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The electricial standards charity NICEIC have launched a campaign in Edinburgh to crack down on rogue electricians - by having warning posters on the side of taxis.

Research by the charity has found that 98 per cent of unregistered electricians are prepared to do potentially hazardous electrical work.

Angus Moir of NICEIC said: "We want to take the stress out of finding a registered electrician and this taxi campaign promotes registered installers to the public and carries a safety message."

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When the Observer phoned us up last week to ask for our comment on how websites deal with negative customer reviews, we jumped at the chance.

'People are more likely to trust a public word-of-mouth recommendation rather than anything else,' says Jonathan Peace of Problemsolved. 'This is why we publish every review, good or bad - and if a bad review does go up, the tradesperson has the right to reply. It's really important that we have good and bad reviews, so that there is a balance of light and shade and ultimately the user can choose. We would only suppress a review if it was defamatory.'

To read the article in full, click here.

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I’m sure if most of us were asked to name a famous plumber, a certain computer game character would spring to mind.

The clever people at Train4Trade Skills have taken this association one step further by creating a virtual reality house where trainee plumbers can fix problems that occur in the real world. Burst pipes, overflowing water tanks and leaking radiators can all be tackled without a tool even being touched.

Mike Head, marketing manager for Train4Trade Skills, said: "The virtual house is an important part of our blended learning plumbing course and has been successful in helping students by giving them visual recall of the steps necessary for the skill they are about to undertake. This is a learning technique that students would never be able to experience on a traditional apprenticeship scheme."

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A report released by the UK Green Building Council (GBC) has suggested that the definition of zero carbon needs to be reconsidered to allow the government to meet its own housing targets.

It is thought that up to 80% of new homes could fail to meet what is currently defined as zero carbon because of a ban that restricts using off-site renewable energy that is not connected to development by private wires.

The report proposes that whilst most of the zero carbon homes should generate their own energy, there should be some allowance for near-site or off-site renewables. The chief executive of UK GBC Paul King said:

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Well, here’s something that you don’t hear too often – a builder taking revenge on a rogue customer!

After waiting for four months to receive payment for a porch and conservatory, Nigel Gray and his team took the law into their own hands, by knocking down their own handiwork with sledgehammers.

Nigel, 44, who was owed £15,000 by Mrs Dovey of West Sussex, said: “I just reached the end of my tether and thought why should they enjoy the fruits of my hard work – laughing at me while I don’t get paid. I felt like I had been mugged.”

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After celebrating its 21st birthday last month, sales in Ikea’s new flat pack homes have fallen because of fears among mortgage lenders.

The development of homes, known as Bokloks, was opened in Gateshead last week and was backed by massive publicity campaigns. However, out of the 93 properties on the site, 12 still remain unsold.

An unwillingness to lend money by lenders and the contraction in the mortgage market are said to be the main reasons for the drop in demand.

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A builder from Stamford, whose springer spaniel was stolen with his van, is appealing for its return.

After going for a walk on Tuesday afternoon, Richard Prodger returned to find that his Nissan Navara had been taken with his dog, Tilley, inside. Mr Prodger’s nine year old daughter and wife are both said to be particularly devastated.

He said: "My daughter was very upset. It was heartbreaking having to tell her that Tilley was missing. I just hope that she hasn't been dumped on the side of the road. If anyone has seen her please give us a call."

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Yorkshire Copper Tube, Europe’s largest manufacturer of copper plumbing tube, is giving one lucky plumber the chance to win a van.

To enter the competition, plumbers should pick up Yorkshire game cards from trade merchants across the UK. Each card contains a unique code which is sent by text, with one lucky winner qualifying for a new Ford Connect van. Runners-up prizes include radios and thermal mugs.

To find out more details, visit www.yorkshirecopper.com.

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Now here’s a good incentive for employers to pay their staff on time - a plumber in India has killed his boss after a four day delay in his salary payment.

Rajesh Yadav, 19, allegedly attacked the local contractor with a spanner after not paying his monthly wages. Vijay Thakur was rushed to hospital but later died of his head injury.

A local police chief claims: “The attack was pre-planned. Yadav after having a heated argument with his employer left the place. He returned after a few minutes and attacked Thakur with a spanner. He hit him on the right side of his head, injuring him seriously”.

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The issue of cowboy tradesmen’s “unfair sales practices” is to be addressed by parliament later this month.

The Consumer Protection Regulations (CPRs), which will be discussed on May 21, look to ban 31 practices including bogus closing-down sales, prize draw scams and aggressive doorstep selling.

The move towards new legislation comes after a recent study found that one in ten businesses estimate that rogue traders cost them more than one fifth of their revenue.

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A new report released today suggests that more than a third of people would not leave their house keys with their neighbours.

And with communities interacting less and less, the way in which we exchange information about local issues is changing. People are turning to the internet to find out about local services, like plumbers and builders, instead of having a quick chinwag across the garden fence. But, how can you be sure that hiding behind the contact details listed on websites, there isn’t a rogue tradesman trying to rip you off?

This is where ProblemSolved comes in. We bring word of mouth online. We ask members of the public who have used one of our tradesmen to write reviews – good or bad – for others to see.

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I think someone's had too many cups of tea...

To search for reliable tradespeople in your local area, visit ProblemSolved.

Have you ever wondered how your building project is affecting the environment? Well, a new online carbon calculator could be the answer.

The calculator, which has been developed by Faithful+Gould, helps to evaluate sustainable options at design stages of construction and also keeps you informed if the implications that they have for your budget.

The device is currently being used by the Department for Children, Schools and Families to design schools, and has helped to reduce carbon emissions by 60%.  Sean Lockie, the director of Faithful+Gould claims that the calculator could by a host of building sectors wishing to go green.

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A report by home emergency experts Homeserve has warned that the elderly are often being charged rip-off prices by tradesmen.

According to the report, homeowners over the age of 55 often pay hundreds of pounds more for even the simplest of repairs. Pensioners are said to be paying more for boiler repairs, central heating problems, gas leaks, door and window lock replacements and even roof repairs.

The figures show older homeowners pay on average £382.33 more for a simple boiler repair, which costs under-55s an average of £632.68.

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Eddie Shah, the former newspaper tycoon, has hit out at "shoddy, lazy, and incompetent" construction workers. He has translated his frustration into a fictional day in the life of a builder. Let us know what you think about his views...

Diary of a building worker

7.30am: Arrive and read paper

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The things builders get up to when they're bored...

To search for reliable tradesmen in your local area, visit ProblemSolved.

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A new eco-town developed by Prince Charles’ Foundation for the Built Environment has been given the green light.

The settlement, which will be built on farmland in Plymouth, is being billed as Britain’s greenest town. It is set to house 12,000 people and will be called Sherford new town. At least half of all of the town’s energy will be derived from renewable sources including wind turbines and solar panels, allowing CO2 emissions to be 60% lower than government requirements.

To search for reliable tradesmen in your local area, visit ProblemSolved.

A trade map of Britain, released today by Barclays, highlights some interesting disparities between the spread of trades and services across the country.

One area where you will find it difficult to find a plumber is in Kensington and Chelsea. Here, for every 6,137 residents there is just one plumber as well as only one electrician per 5,260 residents. It is however good to know that if you are desperate for some antiques, there is one shop for every 722 people in the royal borough!

At the other end of the scale, Doncaster was found to boast twice the national average of plumbers with one plumber for every 1,606 citizens. The hairdressing capital of Britain appears to be Barnsley, which has one salon per 725 of the population.

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Here’s some good news for all our members - after successful trials in Scotland, B&Q has introduced a special discount card specifically for the trade sector.

This card will enable members to claim cash back rather accumulating points, depending on the type of product purchased.

In a statement, B&Q said: "For the nuts and bolts and other hardware products, customers could benefit from a discount of up to 25%, with a 5% discount offered for building materials. There is also a 5% volume rebate for those spending over £1,000 on average for three months."

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Two weeks ago, 112 construction companies were accused of rigging bids for contracts by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

And according to the Times Online, members of these companies had a series of get-togethers known as the “calorie club” These meetings were so-called because “everyone gets fat at the calorie club”.

The “calorie club” is at the centre of the investigation into the alleged cartel activity by the OFT. One contractor claimed: "The calorie club was well known in the industry as a place where firms could get together and discuss work and prices. We were invited to come along a few times, but our speciality is private housing and the club was mainly concerned with divvying-up public housing jobs."

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Here are just some of the tradespeople you have recommended this week. Click on the company names to view their ProblemSolved profiles:

• JBS services, Corgi registered, trustworthy plumbing and bathroom installation services. Based in SE London, covering London. Call 0208 855 0361

• Ashmark Roofing, professional, quality roofing company offering a variety of services. Based in N London, covering London. Call 020 8882 8812

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The Daily Star has started a campaign this week to help builders who are struggling in the industry.

According to the tabloid, builders are finding it hard to get work because people can’t afford to build new homes or even improve their existing ones. It also claims that companies are beginning to lay off staff and that the situation could become as bad as in the early 1990’s.

So what is the Daily Star doing to solve this ever increasing problem? Sending some of their top Page 3 girls to building sites across the country of course! Winners of the competition will also receive a £500 tab behind the bar of their local pub.

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Gordon Brown has become one of the latest politicians to throw his weight behind the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) “Building a Greener Britain” campaign, which is looking at the role of the construction industry in bringing about a low carbon built environment.

In a statement the Prime Minister said:

"I am pleased to see such positive and pro-active work being undertaken by the FMB.  I welcome the contribution your campaign will make to support the building industry to build and retrofit homes to higher environmental standards, whilst highlighting the important contribution the construction industry can have in supporting our efforts to tackle climate change.  I wish the FMB well with their campaign."

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A man from the Crawley area who worked as a plumber for 25 years has died from lung cancer following exposure to asbestos.

Ron Rose, who worked for G W Hitchcock Ltd from 1948 to 1971, was diagnosed in 2007 after visiting the doctor after complaining of back pain. Mr Rose had to stop caring for his sick wife as a result of the mesothelioma brought on by the exposure.

The coroner that examined Mr Rose’s body said: "He became exposed to asbestos during one particular project working at a petrol station. Workers were sawing sheets of material, thought to contain asbestos, in a closed area.

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A firm of plumbers in Oxford have been targeted by animal rights activists after working on Oxford University’s animal testing laboratory.

The slogan “Drop Oxford Uni” has been sprayed on the shutters of Steve Rusk Plumbers in Oxford. The Animal Liberation Front (ALF), the group which has claimed responsibility for the attack on an American website, oppose the animal testing laboratory which is owned and run by the university. Police are asking for anyone who has any information to get in contact.

To search for reliable tradespeople in your local area, visit ProblemSolved.

A director of a building firm in Bristol has warned people using the internet to be wary of death threats via email.

Andrew Sawyer, the boss of Buildtec, received an email claiming that he would be killed by an assassin if he didn’t pay $1,500 immediately and a further $2,000 at a later date. The email was later shown to be a fake but could prove to be very alarming to vulnerable or elderly internet users.

To search for reliable tradespeople in your local area, visit ProblemSolved.

An apprentice plumber, whose friends pleaded with him not to drive his car after consuming 11 pints, has been banned from driving.

Scott Parker from Worcester drank four pints of Fosters before driving to the next pub and quaffing a further seven pints. After spotting damage to road signs, Parker was stopped by the police and breathalysed. The test revealed that he had 94mcg of alcohol in 100 ml of breath, well over the legal limit of 25 mcg.

He has been disqualified from driving for three years and is subject to a 12 month community order.

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A pensioner in his eighties from Stanks in Yorkshire was trapped in his house for six weeks because of building works that surrounded his home.

Former lorry driver Frank Bullock was made housebound after builders who were working on a site next door, dug a channel outside his driveway that prevented access for his wheelchair.

82 year old Frank can now leave his house after an inquiry into the situation was made by the Yorkshire Evening Post. The hole preventing Mr Bullock from leaving his has been tarmacked over.

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It seems that the search for a reliable builders, plumbers and electricians is proving increasingly difficult north of the border. New figures from Consumer Direct in Scotland reveal that there has been a 25 per cent increase in the number of complaints against tradesmen this year.

CDS received 1,545 complaints in the first three months of this year, with the total value of the work involved in these complaints rising by almost £600,000. Building work complaints totalled more than £1.8 million, followed by those about fitted kitchens (£1.8 million) and fitted bathrooms (nearly £800,000).

Gordon Macdonald, the manager of CDS, said: “There’s no foolproof way of avoiding problems, but you need to do your homework: agree clear terms with the trader, and, if things go wrong, check your rights and take prompt action.”

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CORGI, the gas safety watchdog, is warning householders to be vigilant about chimneys and flues becoming blocked.

Appliances should be switched off if there is any chance that building work may have jammed a flue and a registered installer should be contacted before switching them on again.

The warning comes after the tragic death of Robert Schenker who died from carbon monoxide poisoning after poor workmanship by a builder blocked his chimney.

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Four builders from the Dartford area have been accused of targeting the elderly and vulnerable and allegedly conning one man out of £75,000.

The rogue tradesmen cold-called their victims telling them that their properties needed urgent building repairs. They are then accused of quoting extortionate prices for work that was shoddy or incomplete. The four men, said to be led by William Smith of Greenhithe, are on trial this week at Canterbury Crown Court.

The jury heard one story about how the men conned one man who had learning disabilities out of more than £75,000. The victim met Smith in 2004 and was told that his chimney needed re-pointing and that a downpipe need repairing. Smith charged the man £12,500 for two week’s work. The problem was only picked up on four years later by a suspicious bank m