Homeowners planning to carry out work on their property have been urged to use tradesmen with approved electrical qualifications.
Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Cowboy Builders host Dominic Littlewood said employing the wrong people can have devastating consequences.
"Often people featured in the show spent their life savings, or took out a large loan, to do renovation work," he explained. "But these thieves destroyed their homes leaving them with a shell that was often unfit to live in."
Homeowners are advised to be wary if they are offered a deal that seems too good to be true.
The best way to find a good plumber or electrician is to rely on word-of-mouth, Mr Littlewood added.
Speaking recently, Blane Judd, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering said homeowners planning to get their boiler replaced should ensure they use a properly qualified engineer.
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