LONDON: Pimlico Plumbers, the UK's largest independent plumbing company, has issued a warning to unscrupulous companies who steal content from its website.
The company's managing director Charlie Mullins, who recently appeared on Channel 4's Secret Millionaire, has instructed his lawyers to force Birmingham-based Infinity Electrical Services to remove content from its website, which had been blatantly copied from www.pimlicoplumbers.com
In particular, Infinity Electrical Services is using Pimlico Plumbers' customer testimonials, including the names of Pimlico's engineers, to deceive visitors to its site.
The company also claims to have an operation in Marbella, Spain, just like Pimlico, and features on its site large sections of text from various pages on the Pimlico Plumbers' website.
Mr Mullins was reported to be particularly upset that Infinity Electrical Services is also claiming credit for his 'Big Society' project to repair a youth centre in Streatham South London.
Pimlico Plumbers led the 'Volunteer it Yourself' project earlier this year at the Streatham Youth Centre, which saw unemployed young people undertake the refurbishment of the centre mentored by Pimlico tradesmen.
This is not the first time Pimlico Plumbers' intellectual property has been infringed by other companies. Earlier this year, a small plumbing company in Northern Ireland copied its blue and white van design for its own fleet.
"They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Well I don't feel flattered, I feel totally ripped off. I have no problem with companies following our lead if it improves the quality and reputation of tradesmen, but it's completely out of order to blatantly steal my content to make profit from my intellectual property.
"They even nicked our customer feedback testimonials, without bothering to change the names," said Mr Mullins.
"The internet appears to be an online version of the Wild West where people can do pretty much what they want. Well I'm taking a stand and have instructed my lawyers to get Infinity Electrical Services to remove my content from their site."
