Local firm wears Buy With Confidence logo as a badge of honour for professional service

For high-performing, Grimsby-based company, Mayne Gas Heating Ltd, the approval of the Buy With Confidence Scheme, to which it signed up three years ago, has only cemented its reputation as a firm that consistently does what it says it will do.

Trading Standards services across the whole of Lincolnshire have joined the national Buy With Confidence scheme, which shows residents that they are buying from businesses that work in a legal, honest and fair way.

In North East Lincolnshire, Darren Mayne, who has spent more than 20 years building his business on honesty and integrity - and never over-promising – knew that signing up to the scheme was a no-brainer.

“Trading Standards’ approval tells our customers and potential customers that we can be trusted, and that we have all of our compliance paperwork in place and can prove it,” he said.

Darren began his plumbing career and thorough technical grounding with British Gas at the age of 16. In 2004, after 20 years as a jobbing plumbing and heating engineer, he set up his company with wife Vicky, operating from a small and then larger unit on the Enterprise Village.

“When Covid hit it was a reset for the company,” he explained. “We worked right through and considered ourselves an essential service. Then we moved to our current site at 2 King Edward Street, and spent a lot of money and time gutting the offices and creating an environment we could be proud of. We now have 15 employees and a prime site for the business, which has gone from strength to strength.”

After years of hands-on plumbing and heating work,  Grimsby-born Darren is now owner and managing director of the ISO-accredited family company – daughter Alice works there too. He put down the tools to steer the ship when he realised that watering himself down meant not being able to create the kind of company and service he wanted to provide.

“I realised that time limitations meant I could do the tools really well or lead the company really well, but doing both meant I did both jobs less well. Now I lead from the top and have an extremely experienced, hard-working local team who keep us at the top of our game for service and reliability.

“We were happy to sign up to Buy With Confidence because of the added kudos it gives us in shouting about our professionalism and integrity, ” he said.

Businesses who sign up to the scheme are thoroughly vetted by Trading Standards and then added to an online Buy with Confidence database. Consumers can then search that database and have the extra piece of mind that each business has been approved. To receive accreditation, businesses go through a strict procedure of researching their trading history, financial background and a criminal records check.

“The vetting process  did not phase us because we have spent a long time ensuring that our compliance regulations are current in every way,” said Darren. The bonus for being part of this scheme is that, once approved, you can be reassured that your company meets every regulation expected of you and that creates peace of mind both for you and your customers.”

With a number of similar vetting schemes around nationally, Darren says the choice of joining the Trading Standards’ scheme felt  “absolutely the best fit for this company”.

“Trading Standards has the teeth to do something about rogue traders. Some of the schemes you can join do not,” he said.

“Legitimate businesses suffer from the constant barrage of negative publicity surrounding poor workmanship and cowboy builders. Buy With Confidence is a badge of honour, backed by Trading Standards, that sets you apart from this. Businesses need to stand out for the right reasons and this is a great way to do that.”

Buy With Confidence first launched nationally in 2008 and is the largest scheme of its kind, supported by 67 local authority Trading Standards’ services around the country. The scheme is open to businesses operating across the majority of sectors.

Darren Mayne added: “We wear our Buy With Confidence accreditation with pride. Customer perception is everything to a successful business. Are you professional, honest and able to withstand scrutiny? If you are a member of this scheme then your customers know that you are.”

Councillor Ron Shepherd, NELC Portfolio Holder for Safer and Stronger Communities, said: “We’d encourage businesses to get onboard and join the scheme to reassure any new potential customers. A thorough check of the business is carried out by Trading Standards to make sure they’re legally compliant, so customers can be safe in the knowledge that a business can be trusted.

“As we continue to see victims of doorstep crime, it’s so important that legitimate and reputable traders can uphold their good name.”

You can contact Darren and his team at Mayne Gas Heating Ltd, Monday to Friday from 7.45am to 4.45pm, on 01472 241211 or email admin@maynegasheating.co.uk

If you are a business wishing to learn more or join the Buy With Confidence Scheme click here  Buy with confidence There is currently a 50% discount on the membership fee for new members.