Failure is not an option

This is not only because it was a Labour election manifesto commitment; not only because the government will be letting down the public if it doesn’t; not only because the government needs to eradicate the rogue trader – but also because the industry needs all the help it can get to redress its image at the domestic end of the market. And the government must not waste what has already been achieved.

In fact those of us – responsible trade bodies – that have supported the principles of Quality Mark from the beginning have pledged to continue working with the government so that we can help to make it work; and we feel that we are close to providing a way forward.

Over the six years since the embryonic stages of the scheme, many of us have developed and evolved our own consumer-based protection schemes. It is no accident that the HVCA membership criteria have been heavily influenced by the principles and criteria of the Quality Mark. So it has already benefited some sectors.

The Quality Mark creates a single recognisable badge of quality across all trades. It now has the opportunity now to endorse the bona fide, established trade association schemes and to link or embrace them within the Quality Mark.