Off the back of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee’s report, calls are increasing for a licensing scheme, say the Federation of Master Builders (FMB)
Builders’ licences have been an issue for the FMB for a long time, with them saying it will increase construction industry standards and reduce instances of ‘cowboy builders’.
They also say that mandatory licensing will protect consumers and traders.
Many people mistakenly believe builders’ licences already exist
Earlier this month, the FMB published a report surveying homeowners that found that nearly half of the respondents thought that builders’ licences were already required.
65% also mistakenly thought that builders had to have insurance for accidental damages.
The report also laid out a model of how such a licence system could work.
Parliament is now again hearing about the issue this June, through a Private Members Bill originally launched by Mark Garnier MP in 2021.
Without builders’ licences, “anyone can call themselves a builder”
Brian Berry, chief executive of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), said: “It is fantastic news that the influential House of Commons Energy Security and Net Zero (ESNZ) Select Committee is calling for a national accreditation and licensing scheme to ensure retrofit work is accountable. This underpins the FMB’s call for a mandatory licensing scheme for all domestic building companies to help drive up standards in the building industry. Whilst the Committee rightly focuses on licensing installers carrying out retrofit work, to make this more effective, all domestic building companies will need to be licensed.
“In the UK today, anyone can call themselves a builder, regardless of training, skill, or experience. A lack of basic regulation is holding our industry back. It puts lives at risk, damages trust and undermines the reputation of every honest professional delivering high-quality work. Mandatory licensing will drive out rogue traders, protect consumers from poor workmanship, elevate the image of construction as a skilled, respected profession, and build a safer, higher-quality built environment for everyone. Delivering real change will require major political will, and today’s ESNZ Committee report is a vital step, which I hope the Government will now support.”
Bill Esterson MP, chair of the ESNZ Select Committee, said: “Licensing building companies is a fantastic idea. It’s consistent with the recommendations of the Energy Security and Net Zero Select Committee, which were published today for a national accreditation scheme to ensure energy efficiency retrofit work is of high quality. Getting to the point where we have a scheme where the consumer can buy with confidence to see quality delivered is really important in energy efficiency and wider home improvement and building work. It protects the good traders, which is the vast majority of those in the building trade and has the benefit of also protecting the consumer. I look forward to working with the industry and the government to ensure this can become a reality.”
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