All the contractors questioned are worried about the risk of theft – with good reason it would appear.  31% of those that took part in the survey have had their vans broken into, with 42% of electricians and 30% of Heating, Ventilation and Plumbing engineers being the victims of attempted or actual theft.  Given these figures, it is surprising that nearly half of electricians (48%) and plumbers (46%) do not bother to take their tools out of their van at night, despite what any signage on the vehicle might say.

Phil Scarrett, Sales and Marketing Director for ECIS says, “For tradespeople, their van really is more than just a vehicle.  It is a portable office; somewhere they eat, do business over the phone, relax and sometimes even sleep.  Given how vital the van and the tools they carry are to their livelihood, any steps to reduce the risk of theft are worth taking but going ‘brand-free’ means tradespeople are missing out on an easy opportunity to promote their skills and trade association membership.

“Simply emptying the van of essential tools at the end of the shift is worth considering, particularly as our own research has found that the average claim for theft from a van is £5091. While insurance cover will provide some protection, there is the excess to consider along with the inconvenience of having to quickly replace tools.  It’s a hassle the UK’s busy tradespeople could do without.”

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