Introduction
If you’ve had work done at home and there’s a problem caused by the trader, you should be able to get it fixed – or get at least some of your money back.
Whatever the problem is, you’ll need to talk to the trader and come to an agreement.
You should take up the problem with the trader who arranged the work, even if they ‘sub-contracted’ (passed on) all or some of it to another business.
Before you do that, it’s a good idea to:
- gather any paperwork and receipts
- take photos to use as evidence of the problem
- make notes about what’s happened, including dates and times
What to do next
If they haven’t done a good job
The trader should have done the work with ‘reasonable care and skill’. This means they should have done a good job that’s worth the amount they’re charging you. If they haven’t done this, they’ve broken the law.
You’re legally entitled to either:
- ask them to fix the problem – if they provided you with goods as well as the service
- get a refund and stop them doing any more work – if they just provided the service (eg you bought the product and asked them to install/fit it)
Let them know you understand what you’re entitled to. You should say:
“The Consumer Rights Act 2015 says that reasonable care and skill must be used while working.
In my opinion, you did not use reasonable care and skill when you carried out this work.
I want you to fix the problem/get a refund and stop doing the work.”
You could also ask for money off for any inconvenience caused, for example 5% off the cost as a goodwill gesture. They might say no, but there’s no harm in asking.
If they haven’t carried out the works as agreed or they are taking too long
When you agreed to have the works carried out, you technically made a contract with each other – even if it wasn’t written down.
If they haven’t done what was agreed, they’ve ‘breached’ (broken) the contract and you can ask them to put things right.
Check exactly what was agreed, if you can. Look through any paperwork that they’ve given you.
You have to give the trader a chance to finish the work, unless you made it clear that it was important that the work had to be finished by a certain date.
Make it clear that this time, the work has to be finished by a certain date. It’s a good idea to put it in writing – this will help make it feel more urgent.
You can ask the trader to do whatever’s necessary to get the work done properly and on time. They should cover all the costs, including any extra materials.
Let them know you understand what you’re entitled to. You should say:
“Under the terms of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, you have breached your contract with me by not doing the work as we agreed/within the agreed timescale. I want you to do the work again/finish the work, this time exactly as we agreed.”
You could also ask for money off for any inconvenience caused, for example 5% off the cost as a goodwill gesture. They might say no, but there’s no harm in asking.
The builder is trying to charge more than originally agreed
If you agreed a price with the trader but you’ve been charged more, your rights depend on whether you were given a quote or an estimate.
If you have a quote
The trader can’t charge more than they’ve quoted, unless there’s a good reason – like:
- they let you know they’d need to do extra work, and you agreed to pay more because of it
- it was obvious that the price in the quote was a mistake – there isn’t a definition of this but it generally means that most people would see this mistake
They can’t charge you more if their costs have gone up since they did the quote.
If they made a mistake, as long as it wasn’t obvious to you when you got the quote, you have a legal right to get the work done for the price in the quote.
If they can’t give you a good reason for raising the price, tell them that you’ll only pay what was quoted. It’s a good idea to put this in writing so you have a record.
If you have an estimate
If you were given an estimate and the final bill is more than you were expecting, you can dispute it.
The final price should be ‘reasonable’. The law doesn’t say what counts as reasonable, so you’ll have to agree it between you. You should consider:
- the estimate you agreed to
- any changes, and why they happened
- anything that happened that was beyond the control of the trader, like bad weather or the cost of materials going up
If you need help to decide, you could:
- ask another trader for an estimate for the same work
- find out if the trader’s a member of a trade association and contact them for advice
- get an expert opinion, though you’ll probably have to pay for it
Let them know:
- that you’re unhappy with the price
- what you think would be reasonable – make it clear that this is what you will pay
It’s a good idea to put this in writing so you have a record.
You’ll probably have to negotiate with them, but remember that what you pay should be reasonable. Don’t let them bully you into paying more.
The works have not been carried out with due care, poorly installed or dangerous
If you’ve had something installed at home and it’s been done badly, you’re entitled to get it fixed – or you might be able to get a refund. For example, this could be if:
- it’s not where you agreed it should be instaled
- it’s dangerous or unsafe. All electrical/gas work should be carried out by a registered installer and should be certificated on completion
- if you believe that the works have led to dangerous building or structure to your local council immediately, even if it’s outside of normal working hours.
- you should report the trader to Trading Standards if they’ve done anything that’s dangerous or unsafe.
When you gave the go-ahead to the trader, you technically made a contract with each other – even if it wasn’t written down.
If they haven’t done what was agreed, they’ve ‘breached’ (broken) the contract and you can ask them to put things right.
Check exactly what was agreed, if you can. Look through any paperwork that they’ve given you.
You’re legally entitled to either:
- ask them to fix the problem – if they provided you with goods as well as the service.
- get a refund and stop them doing any more work – if they just provided the service
Let the trader know you understand what you’re entitled to.
You should take up the problem with whoever arranged the installation, even if they ‘sub-contracted’ (passed on) the work to another business. You should say:
“The Consumer Rights Act 2015 says that goods must be correctly installed, if installing them was part of the contract.
In my opinion, you did not install them correctly when you carried out this work.
I want you to fix the problem/get a refund and stop doing the work.
You could also ask for money off for any inconvenience caused, for example 5% off the cost as a goodwill gesture.
Last Updated on June 9, 2026 by Ashford Advice