Thousands of house owners are being conned annually because the business struggles to manage rogue builders amid requires harder rules.
By Harry Peet
The phrase ‘cowboy builders’ originates from the concept the previous Wild West cowboys of America behaved in a ‘reckless or aggressive method’.
For most of the victims who spoke to Channel 4 News, that’s precisely how they’d describe them, too.
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So-called cowboy builders – described by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) commerce physique as unqualified or unreliable tradespeople – have price UK owners an eye-watering £14.3bn during the last 5 years alone, in keeping with newest analysis.
‘A path of destruction’
Anna-Marie Watters is the CEO of a charity that runs a group centre in Westhoughton, Lancashire. It supplies entry to schooling, coaching and actions for individuals in one of the disadvantaged areas in England.
Two years in the past they marketed for an ‘moral builder’ to come back and create a sensory backyard for youngsters on the centre.
A neighborhood tradesman acquired in contact and the charity handed over £4,000 for the work. £2,000 up entrance after which “reluctantly”, she instructed Channel 4 News, an extra £2,000 in a while.
“He left a path of destruction. It was unbelievable.” – Anna-Maris Watters
What they acquired in return was an unsafe, half-finished botched job.
“We put an advert on the market in search of somebody who’d love us as a lot as we love this centre,” she mentioned.
“It was simply an absolute catastrophe. He threw his arms up within the air, he began shouting at me and the subsequent factor he acquired up and walked out.
“He left a path of destruction. It was unbelievable.”
Holding again the tears, Anna-Marie mentioned that, general, they’ve needed to spend £10,000 out of the charity’s personal pocket in an effort to put the work proper.
It’s cash {that a} small charity simply doesn’t have going spare.
“People have gone with out as a result of any individual was egocentric,” she mentioned.
“That’s arduous to take.”
No {qualifications} required
But Anna-Marie isn’t alone.
It additionally discovered that 37% of adults in Britain employed a builder who turned out to be a cowboy.
Unlike an electrician or a gasoline engineer, you don’t want any particular {qualifications} to turn out to be a builder.
“Anyone can simply are available and say they’re a builder.”
– Carolyn Frank
Carolyn Frank, FMB’s northern director, mentioned that whereas there are numerous good, reliable builders on the market, the cowboys are tarnishing the business.
“Anyone can simply are available and say they’re a builder,” she mentioned.
“It may very well be a window cleaner that’s instantly determined that they wish to do an extension for instance.
“Generally owners have that selection of who they get into their properties, however they don’t have wherever to base that call upon.”
‘Licence to Build’
The FMB has launched a ‘Licence to Build’ marketing campaign pushing for a compulsory licensing scheme, which might oblige builders to supply proof of expertise, {qualifications} and former work, to root out rogue merchants.
Last yr the Grenfell Inquiry – which regarded into the failings that led to 72 individuals dying in Grenfell tower hearth eight years in the past – really useful that the federal government introduce a obligatory licensing scheme for contractors.
However, that might solely apply for work achieved on high-risk, high-rise buildings and will take as much as three years to be rolled out.
MP Support
A cross-party group of MPs wish to see the Grenfell Inquiry’s advice prolonged to incorporate all home builds.
Conservative MP Mark Garnier has been main the marketing campaign in Westminster and final month secured a debate in parliament on the problem of rogue builders.
Warrington South’s Labour MP Sarah Hall was one of many members who spoke in that debate.
“The energy of feeling could be very clear,” she instructed Channel 4 News.
“It’s one thing that we have to deal with but in addition I feel it’d be good for the business as an entire to have one thing like this.
“I don’t suppose it’d take an excessive amount of to appropriate it. It’s nearly constructing that confidence again.”
Government response
A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson instructed us: “We are sorry to listen to of this case in Lancashire and recognise what a scourge rogue builders are for hardworking households.
“Local authorities have new powers handy out harder fines in opposition to companies ripping off their clients, and anybody affected can contact them for assist.”
Finding a real answer to this drawback that has impacted so many individuals will take a while.
It’s been two years since Anna-Marie’s charity forked out 1000’s for a sensory backyard that was by no means constructed.
It’s but to get a single penny of it again.
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