Industry professionals who have approved electrical, plumbing or gas qualifications could help new homeowners avoid a number of pitfalls when moving into their new house, according to Rated People.

According to tradesperson recommendation service Rated People, Britons could be at risk when they buy a new property if the previous owner has performed DIY to a poor standard.

Ottokar Rosenberger, sales and marketing director at the firm, commented that people should seek the help of professionals to make sure the property is safe.

They should "have all of the plumbing and electricity lines of a home checked annually and homeowners must ensure that the tradesman they commission to do this is qualified and in the case of any gas work, Gas Safe registered", he said.

Rated People is an online community which was established in 2005 and connects customers to thousands of tradespersons who could potentially supply their services.

Britons have used the website for over 190,000 jobs since its inception.

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