How Much Deposit Should You Pay a Tradesperson? (2026 UK Guide)

Last updated: October 2026

TL;DR: Pay as little upfront as you can. Citizens Advice and the Federation of Master Builders both say not to pay more than 25%, and the FMB calls 10% reasonable on larger jobs. In our view, small, same-day jobs usually need no deposit at all. Pay any deposit by credit card where possible, for Section 75 protection.

Being asked for money before a job starts is one of the most common worries London homeowners have when hiring a builder, plumber, decorator or kitchen fitter. Most requests are entirely legitimate: a good tradesperson may need to order tiles, a bespoke worktop or made-to-order windows before they can begin. But a large upfront payment is also the classic way rogue traders take money and vanish, and the Government's own announcement in August 2026 referred to "builders disappearing on holiday with upfront payments" [13].

The problem is not small. A Citizens Advice report published in July 2026 found that nearly three in ten people who hired a trader for work on their home in the previous 18 months had experienced a problem [25], and those who lost money lost a median of £750 [26]. This guide sets out what the approved consumer bodies actually recommend on deposits, how to structure payments on a bigger job, and how to pay in a way that protects you if something goes wrong.

On loacally, payment is always arranged directly between you and the tradesperson. Loacally does not hold or protect deposits, which is exactly why it is worth knowing your own options before you pay.

How much deposit should you pay a tradesperson?

The clearest guidance on deposit size comes from two sources. Citizens Advice says that if a long job means you cannot avoid a deposit, you should "aim to push it down as much as possible, and don't agree to more than 25%" [1]. The Federation of Master Builders (FMB), the UK trade association representing small to medium-sized building companies, says that "a 10% deposit is reasonable, but do not pay more than 25%" [2]. The HomeOwners Alliance repeats the same 10% and 25% guidance [5].

Which?, the consumer organisation, does not give a percentage. Instead its Which? Trusted Traders guidance says deposits "should be necessary only when they need to buy goods, or will be working on a bespoke design" [3], and that "you should never pay more than a reasonable deposit in advance" [4]. Put together, the picture is consistent: a deposit exists to cover materials or made-to-order items, around 10% is a sensible guide on a larger job, and 25% is the ceiling.

It is worth being precise about what these figures are. The 25% is an upper limit for long jobs, not a normal or target rate, and Citizens Advice frames its advice around paying as little as possible [1]. You will see other percentage bands quoted online, but we have not found an approved consumer body that publishes deposit rates by job type, so treat any precise "industry standard" figure with caution.

A fair deposit checklist

A reasonable deposit request tends to look the same whatever the trade. Before you pay anything, check that the request meets these points, which reflect guidance from Citizens Advice, the FMB and Which? [1][2][3][4].

• It is tied to something specific. The deposit covers named materials or made-to-order items, not a vague "booking fee" for labour.
• It is in proportion. Around 10% on a larger job is a common guide, and it is never more than 25% of the total price [1][2].
• It is in writing. The quote or contract states the agreed price and the payment schedule, and you should also see the deposit amount and what it covers [2].
• You get a receipt. Citizens Advice advises always getting a receipt for a deposit, plus receipts for any materials it pays for [1].
• It can be paid by card or bank transfer. A trader who insists on cash, or on most of the money upfront, is a warning sign [1][4].
• There is no pressure. A genuine trader will not insist that you pay today to "secure a slot" or a discount.

If a request fails more than one of these tests, pause and ask questions before handing over any money. Our guide on how to spot and avoid cowboy builders in London covers the other warning signs that usually travel with an unusual payment request.

Typical deposits by type of job

Deposit expectations vary with the size of the job and how much the tradesperson has to buy in advance. The table below is editorial guidance built on the approved principles above. It is not a set of official rates, because no approved consumer body publishes deposit figures by trade.

Type of job	What is reasonable to expect upfront	Why
Small repairs and call-outs (a leaking tap, a new socket, a door adjustment)	Usually nothing; pay on completion	Little or no specialist material to buy in advance [3]
Decorating a room or a flat	Usually nothing, or the cost of paint and materials	You can also buy the materials yourself [1]
Tiling a bathroom or kitchen	The cost of the tiles and adhesive, if the tiler is supplying them	Materials are the main upfront cost [1][3]
Bathroom refit	A deposit linked to ordered items, then staged payments	Which? notes a fitter may ask for an instalment to cover ordering goods [28]
Fitted kitchen	A deposit linked to units and worktops ordered, then staged payments	Made-to-order items justify a deposit [2]
Extension, loft or major renovation	Around 10% as a guide, never more than 25%, then staged payments and a retention	FMB guidance for building projects [2]

For context on what these larger projects cost in total, see our guides to bathroom renovation costs in London, kitchen fitting costs in London and house extension costs in London. A deposit should always be read as a percentage of a written total price, never as a standalone figure.

When paying nothing upfront is normal

For a lot of everyday work, the right deposit is no deposit. Which? reports a building surveyor's view that an established builder should not need money upfront, because good firms typically have arrangements with building merchants and subcontractors [4]. Which? Trusted Traders makes the same point from the other direction: a deposit is only really needed where the trader has to buy goods or is working on a bespoke design [3].

In our view, that means a plumber fixing a leak, an electrician adding a socket or a handyperson hanging doors will normally be paid when the job is done. If the work will take a single visit and uses stock materials, it is reasonable to ask why a deposit is needed before agreeing to one.

Citizens Advice also suggests a simple alternative when a trader asks for money to cover materials: "offer to buy them yourself instead of paying a deposit - that way, at least you own the materials if something goes wrong" [1]. This works well for tiles, paint, sanitaryware and flooring, as long as you confirm the exact product and quantity with the tradesperson first.

When a bigger deposit is justified

A larger upfront payment can be legitimate where the trader is committing real money on your behalf. The FMB says that if you have asked for any made-to-order elements, "such as timber windows, you should expect to pay a deposit for these, too" [2]. The same logic applies to bespoke kitchens, made-to-measure joinery, specialist glazing and anything else that cannot be returned or resold to another customer.

Even then, the deposit should relate to the cost of those specific items rather than the whole job. Ask for the supplier's order confirmation or invoice, and keep it with your receipt. Which? Trusted Traders advises that if a deposit is large, you should ask whether pre-payments are protected by insurance in case the business goes out of business or something goes wrong [3].

Staged payments: tying money to finished work

Staged payments are the safest way to pay for any job longer than a few days. Instead of a large deposit and a single final bill, you agree a schedule in which each payment is released when a defined stage of work is complete. Citizens Advice says that paying in stages "is a good idea, because it means problems can be put right before you make the final payment" [1].

The FMB says that for larger building projects, "payments are usually split into agreed stages rather than paying the full amount upfront", that the contract should set out the schedule, and that you should check each stage is complete before paying [2]. Which? Trusted Traders agrees that staged payments are "entirely reasonable" on a big project, with the final instalment due only once you are happy with the work [3].

A typical staged schedule on a bathroom or kitchen might look like this:

1. Deposit for materials or made-to-order items, once the written contract is signed.
2. Stage payment when first-fix work (pipework, wiring, any structural changes) is complete and checked.
3. Stage payment when second-fix work (fitting units, sanitaryware, tiling) is complete.
4. Final payment once the job is finished, snags are put right and you have any certificates you are owed.

Should you hold back a retention?

On larger building projects, the FMB says you may also agree a retention, where "a small proportion of the price is paid after completion or the defects period", and that retention "is often around 2.5%-5%" with the amount and release point agreed in the contract [2]. This is building-contract guidance for extensions and major works. It is not standard practice for a day of decorating or a small repair, so agree it at the quote stage rather than springing it on a trader at the end.

How to pay a deposit safely

How you pay matters as much as how much you pay. The protection you have if a trader disappears, goes out of business or fails to do the work depends heavily on the payment method.

Payment method	Protection	Key limits
Credit card	Strongest: Section 75 makes the card provider jointly liable [6]	Job must cost over £100 and not more than £30,000 [6]
Debit card	Chargeback through your bank [9]	Not a legal right; Which? indicates around 120 days to claim [9]
Bank transfer	APP fraud reimbursement only if it is a scam [10]	Does not cover a genuine trader who fails to perform [10]
Cash	Very little	Hard to prove you paid; avoid [1][4]

Credit card and Section 75

Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 is the single most useful protection for a deposit. Which? explains that the goods or service "must have cost over £100 and not more than £30,000" [6]. Crucially, you do not need to have paid the whole amount on the card. The Financial Ombudsman Service states that "Section 75 applies even if you only made part of the payment using credit" [7], so a deposit paid by credit card can give you a claim covering the whole job.

Section 75 does have practical limits. Which? reports that claims rely on "an unbroken legal link" between you, your card provider and the trader [8]. Pay the trader directly rather than through a third-party payment service, and make sure the contract is in the name of the cardholder. Which? also notes that a credit card "isn't always possible when paying an individual tradesperson" [4], so ask at the quote stage whether the trader can take card payments.

Debit card and chargeback

If you pay by debit card, Section 75 does not apply, but you may be able to use chargeback. This asks your bank to reverse the payment through the card scheme rules. It is a card-scheme process rather than a legal right, and Which? says you can claim as long as it has not been more than 120 days since paying [9]. Contact your bank promptly if a trader fails to turn up.

Bank transfer and APP fraud

Bank transfers are a common way to pay a tradesperson, and they carry weaker protection than cards. Since 7 October 2024, banks must reimburse victims of authorised push payment (APP) fraud, where you are tricked into sending money to a criminal, up to £85,000 per claim [10][11]. The Payment Systems Regulator is clear, however, that this does not cover paying "a legitimate supplier for goods or services that are not received or are defective, where there is no intent to defraud" [10]. A genuine trader who does a poor job or abandons it is a civil dispute, not APP fraud.

Before any transfer, confirm the account details with the trader by phone using a number you already trust. Which? Trusted Traders warns about fake invoices sent by email that redirect payments to criminals [3]. Citizens Advice advises that if you cannot pay by card you should pay by bank transfer, and "don't pay with cash" [1].

Protected payment schemes

Some tradespeople can offer extra protection. TrustMark, the Government-endorsed quality scheme, requires its registered businesses to provide financial protection that covers prepayments such as deposits, although cover "may vary slightly from business to business" [12]. Ask any TrustMark trader exactly what their protection covers before you pay.

A new milestone-payment system is also rolling out. In August 2026 the Government announced a scheme to link payments on building projects to key milestones, including an app called Trusted Payments that the Government said would go live in early September 2026 [13]. Trading Standards describes it as releasing money stage by stage, with a 24-hour pause before each payment goes out [14]. It is new and not every trader uses it yet, so treat it as an option to ask about rather than something to expect.

What to get in writing before you pay

A written agreement turns a deposit from a leap of faith into an enforceable term. Before paying anything, make sure you have a quote or contract that covers:

• the trader's full business name, address and contact details;
• a description of the work and the materials, including brands or specifications where they matter;
• the total price, and whether it includes VAT;
• the deposit amount and exactly what it pays for;
• the payment schedule, with each stage defined by work completed rather than dates alone;
• start and finish dates, and what happens if they slip;
• your cancellation rights, if the contract was agreed at your home or remotely.

The FMB also advises recording any deposit payments in writing [27]. A short email confirming "deposit of £X paid today for the kitchen units, receipt attached" is often enough. If a VAT-registered trader takes a deposit, VAT is normally due on it when it is paid or invoiced, whichever comes first [23], and traders with turnover below the £90,000 registration threshold do not charge VAT at all [24].

Can a tradesperson keep your deposit if you cancel?

Your rights depend on where and how you agreed the job. If you agreed the contract at your home, or by phone or online, you usually have a 14-day cooling-off period to cancel and get a refund [15][29]. If you asked the trader to start work within those 14 days, you will normally have to pay for the work done up to the point you cancel, in proportion to the whole job [15][16].

Two details are worth knowing. If the trader did not give you the required cancellation information, your cancellation period can be extended by up to 12 months [17]. On the other hand, there is no right to cancel where you specifically asked a trader to visit to carry out urgent repairs or maintenance, such as an emergency plumber [18].

Outside a cooling-off period, a trader cannot simply keep a deposit as a penalty. Which? explains that if you cancel, a business is generally only entitled to keep "an amount sufficient to cover their actual losses that directly result from your cancellation" [19]. A contract term that lets a trader keep far more than their real losses may be unfair under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and an unfair term is not binding on you [20]. A genuine, small reservation fee is different and may be kept [19].

Red flags when a tradesperson asks for money upfront

Most deposit requests are honest, but some patterns should make you stop and reconsider. Citizens Advice advises avoiding "traders who only accept cash or want you to pay everything upfront", calling it "a sign they might be dishonest or unreliable" [1].

Watch for:

• a request for more than 25% of the price before any work starts [1][2];
• a deposit for a small, single-visit job that needs no special materials;
• cash only, or a discount for paying in cash, which leaves no paper trail [4];
• pressure to pay today, often with a claim that a slot or price will be lost;
• no written quote, or a quote with no business address;
• new or changed bank details sent by email or text.

Checking a tradesperson's registrations, insurance and reviews before you pay filters out most of these problems. Our guide on how to find a trusted tradesperson in London walks through those checks step by step.

What to do if a tradesperson takes your deposit and disappears

If a trader stops responding after taking a deposit, act quickly and in writing. Work through these steps in order.

1. Write to the trader. Set out what was agreed, what you paid and a clear deadline to start work or refund you. Keep copies of every message.
2. Contact your card provider. If you paid by credit card, make a Section 75 claim [6]. If you paid by debit card, ask for a chargeback within the time limit [9].
3. Contact your bank about a transfer. If you believe the trader never intended to do the work, report it to your bank as APP fraud straight away [10].
4. Report suspected fraud. Report it to Report Fraud (the police fraud reporting service, formerly Action Fraud) at reportfraud.police.uk.
5. Report the trader to Trading Standards. In England and Wales, contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133, which can refer cases to your local Trading Standards team [21].
6. Consider the small claims court. For a genuine trader who will not refund you, the small claims track in England and Wales handles claims up to £10,000 [22].

If the trader did some work but did it badly, the route is different. Our guide on what to do if a tradesperson does a bad job covers your Consumer Rights Act 2015 remedies and the full complaints ladder.

When you are ready to hire, you can find a trusted local tradesperson through loacally and compare verified locals in your area before you agree any payments.

Frequently asked questions

Is it normal to pay a builder upfront?

A small deposit is normal on larger building projects, particularly where materials or made-to-order items must be bought in advance. The Federation of Master Builders calls 10% reasonable and says never to pay more than 25% [2]. For small, single-visit jobs, we would expect payment on completion, and you should never pay the whole cost upfront.

Can a tradesperson keep my deposit if I cancel?

Usually only to cover their real losses. If you agreed the job at home, by phone or online, you normally have 14 days to cancel for a refund [15][29]. After that, Which? says a business can generally keep only enough to cover losses caused by your cancellation [19]. Terms that keep more may be unfair [20].

Should I buy the materials myself instead of paying a deposit?

Buying materials yourself is often a sensible alternative to a deposit. Citizens Advice suggests offering to buy them yourself, because you then own the materials if something goes wrong [1]. Confirm the exact product, size and quantity with the tradesperson first, so the job is not delayed by the wrong tiles, paint or fittings arriving.

Does paying a deposit by credit card protect the whole job?

Paying a deposit by credit card can protect the whole job under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, as long as the total price is over £100 and not more than £30,000 [6]. The Financial Ombudsman Service confirms Section 75 applies even if only part of the payment was made by credit [7].

What is a reasonable deposit for a bathroom or kitchen?

A reasonable bathroom or kitchen deposit covers the units, sanitaryware or worktops that must be ordered, not the whole job. Which? notes a fitter may ask for an instalment to cover ordering goods, but you should question requests for most of the price upfront [28]. Keep within the 25% ceiling and pay the rest in stages [1][2].

Conclusion

A deposit should be small, specific and written down. For most everyday repairs, nothing upfront is normal. For larger jobs, around 10% is a sensible guide, 25% is the ceiling recommended by both Citizens Advice and the Federation of Master Builders, and the rest should be paid in stages as the work is completed. Pay any deposit by credit card if you can, confirm bank details by phone if you cannot, and never pay in cash or in full before the work is done.

The best protection of all is hiring the right person in the first place. When you need a job doing, find a trusted local tradesperson through loacally and agree the payment terms before any money changes hands.

Sources

1. Before you get building work done: paying a deposit -- Citizens Advice, accessed 2026-10-08
2. How to choose a builder -- Federation of Master Builders, accessed 2026-10-08
3. How to work with your trader -- Which? Trusted Traders, last updated May 2026
4. Rogue traders: 5 red flags to look out for -- Which?, 16 February 2026
5. How to find the best tradesmen -- HomeOwners Alliance, accessed 2026-10-08
6. Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act -- Which?, 18 June 2025
7. Misunderstanding credit protection cost consumers thousands -- Financial Ombudsman Service, 23 October 2024
8. Section 75: why your credit card claim could be rejected -- Which?, accessed 2026-10-08
9. How can I get my money back if a company goes bust? -- Which?, 6 October 2026
10. APP fraud reimbursement protections -- Payment Systems Regulator, accessed 2026-10-08
11. How scam refund rules are reducing fraud -- Which?, 2 July 2026
12. Financial protection -- TrustMark, accessed 2026-10-08
13. Government steps in to protect families from cowboy builders and aggressive bailiffs -- gov.uk, 28 August 2026
14. Trusted Payments -- Chartered Trading Standards Institute, accessed 2026-10-08
15. Cancelling a service you have arranged -- Citizens Advice, accessed 2026-10-08
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17. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 31 -- legislation.gov.uk, accessed 2026-10-08
18. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 28 -- legislation.gov.uk, accessed 2026-10-08
19. Can I claim back a non-refundable deposit? -- Which?, 30 July 2026
20. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 62 -- legislation.gov.uk, accessed 2026-10-08
21. Consumer help -- Chartered Trading Standards Institute, accessed 2026-10-08
22. Deciding whether to make a small claim -- Citizens Advice, accessed 2026-10-08
23. VAT: instalments, deposits, credit sales -- gov.uk, accessed 2026-10-08
24. VAT registration thresholds -- gov.uk, accessed 2026-10-08
25. Built to fail: how the home repairs market is failing consumers -- Citizens Advice, 7 July 2026
26. Citizens Advice backs FMB's call for mandatory licensing as new report reveals scale of home repairs failures -- Federation of Master Builders, 13 July 2026
27. Working with your builder -- Federation of Master Builders, accessed 2026-10-08
28. Bathroom installation -- Which?, 26 May 2026
29. Cancelling building or decorating work -- Citizens Advice, accessed 2026-10-08