I AM writing in response to Mr Brown's letter (LET, August 11) regarding his problems in getting tradespeople to respond to his telephone calls asking them to contact him for quotes for various work; with no success.

I have also experienced this problem, and so have my friends and family, especially my parents who are elderly, who have contacted many tradespeople to assess and price up work, and have never had replies.

When they have had a reply, and an appointment had been made, the person did not turn up. Again this was repeated many times.

As to why these people spend on advertising and then do not answer 'phone calls or keep appointments it's beyond me.

My response to this now is to try to set up my own business, where I offer various services, such as gardening, painting and decorating, pet-sitting and all sorts of odd jobs around the home.

CAROLINE CUMBERLIDGE (Miss), Clarendon Road East, Blackburn.