The days of wondering if your plumber will turn up could be over.
In a bid to help busy families find reliable people to do jobs in the home, retailer John Lewis is offering to arrange the work for them.
A new online service launched by the High Street department chain lets users choose from a list of tradespeople it has vetted itself, including plumbers, electricians, decorators and gardeners.
John Lewis has launched an online service supplying pre-vetted tradesmen such as plumbers
The retailer insisted the tradesmen would work to a standard expected by John Lewis
Using its website or a smartphone app, customers can then choose a time for the professional to come round.
It is the first High Street retailer to offer such a service and an example of how firms are being forced to branch out to boost their revenues as they battle a squeeze on consumer spending.
John Lewis yesterday said it had already trialled its service in Milton Keynes and would now expand this to Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Gloucester and Taunton.
It said the tradespeople had been chosen through a careful selection process and would be expected to ‘deliver service to the standard that people expect from John Lewis’.
The retailer already has a list of approved tradespeople including plumbers, locksmiths and carpenters, that it recommends to its home insurance customers.
Development director Tom Athron added: ‘As a trusted retailer of home products our customers often ask us if we can help them with tasks in their homes.
‘We are delighted to be expanding our trial and have taken a lot of care to find professionals who will deliver service to the standard that people expect from John Lewis.
‘We know how difficult it can be to find the time in our busy lives to source trusted trade professionals and hope our customers find the service helpful.’
But the new service is not without risk, according to retail expert Richard Hyman.
He said: ‘The challenge for John Lewis is that its greatest strength is customer service and what it is proposing here is to put its name to services offered by subcontractors.
‘It could be quite difficult to manage that and ensure 99.9pc of the tradespeople they use are worthy of the name.
‘When it goes wrong – and it will on occasion – the damage will be done to John Lewis’ reputation, not the tradesman, so this is quite risky.’
John Lewis said it would launch its service in the south from September 12, at: johnlewishomesolutions.co.uk/