Rogue trade hotspots
Fast Facts
- Rogue trade hotspots: Homeowners from Newcastle (31%), Belfast (23%) and London (23%) say they have fallen victim to a rogue trade
- Out of pocket: People have been left on average £1,547 out of pocket with 7 in 10 (67%) having to fork out additional money to finish off or fix disappointing work
- In the dark: 60% admit they have no idea how much things are supposed to cost so don’t know if they are being ripped off
- Risky Brits: 28% admit booking a trade without sourcing references with 1 in 4 skipping any due diligence or background checks altogether
Our new research has revealed that over a third (37%) of British homeowners have fallen victim to a rogue trade.
Using the responses of 2,000 homeowners across the UK, we found that residents from Newcastle (31%), Belfast (23%) and London (23%) have been affected most by rogue trades, with homeowners across the UK left on average £1,547 out of pocket for unsatisfactory work.
Plumbing (20%) closely followed by bathroom installation (18%), painting/decorating (18%) and kitchen fitting (16%) are also the most prevalent sectors where consumers are being left with disappointing work by rogue workmanship.
1 in 5 (21%) homeowners say they have experienced a financial loss due to disappointing work carried out by a rogue trade with 7 in 10 having to fork out additional money to finish off or fix disappointing work. Homeowners from Oxford are the hardest hit – experiencing a loss of £4,990 on average.
When it comes to being quoted for a job, 60% say that they do not know how much things are supposed to cost and, as a result, are unaware if they are being ripped off. Those from Coventry admit to being most in the dark (72%) followed by homeowners from Cardiff (71%) and London (50%). However, 1 in 5 (22%) remain confident they have a steer on the market with people from Sheffield the savviest (33%).
The study also found that over a quarter (24%) of homeowners admit they have booked a trade without sourcing references and 22% say they’ve skipped any due diligence or background checks altogether. A further 1 in 4 also failed to source multiple quotes prior to work being completed.
With the risks being undertaken by homeowners, it has left them exposed to rogue trades with over a third (36%) of those who experienced disappointing work carried out by a rogue trade saying that it has created stress, left them to find an alternative tradesperson to fix the job (22%) with 1 in 10 also admitting the experience negatively impacting their mental health (13%).
Avoid the rogues: When you use Checkatrade, you have the assurance that every trade has passed our 12 checks, and it’s easy to see verified reviews from other customers too. See other top tips for staying safe from rogues here: How To Find A Good Tradesperson – All You Need To Know
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