THE minefield of finding a reliable contractor to carry out building work has been made easier by Mid Beds District Council. Many people end up facing a nightmare with shoddy work and being overcharged, with the elderly the most vulnerable. Now the counci

THE minefield of finding a reliable contractor to carry out building work has been made easier by Mid Beds District Council.

Many people end up facing a nightmare with shoddy work and being overcharged, with the elderly the most vulnerable.

Now the council has listened to the concerns of local community groups involved with the elderly and disabled and has drawn up a list of contractors that, hopefully, will give people more peace of mind.

A council spokesman said: "We insist that contractors on our list are correctly trained, provide good quality work and meet a set of formal criteria.

"The list will grow as and when new contractors meet our requirements for inclusion on the list."

Mid Beds environmental and planning services require all contractors on the list to hold a valid public liability insurance cover of at least £2,500,000 and an adequate health and safety policy in place.

The council says the list should not be considered a list of recommended contractors and no warranty is offered by the council, or should be implied in respect of the performance of the contractors included in the list.

The council is also asking members of the public to get in touch with them about their experiences if they use any of the contractors on the list to help ensure standards are maintained.

For further information about the list contact the council on 01462 611222 or 08452 30 40 40 or log on to the council's website on www.midbeds.gov.uk