The cost of hiring a plumber or electrician to make repairs to your home depends on several factors, which is why it's important to “shop around” the different options, according to a spokesperson for the Office of Consumer Protection (OPC).
“When we are in an emergency situation, we have to be more suspicious, we are more susceptible to being misled,” summarized Charles Tanguay, responsible for strategic partnerships and media relations at the OPC, in an interview with QUB Radio.
In his opinion, the tradesmen who sometimes risk cheating the consumer on their costs are the ones who are urgently called out. For this reason, Mr. Tanguay recommends always doing your research before using a service.
“If you type in “plumber” at half past midnight, that’s it [les entreprises spécialisées dans les urgences] that appears first in search engines,” he explained. “It’s worth offering a service 24 hours a day.”
Whatever happens, these activities are often regulated by organizations that can intervene in the event of abuse. For example, a plumber must be a member of the Corporation of Master Pipe Mechanics of Quebec and an electrician must be a member of the Corporation of Master Electricians of Quebec.
“These organizations could intervene if you think you have a bill that is too high or that there is a lack of transparency about it,” Mr. Tanguay recalls.
“If the plumber charges you $50 for the trip, that doesn't seem too excessive, but if it was $500 it would probably be considered abusive and the consumer would have the opportunity to appeal,” said he.