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Checkatrade founder and CEO Kevin Byrne has backed the call for traders to be given legal protection against “rogue customers” after Checkatrade member Nigel Gray demolished building work he had done.

Nigel demolished a conservatory and porch that he had built after the customer repeatedly failed to pay him for the finished work. In an interview with ITV Meridian, Nigel said, “There are rogue customers out there and this cannot be happening to small companies like myself. We cannot survive things like this”. Nigel feels that all the current legislation seems to favour the customer against rogue traders. When his customer refused to pay him, he had little recourse but to demolish the work done. This he did with the full support of the local council and the police.

Kevin said “This is just another example of customers taking advantage of hardworking traders. We receive reports similar to this in our offices on a regular basis.”
Kevin recalled an incident in Epsom where a customer refused to pay for a block paved driveway, even though there was nothing wrong with the workmanship “This particular member decided to do what Nigel did and remove the driveway, but was prevented from doing so because it was on private property. He was told that if he removed the driveway, he ran the risk of being prosecuted for trespass. Nigel was incredibly fortunate in a way, because the Shoreham property is owned by the local council and they gave permission for him to enter the property to demolish the work done. He would not have been able to do this on private property.”
Kevin went on to say, “We are currently looking into the legal implications of naming and shaming rogue customers on the Checkatrade website.”

Checkatrade helps combat the UK's rogue trader problem by continuously vetting and monitoring local traders such as builders, plumbers and electricians. The idea was born in 1998 after a tornado hit the small West Sussex town of Selsey. Traders poured in from as far away as Liverpool and Manchester. Unfortunately, some ripped off the inhabitants of the town. Local businessman, Kevin Byrne, realised there was nowhere to check out the traders’ credentials and the company that became Checkatrade was formed.

Since then, Checkatrade has grown to include nearly 2,000 genuine trade members and, via the Royal Mail, distributes 4 million directories into communities throughout Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Dorset and Berkshire, while the website includes traders from across the UK. In 2007, the company saw a turnover of £1.2 million - an increase of 50% on 2006. After its humble beginnings in a shed, Checkatrade – still based in Selsey - now employs around 40 staff.

In 2007, Checkatrade was nominated for a ‘Sussex Enterprise Business of the Year Award’ and currently sponsors ‘The Rip Off Files’ on Wave 105 FM. They also sponsored the 2007 SpiritFM ‘Local Hero Awards’ and Bright FM's ‘Community Christmas Awards’.