"When it comes to appointing a builder, homeowners shouldn’t have to cross their fingers and hope that their builder is one of the good ones. The government needs to protect homeowners through licensing."
- Paula Higgins - HomeOwners Alliance
Nearly half of UK adults mistakenly believe that builders are legally licensed, according to new research by the HomeOwners Alliance and the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), exposing a dangerous gap in public understanding and consumer protection.
The survey found that 47% of UK adults, and 39% of homeowners, incorrectly think builders must be licensed to work legally. In reality, there are no legal requirements or qualifications necessary to operate as a builder in the UK.
The lack of regulation leaves homeowners, including landlords commissioning renovations or maintenance, vulnerable to rogue traders and poor workmanship. Unlike gas engineers or electricians, builders are not required to demonstrate any proof of competence, skill or financial stability.
Both organisations are calling on the government to introduce a mandatory licensing scheme that would include checks on competence, trading history, dispute resolution mechanisms, and the ability to revoke licences where standards are not met.
The research also shows that support for reform is strong. Eight in ten homeowners want builders to be licensed to ensure basic safeguards and quality standards are met.
Gerard Neil, a victim of rogue development, described the devastating consequences of poor regulation: “For the past eight years, my life and those of my neighbours have been turned upside down by the actions of an unregulated property developer next door.
"What should have been a peaceful retirement has instead been marked by constant distress: illegal developments, loss of sunlight and privacy, and, most damagingly, persistent flooding from raised and paved gardens that now send thousands of litres of runoff onto my property every time it rains."
"Despite years of work by our local planning authority, there has been no resolution—remediation has been incomplete, and the enforcement notice was ultimately undermined. The lack of regulation and accountability for property developers has left us with permanent damage and no practical recourse, as legal action is simply unaffordable.
"This experience has shown me how urgently we need stronger protections and proper regulation to prevent others from suffering as we have."
“We have supported FMB's campaign for the licensing of builders for over 10 years, and it’s high time the government acted," said HomeOwners Alliance CEO Paula Higgins.
"I would hate to think how many people have fallen victim to rogue traders or poor-quality work, how many millions of pounds of households’ money has been lost and victims left to clear up the mess over the last decade alone. When it comes to appointing a builder, homeowners shouldn’t have to cross their fingers and hope that their builder is one of the good ones. The government needs to protect homeowners through licensing.”
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders, added, "Homeowners having building work done to their homes are at risk unless they carry out background checks. The survey finding that nearly half of homeowners mistakenly believe builders have a licence to trade is very concerning as they could be putting themselves at risk. Building work is often a complex and, at times, a dangerous job and needs to be underpinned by standards and legal accountability.
He concluded, "Successive governments have failed to act to protect homeowners from rogue builders – an unwanted part of the industry that is so prolific it has generated its own TV shows. We can’t allow just anyone to call themselves a builder anymore. The Government must step up and bring in a licensing scheme that puts quality, safety, and accountability first."
