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The warning comes amid fears that unqualified tradespeople are looking to exploit consumers hoping to cut back on the price of home improvement in the midst of a national cost of living crisis.

Unscrupulous workers may impersonate heating technicians, plumbers, or other tradespeople leading to unsafe systems or and additional costs later down the line.

One study found that the average homeowner spends more than £1,883 to repair rogue work.

As a result, OFTEC, a registration body for off-gas grid heating, is encouraging households to do their research before hiring a tradesperson, and to avoid potentially dangerous or damaging DIY work.

To keep your home safe from rogue traders, the non-profit has issued the following advice:

Ask for credentials: “Before letting a tradesperson work in your home, check they are registered, qualified and part of their industry’s Workmanship Warranty scheme<” a spokesperson said. “If you need your boiler serviced, make sure the technician is registered with GasSafe (for mains gas) or OFTEC (for heating oil, solid fuel or renewable heating technologies like heat pumps) as they have undergone professional training and are regularly inspected to ensure they are following best practice.”

That means being scrupulous and doing research. The spokesperson explained that ‘Anyone can create a professional looking website, leaflet or business card.’ As a result, it’s important to search the company’s name online to see if there are any complaints from other customers.

It's also advisable to avoid last minute DIY or repairs.

Since the UK is out of lockdown, demand for home improvement services has soared and many home owners are waiting longer than usual for a visit from a tradesperson. It’s important, if you need an urgent repair, to do your research rather than hiring the first person you find.

It’s also possible to mitigate the need for repairs in the first place by performing regular maintenance checks on your boiler. Over the summer months, make sure to turn your boiler on for a short period of time every few weeks to stop the interior mechanisms from freezing up. The summer is also a good time to service a boiler, since emergency call outs in winter can be expensive.

Finally OFTEC have urged homeowners to stay wary of strangers who pressure you into making a quick decision – it’s always best, a spokesperson explained, to step back and ask them to return another time to give you a chance to consider the offer.

Malcolm Farrow, from OFTEC added: “As the cost of living increases, many consumers are understandably trying to save money wherever they can. Rogue traders are sadly using this situation to target households with pressure selling and shoddy workmanship.

“If genuine, a trader will be more than happy to prove their identity and qualification details. For oil households, if you have any concerns about a heating technician, contact OFTEC directly for advice and support.”

Homeowners in West Sussex urged to stay vigilant for rogue traders