(If this isn't you, check out our Tradespeople FAQs)
If you're unhappy with the quality of the work, your first step is to discuss these concerns with your tradesperson with the aim of maintaining open lines of communication. It's better to raise any issues sooner rather than later, to ensure maximum opportunity for putting things right.
We'd recommend contacting your tradesperson by sending a message through your original job post. This creates a digital record of what has been discussed, and means the conversation is also visible to Builderscrack. If the tradesperson becomes unresponsive, you can ask Builderscrack to reach out on your behalf to encourage them to resume contact.
Under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 (CGA), a service provider (aka tradesperson) should provide services with reasonable care and skill and services that are fit for purpose (sections 28 and 29 of the CGA).
If a problem is minor, the business can choose to either fix the problem or refund your money. If they refuse or take longer than a reasonable time to fix it, or don't fix it at all, you can:
- get someone else to fix it and claim the cost from the service provider
- cancel the contract for service and:
- refuse to pay for any work already done, or
- get a partial refund if some of the work or materials are suitable.
What support or resources are available?
The following organisations provide free guidance to help resolve issues with a tradesperson:
- Consumer Protection website:
-
Consumer Protection Helpline
-
Citizens' Advice Bureau
- MBIE Building Performance website:
- Disputes Tribunal
