ONE of the most common questions posed to City of York's Trading Standards is if a particular company the inquirer is thinking about doing business with is "legitimate".

Although Trading Standards cannot divulge whether it has received complaints about any particular business (the Data Protection Act forbids this) there are some very valuable checks and procedures anyone can follow to minimise the risk of dealing with a "dodgy" trader.

- If the company is a limited company, then you can contact Companies House to find out various pieces of information about a business which are a matter of public record - such as when the business was incorporated and whether it has submitted its accounts on time

- Check with the Registry of County Court Judgements whether a business has any money judgements recorded against it - there is a small fee

- Ask if the trader is a member of any trade association and whether his organisation offers a conciliation procedure in the event of a dispute

- Seek at least three quotes for fixed prices, not estimates, and take into account not only price but reputation for quality and reliability

- Avoid a business that will not provide a full address and land-line telephone number

- Ask for references, arrange to inspect work the trader has done elsewhere and ascertain whether the people who commissioned that work were happy with, for example, the way the work was done, and the time it took

- Find out if the work is guaranteed and, if so, is the guarantee insurance backed if the firm goes out of business

- Avoid "up front" payments other than for expensive materials to be delivered to your home. If a trader insists on advance payment then pay by credit card - providing the cash price of the goods/services is between £100 and £30,000, the credit card company will be jointly liable for any breach of contract or misrepresentation

- If you are an older resident, why not ask for a copy of the Home Services Directory, a joint initiative by Age Concern (York), Trading Standards and the Safer York Partnership, which contains a list of traders vetted by Trading Standards and the police. Traders in the directory agree to abide by a code of practice and there is a conciliation procedure

- Never agree to have work done by someone who just calls on spec at your door without checking.

For details phone City of York Trading Standards on 01904 551562 or call at 9 St. Leonard's Place. Email address: trading.standards@york.gov.uk Fax number: 01904 551590. Website: www.york.gov.uk/business/tradingstandards

Updated: 09:05 Thursday, May 29, 2003