AA ditches ‘cowboy’ tradesmen scheme

The Automobile Association has axed its service which helped members to vet cowboy tradesmen.

Under the scheme, which was launched in 1995, members were able to call a number featured in their annual handbook and ask for details of an appropriate tradesman from a register of builders, electricians, roofers and plumbers which had been vetted by the AA.

“Only 0.02 per cent of the AA membership took up the service over the past year,” says a spokesman for the organisation, which has 9.3 million members. “The AA is in the business of making its members’ money work and if there’s no demand for a particular service, there’s no point wasting resources on it.”

He adds that the database of tradesmen had already been compiled for use in conjunction with one of the AA’s insurance policies.

The database will continue to be used for the Home Assistance Annual Cover, which provides 90 minutes free labour for 59; and the AA Premium Cover, which offers three hours of labour, plus 100 of parts and materials for 89.