düsseldorf consumer advice center repeatedly receives complaints about supposed tradesmen who advertise for orders online and then act in a dishonest manner. “With regional providers, complaints are less frequent – at least with us,” says Sebastian Dreyer, head of the Düsseldorf advice center of the NRW consumer advice center.
Consumers are often lured online by unbeatably cheap offers. According to Dreyer, the first warning sign is the price: “If an offer sounds too good to be true, it is often not serious,” he says. Very low prices can be an indication of poor quality or hidden costs. He therefore advises asking for recommendations from family, friends and acquaintances and comparing offers in addition to searching online. This can pay off: “Some local tradesmen will follow suit with their price if they are presented with a cheap online offer,” says Dreyer.
Pay attention to warnings
Classic signs of a reputable craft business are certificates from chambers of crafts, master craftsman certificates and quality marks from professional associations and guilds. However, searchers should not rely on these alone. In the worst case, these details or seals could be fake. If you want to separate the wheat from the chaff without a doubt, you should look out for a few relatively easy-to-spot warning signs: First, consumers should check the imprint on the website. If this is missing entirely or if individual details such as a regional address or telephone number are missing, caution is advised.
Other warning signs include a lack of transparency, pressure and an unprofessional demeanor: reputable tradesmen offer a detailed, written estimate and issue an invoice. If there are no written receipts, consumers should reject the offer. Reputable companies also give their customers time to check and compare offers. They communicate professionally and politely, both on their websites and by email, on the phone and in direct contact. It is also a good sign if a company has been around for a long time and has good references and reviews, for example on Google.
Intermediary platforms for tradesmen and construction companies offer guidance in the online jungle. Customers usually receive advice and a selection of different companies that offer the desired product or service. With a reputable platform, there is no obligation to place an order. The contract is only concluded after the consultation and directly between the tradesmen and the customer – provided they have reached an agreement.
Advice is a quality feature
A particularly important quality feature when selecting a company is advice, says Dagmar Faltis, managing director of the Aroundhome platform, which connects owners with specialist companies for their house projects: “Good professional advice takes a few minutes.” If the service provider talks more about the value of the goods and the speed of implementation than about technical questions, customers should at least pay attention, says Faltis.
For some jobs, a low price or quick implementation are simply not the most important criteria: “Imagine you are sitting on your new stair lift and it suddenly stops – then three days of service time is too long.” She advises calm, especially when converting to age-appropriate living: “Older people should seek independent advice and take their time: take offers home with them first, talk to relatives about them – and don’t let service providers put them under pressure,” says Faltis.
When it comes to a warning signal, the consumer advice center, the police and the brokerage platform all agree: advance payments should be avoided if possible. This is completely unusual in the solar industry, for example, says Faltis. The state and federal police crime prevention departments have dedicated a separate keyword entry to this. Dreyer points out that consumers should generally avoid offers requiring advance payment. According to the law, the payment must be made upon acceptance of the work. A cost estimate should only be paid if both contracting parties have expressly agreed to it in advance. Even if the company is reputable, there is still a risk of financial loss if the company goes bankrupt.
Source: Stern
