The Pilot Survey ran from February to June 2024 as a trial for the full survey launched in December 2024. Its goal was to assess how willing victims were to share their experiences. The survey was a success, and the data collected has helped us gain support from MPs.
Government reports estimate fraud costs the economy over £1 billion a year, but this includes various types of fraud, with rogue tradespeople being just one part so the financial impact to householders is harder to identify.
We found other surveys on rogue tradespeople, but these were funded by consumer groups linked to a well-known trades association where tradespeople pay a fee for membership. We believe presents a conflict of interest.
As an independent group, it’s essential that the data driving our discussions is unbiased and independent. As a grassroots initiative created by people like you, our survey needed to capture the poor realities of the official redress systems government provides us with.
Our survey has been designed to gather information that will reveal the major challenges we all face in our projects:
- The system is not fit for purpose and must be publicly acknowledged as such by those in power.
- Many people start projects relying on trust rather than knowledge. A safety net is essential to help everyone maintain and improve their home. It minimises the risk of being exploited by the more experienced.
Survey Results 2024
- 78 respondents had reported losses of £4.12 Million
- 40 cases were reported to Trading Standards. They took up 7 of those cases. Trading Standards closed one case of £85,000 loss. They cited insufficient evidence of fraudulent activity.
- The most frequently lost amount was between £5,000-£10,000 (12 occurrences) and the second most frequently lost amount was £50,000-£75,000 and £75,001-£100,000 (with nine occurrences each)
- There are numerous reports of tradespeople bullying, intimidating, and threatening victims. These include claims of harassment against victims. There are more than one report of tradespeople breaching multiple court orders and committing contempt of court. There are zero reports of CCJs being repaid.
- Some participants shared how they found their tradesperson (the new survey has this as a separate question):
- 4x Word of Mouth
- 3x Checkatrade
- 2x Bark
- 1x Quotalis
- 1x Federation of Master Builders
- Some participants shared the work they were having done (the new survey breaks this down into more detail)
- 67x general construction projects, ie: extensions, loft conversions, refurbs
- 8x roof repair or replacement
- 4x landscaping and driveways
- 2x bathrooms
- Note that the new survey enables us to gather more effective, relevant information. This will enable us to conduct impactful analysis. We can identify additional areas for research. We will also start reporting results to raise awareness and lobby the government.
