WaterSafe has teamed up with broadcaster and consumer champion Alice Beer in a national media drive to emphasise the importance of checking a plumber's credentials.

The campaign, called ‘Trust Approved Plumbers’ (TAP), which launches on 25 September, follows recent research carried out by WaterSafe, which found that 54% of UK homeowners would trust a tradesperson based on first appearances rather than professional credentials.

Moreover, 67% said that fresh breath and attractive smell affect their opinion of a tradesperson, while 30% claimed a trader’s clothing affects how trustworthy they seem.

The reality of not using a properly qualified plumber is not only dangerous, it’s also a false economy and could end up costing the homeowner a small fortune to repair – not to mention the safety hazards.

“Our message is simple: When choosing a plumber, always use the WaterSafe website to make sure you get a qualified professional every time. In this way we, as a nation, can ‘Trust Approved Plumbers’. All homeowners need to do is go to the website, type in their postcode and it will provide them with several approved plumbing businesses in their geographical area.”