New FMB analysis has revealed the cost of hiring a rogue builder across the North, making a stronger case for mandatory builder licensing to protect against these traders
The analysis found that when broken down by parliamentary constituency, northerners have lost £3.6bn to rogue builders.
Carolyn Frank, FMB North director, stated: “Cowboy builders are taking £3.6bn out of Northern pockets.
“Every botched extension and every rogue trader who disappears with a deposit hits a family’s savings and chips away at the reputation of the whole trade, whilst causing mayhem and distress for their unlucky customers.”
Which northern regions are worst affected by rogue builders?
The area worst-affected by rogue builders in the North is Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West, where £37.9m has been lost, followed by Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend (£33.6m) and Middlesbrough and Thornaby East (£31.6m).
In the North West, Manchester Central tops the table at £31.5m, followed by Salford (£31.4m) and Liverpool Riverside (£30.9m). Additionally, Leeds Central and Headingley lead Yorkshire on £25.9m.
The North is calling for mandatory licensing to protect their homes
The analysis found that Northerners want action. 78% of North East adults say their confidence in builders would increase if mandatory licensing was introduced, alongside 66% in Yorkshire and the Humber and 65% in the North West.
Kev Wilson, director of Kev Wilson Ltd in Lancashire, explained: “Licensing with proper minimum standards would change how we deal with rogue traders overnight. That means the right insurance for the job, guarantees on the work, decent customer service and a proper complaints procedure.
“Customers would know they’re dealing with a genuine business, not a man with a van and a mobile number. It raises the bar for everyone. It changes what people expect from a builder, and it protects good builders too, because it’s clear there are systems in place, and we can’t be taken advantage of either.”
Frank added: “Homeowners in North England are telling us they’d trust builders more if licensing was brought in. In the North East that’s 78% of adults, and almost everyone I meet has a story about rogue builders, are pleased to discover the FMB and surprised that the trade isn’t already licensed.”
She concluded: “The government should listen to the evidence and to the calls from the FMB, Homeowners Alliance and Citizens Advice, and bring in mandatory licensing without further delay or half measures that are not mandatory.”
The post Northern households lose over £3bn to rogue builders, says FMB appeared first on Planning, Building & Construction Today.
