Your Consumer Rights: What to Do When Building Work Goes Wrong

The extension was supposed to take eight weeks. It's been five months. The builder has stopped answering calls. The work that is done looks substandard - uneven walls, gaps around windows, and a flat roof that already pools water when it rains. You've paid £35,000 of the agreed £48,000.

In short: Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, building services must be performed with reasonable care and skill, within a reasonable time, and at a reasonable price (if no price was agreed). When those standards aren't met, you have legal rights - including the right to demand the work is redone, claim a price reduction, or recover costs. You don't need a solicitor to enforce them.

Nobody wants to be in this position. But knowing your rights before things go wrong makes dealing with it immeasurably easier.

The Consumer Rights Act 2015

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 is the primary legislation protecting homeowners who pay for building services. It replaced the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 for consumer contracts and sets out clear standards:

Services must be performed with reasonable care and skill

This is the core protection. "Reasonable care and skill" means the work should meet the standard you'd expect from a competent builder. It doesn't mean perfection - construction has accepted tolerances - but it does mean the work should be fit for purpose and free from obvious defects.

Examples of work that fails this standard:

• Walls that aren't plumb or flat beyond normal tolerances
• Plumbing that leaks within weeks of installation
• Plastering with visible trowel marks, bumps, or cracks
• Electrics that don't meet BS 7671 (the wiring regulations)
• Roofing that doesn't keep water out
• Work that doesn't comply with building regulations

Services must be performed within a reasonable time

If no completion date was agreed, the work must be done within a "reasonable time." What's reasonable depends on the project - a bathroom refit shouldn't take six months, but a full house renovation might legitimately take that long.

If a completion date was agreed (in a contract or quote), the builder should meet it. Delays happen in construction, and some are unavoidable (bad weather, supply issues, your own changes). But a builder who is consistently late without explanation is failing this standard.

Services must be provided at a reasonable price

If no price was fixed in advance - for example, if you only received an estimate - the final price must still be reasonable. A builder can't estimate £30,000 and then charge £55,000 without justification.

If a fixed price was quoted and accepted, the builder is bound by that price (subject to agreed variations). See our guide on quotes vs estimates for the legal distinction.

Your remedies when things go wrong

1. Right to have the work redone

Your first right is to ask the builder to redo or fix the substandard work at their own cost. You don't pay extra for the correction. The builder must complete the remedial work within a reasonable time and without causing you significant inconvenience.

How to exercise this right:

• Put it in writing. Email is fine, but keep a record.
• Be specific about what's wrong. "The plastering in the living room is uneven" is better than "the work is poor."
• Include photographs showing the defects.
• Give the builder a reasonable deadline to respond (14 days is standard) and a reasonable timeframe to fix the issues.

2. Right to a price reduction

If the builder can't or won't fix the work, you're entitled to a price reduction. The reduction should reflect the cost of putting the work right - which might mean hiring another builder to fix it.

This right is particularly useful when:

• The builder has disappeared or won't return calls
• You've lost confidence in the builder's ability to fix it properly
• The relationship has broken down completely

3. Right to claim damages

If you've suffered a loss because of the poor work - for example, water damage from a leaking roof, or the cost of alternative accommodation while emergency repairs are done - you can claim damages. Keep receipts for everything.

What to do: a step-by-step approach

Step 1: Document everything

Before you do anything else, gather evidence:

• Photographs - of every defect, from multiple angles, with a ruler or coin for scale where relevant
• Video - for issues like leaks or drainage problems that photos don't capture well
• Correspondence - save every email, text message, and WhatsApp conversation with the builder
• The original quote or contract - this is what you're measuring the work against
• Payment records - bank statements, invoices, receipts for every payment made
• Independent evidence - if possible, get another builder or surveyor to inspect the work and provide a written opinion

Step 2: Write a formal complaint

Send a written complaint to the builder. Keep it factual and specific:

• Reference the original quote or contract
• List each defect with a description, location, and photo reference
• State your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015
• State what you want - remedial work, a price reduction, or both
• Give a reasonable deadline (14–21 days) for them to respond
• Send it by email and keep a copy. If the amount is significant, also send it by recorded delivery

Most disputes are resolved at this stage. Many builders will come back and fix issues when they receive a clear, documented complaint. They'd rather fix a crack than go to court.

Step 3: Escalate if needed

If the builder doesn't respond or refuses to fix the problems:

Trading Standards - contact your local Trading Standards office through Citizens Advice. They can investigate rogue traders and take enforcement action. They won't resolve your individual dispute, but they can put pressure on the builder and prevent them doing it to others.

Trade body complaints - if your builder is a member of a trade body (Federation of Master Builders, TrustMark, Checkatrade, etc.), file a complaint through them. Trade bodies have their own dispute resolution processes and can sanction or remove members.

Mediation - a neutral mediator helps both sides reach an agreement. Mediation costs £50–£300 per party and is faster than court. It's voluntary - both sides have to agree to participate. The Civil Mediation Council can help you find a mediator.

Adjudication - if you have a formal building contract (JCT, FMB, etc.), you may have the right to refer the dispute to a construction adjudicator. The adjudicator makes a binding decision within 28 days. This is faster and cheaper than court, but only available if your contract provides for it.

Step 4: Small claims court

If nothing else works, you can take the builder to the small claims court (part of the county court). This is designed for individuals - you don't need a solicitor, though you can use one if you prefer.

Key facts:

• Claims up to £10,000 can be made through the small claims track
• Court fees range from £35 to £455 depending on the amount claimed
• You can file online through GOV.UK Money Claims
• Hearings are informal - no wigs, no gowns, and the judge helps guide the process
• You need evidence: the contract or quote, photos of defects, correspondence, and ideally an independent assessment of the work

Limitation period: You have six years from the date the defective work was done to bring a claim. Don't sit on it - the sooner you act, the better your evidence will be.

For claims over £10,000, the process is more formal and you'll likely want legal advice. Many solicitors offer a free initial consultation.

Specific scenarios

Builder abandoned the job

If a builder walks off site without completing the work:

1. Send a written notice requiring them to return within a specified period (7–14 days)
2. If they don't return, the contract is effectively breached. You can hire another builder to complete the work
3. Keep the original builder's quote, the replacement builder's quote, and all receipts
4. The original builder is liable for the additional cost - the difference between what you would have paid them and what it actually costs to finish the job

See our detailed guide on what to do when your builder hasn't started or stopped work.

Builder demanding more money mid-project

If the builder wants to increase the price after work has started:

• Check the original document - is it a quote (binding) or an estimate (not binding)?
• Check for variation clauses - some quotes include price escalation clauses for materials
• Check if the scope changed - if you asked for additional work, the builder is entitled to charge for it
• If nothing changed - a fixed-price quote is binding. The builder cannot unilaterally increase it

See our guide on what to do when a builder changes the price after starting.

Overcharging

If you believe you've been overcharged:

• Compare the quote with the final invoice line by line
• Get comparable quotes from other builders for the same work
• Check regional pricing data - our UK building costs guide has current figures
• If the overcharge is clear and the builder won't negotiate, withhold the disputed amount (not the whole bill) and put your reasons in writing

Damage to your property

If the builder damages your property during the work - a cracked wall in an adjoining room, damage to an existing floor, a broken window - they are responsible for making it good. This applies whether or not it's in the contract. Under tort law (negligence), a tradesperson who damages your property must compensate you.

Document the damage with photos and a written note of when it occurred. If the builder has public liability insurance (they should - it's standard), the claim goes through their insurer.

Credit card protection: Section 75

If you paid any part of the builder's costs by credit card, you may have additional protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. This makes the credit card company jointly liable with the builder for breach of contract or misrepresentation.

Key conditions:

• The payment must be between £100 and £30,000
• You must have paid at least part of it by credit card (even a deposit)
• The claim is against the credit card company, not the builder

This is a powerful backup. If the builder has gone bust or disappeared, your credit card company may refund you. File a Section 75 claim in writing with your card provider.

What NOT to do

• Don't withhold all payment if most of the work is satisfactory. You can withhold an amount proportionate to the defect, but refusing to pay for completed, acceptable work weakens your position.
• Don't hire a replacement builder to fix things before giving the original builder a chance to rectify. Under the Consumer Rights Act, the builder has the right to attempt to fix the work. If you bypass them, you may lose the right to claim the additional cost.
• Don't lose your temper in writing. Everything you put in an email or text could end up in front of a judge. Keep it professional, factual, and unemotional.
• Don't wait too long. Evidence deteriorates. Memories fade. Other builders paint over the problem. Act quickly, document thoroughly, and keep pressing.

Prevention is better than cure

Most building disputes stem from the same root causes: vague quotes, no written contract, unclear scope, and poor communication. The best protection is getting these right before work starts:

• Get a detailed written quote - not an estimate, not a verbal agreement. See our guide on getting a written quote from a reluctant builder.
• Use a formal contract for larger projects - a JCT or FMB contract costs £30–£50 and covers delays, variations, defects, and disputes. See our guide on building contracts for homeowners.
• Stage your payments - never pay more than 10% upfront, and hold back a final payment until you've inspected the work.
• Check the builder's credentials - trade body membership, insurance, references, and reviews. See our guide on checking if builder reviews are real.

Know your rights before you need them

Understanding your consumer rights isn't about expecting the worst. It's about being prepared. Upload your quote to MyBuildAlly and we'll flag whether it's detailed enough to protect you if something does go wrong - missing specifications, vague descriptions, and terms that leave you exposed.

Sources

• Consumer Rights Act 2015 - the primary legislation covering consumer services including building work
• Citizens Advice: Problems with building work - practical guidance on disputes and complaints
• GOV.UK: Make a court claim for money - small claims court process
• Consumer Credit Act 1974, Section 75 - credit card protection for purchases
• Civil Mediation Council - find a mediator for building disputes
• Trading Standards - reporting rogue traders