What to Do If a Tradesperson Does a Bad Job: Your Rights (2026 Guide)

Last updated: October 2026

TL;DR: If a tradesperson does a bad job, put the problem in writing and give them a chance to put it right. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 says work must be done with reasonable care and skill, so you can require a free redo, then a price reduction or refund if that fails.

Most tradespeople in London are skilled, honest and want your recommendation. When a job goes wrong, though, it can be stressful and expensive, and it is not always obvious what your rights are or what to do first. Citizens Advice received almost 37,000 complaints about home maintenance and improvements in the year to June 2025, which is more than 700 a week, and poor-quality services made up more than half of them [16]. This guide sets out, in plain terms, what the law gives you and the practical order in which to use it.

The reassuring part is that your strongest protections are automatic. You do not need a special contract clause or an expensive solicitor to rely on the Consumer Rights Act 2015. What matters most is handling the first few steps calmly and keeping a clear paper trail, because that is what makes every later option work.

This article is practical general guidance, not legal advice. For free, tailored help you can contact the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133.

What to do first if a tradesperson does a bad job

The first hour of a dispute often decides how easily it is resolved, so start by protecting your position rather than reacting in the moment. Take clear photographs of the defective work, write down what happened and when, and keep every receipt, quote and proof of payment [6]. If the work was arranged by a company that sent a subcontractor, deal with the business you actually contracted with [6].

Put your complaint in writing as soon as you can. Which? recommends explaining the problem, saying how you would like it resolved, and giving a realistic timescale, and it advises keeping the conversation in email rather than text or WhatsApp so there is a record [7]. Describe the fault factually, reference the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and state whether you want the work redone or your money back.

Give the trader a genuine opportunity to put things right before you do anything drastic. This is not only good manners, it is a legal stepping stone: as set out below, your right to a price reduction or refund usually depends on having asked for a redo first [2][3]. A polite, dated written request with a clear deadline is the single most useful document you can create.

Your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 is the backbone of every home-improvement dispute in England and Wales. It states that "every contract to supply a service is to be treated as including a term that the trader must perform the service with reasonable care and skill" [1]. In other words, the standard is not perfection, it is the competent, careful work you would expect from a reasonable professional doing that job.

Where no completion date was agreed, the Act also implies that the work will be done within a reasonable time, and it notes that "what is a reasonable time is a question of fact" [4]. That matters for slow or stalled jobs as much as for defective ones.

When a service falls short, the Act gives you two main remedies. The first is repeat performance, meaning the trader must redo the work within a reasonable time, without significant inconvenience to you, and must "bear any necessary costs incurred in doing so (including in particular the cost of any labour or materials)" [2]. You cannot demand a redo only where finishing the work properly has become impossible [2].

The second remedy is a price reduction, which the Act says "may, where appropriate, be the full amount of the price" [3]. You can move to a price reduction or refund if a redo is impossible, or if the trader has failed to do it within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience to you [3]. Any refund that is due must be paid "without undue delay, and in any event within 14 days" of the trader agreeing you are entitled to it [3].

One important limit: Citizens Advice notes that if you told the trader the work was fine at the time, "you don't have the legal right to get it done again or get a discount" [5]. Raise concerns promptly and in writing rather than signing off and complaining later. You generally have up to six years in England and Wales to bring a claim over defective work, under the Limitation Act 1980 [17][5], but scheme complaints have far shorter windows, so acting quickly is always wise.

Can you refuse to pay for bad workmanship?

This is the most common question and the one where people most often make things worse. Simply withholding payment feels powerful, but it carries real risk. Which? is clear that it "wouldn't recommend it", warning that refusing to pay "could also put you in breach of your contract" and may leave you in a worse position if the dispute ends up in court [7].

A calmer, stronger approach is to keep the dispute about the defect, not the money. Put the problem in writing, give the trader a reasonable chance to fix it, and only then pursue a price reduction or refund through the remedies above [2][3]. If you have paid too much for the work actually done, Citizens Advice suggests proposing a specific figure, explaining why you think it is fair, and asking for the difference back [6].

Remember that a trader can pursue you for unpaid sums, so if you do decide to hold back a disputed amount, take advice first from the Citizens Advice consumer service and keep everything documented [6]. The goal is to protect your money without handing the trader a separate reason to take you to court.

How to complain: a step-by-step escalation ladder

Most disputes are resolved long before a courtroom. Work through the ladder in order, keeping each step short, written and dated.

1. Talk, then confirm in writing. Raise it in person or by phone, then follow up by email so there is a record [7].
2. Send a formal written complaint with a deadline. Set a clear, reasonable final date for the trader to respond or put the work right [7].
3. Use their trade body or scheme. If the trader belongs to a scheme, use its complaints procedure. TrustMark, the Government-endorsed quality scheme, runs a three-stage process ending with the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman, and you must request ombudsman access within 12 months of your first complaint to the business [15].
4. Consider Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). ADR covers mediation, arbitration and ombudsman services, and Which? notes that ombudsman services are free for consumers [7]. Citizens Advice gives the Federation of Master Builders as an example of a trade body with its own recognised ADR scheme [6].
5. Make a card claim if you paid by card. See the next section.
6. Use the small claims court as a last resort. See below.

Keep copies of every message. A tidy, chronological file of your complaint, the deadlines you set and the trader's responses is exactly what a scheme, a card provider or a judge will want to see.

Getting your money back: redo, price reduction, refund or a card claim

Your route to a refund depends partly on how you paid. If you used a credit card, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 can make the card provider jointly liable with the trader. Which? explains that the item "must have cost over £100 and not more than £30,000", and the protection can apply even if you only paid part of the cost, such as a deposit, on the card [8].

If you paid by debit card, you cannot use Section 75, but you may be able to use chargeback, which asks your bank to reverse the payment. Chargeback is a card-scheme process rather than a legal right, and time limits apply, with Which? indicating a window of around 120 days for debit cards [7]. Write to your card provider setting out the problem and what you want.

If none of that resolves it, the small claims court is the backstop. In England and Wales the small claims limit is £10,000 [9]. You start a money claim online through the Government service, and you will usually be directed to a free telephone mediation appointment first, which can settle the matter without a hearing [10]. Court issue fees run from around £35 to £455 for claims up to £10,000, but fees changed in July 2026, so check the current table on gov.uk before you file [10]. Send a clear letter before action first, as the court expects you to try to resolve things before claiming [10].

Unfinished work, no-shows and a vanished deposit

Not every bad job is poor workmanship. Sometimes the trader starts and stops, misses deadlines, or takes a deposit and disappears, and the right response differs.

For slow or stalled work, the reasonable-time rule applies. Citizens Advice offers a "time of the essence" letter that sets a final deadline, after which you can treat the agreement as ended, bring in another trader, and reclaim the money you paid in advance for work that was never done [11]. Put the deadline in writing and keep the quotes you obtain from the replacement trader as evidence of your loss.

Where a trader takes your money and never intends to do the work, you may be dealing with a crime rather than a contract dispute. Report it to the police fraud service, Report Fraud (which replaced Action Fraud), at reportfraud.police.uk, and to Trading Standards through the Citizens Advice consumer service [6][12]. Be aware that Trading Standards investigates and can prosecute rogue traders, but as Citizens Advice puts it, "they won't help you fix your problem, for example, they can't help you get a refund" [12]. For getting money back, a Section 75 or chargeback claim is often the faster route [8].

Prevention is far easier than recovery, which is why we always recommend a written contract and staged payments against completed work. Our guide on how to spot and avoid cowboy builders in London covers the warning signs that tend to precede exactly these situations.

Unsafe gas or electrical work: the safety route

Some bad jobs are not just disappointing, they are dangerous, and they need a different response. Do not try to put defective gas or electrical work right yourself, and do not let an unqualified person touch it.

Gas work must, by law, be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and the Health and Safety Executive is clear that "anyone employed to work on gas appliances in domestic premises must be a Gas Safe registered engineer and competent in that area of gas work" [13]. If you smell gas or suspect a leak, call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 immediately [13]. You can report suspected illegal or unsafe gas work through the Gas Safe Register website, and the register can investigate the engineer who did it [13]. If you are a landlord or tenant, our guide to the gas safety certificate and its cost in London explains the annual check you are entitled to.

Much fixed electrical work in England and Wales is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations, and is normally done by an electrician registered with a competent person scheme such as NICEIC or NAPIT, who can self-certify that it complies [14]. If the work is defective, use the scheme's complaints procedure: NICEIC asks you to let the original contractor return and to allow a minimum of 10 days for a response [18], while NAPIT asks for a written complaint with at least 14 days to acknowledge it [19]. If notifiable work was done without the right certification, contact your London borough's building control team [14]. For older wiring and rented homes, our guide to the EICR electrical safety certificate in London explains what that inspection covers.

How to avoid it next time

The best protection against a bad job is a good hire. Verify that a trader is genuinely registered and insured before any money changes hands, get the work and the price in writing, and pay in stages against work actually completed rather than a large deposit up front. Our guide on how to find a trusted tradesperson in London walks through the checks that filter out most problems before they start.

When you are ready to hire, you can find a trusted local tradesperson through Loacally, where every member is reviewed by hand before their profile goes live.

Frequently asked questions

Can I refuse to pay for bad workmanship?

Which? does not recommend refusing to pay, warning it could put you in breach of contract and weaken your position in court [7]. Instead, put the problem in writing and give the trader a chance to fix it. If a redo fails, you can claim a price reduction or refund under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 [3].

What are my rights if a tradesperson does a bad job?

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, work must be done with reasonable care and skill [1]. If it is not, you can require the trader to redo it at their own cost [2], and claim a price reduction up to a full refund where a redo is impossible or too slow [3]. Any agreed refund must be paid within 14 days [3].

How long do I have to complain about building work?

You generally have up to six years in England and Wales to bring a claim over defective work, under the Limitation Act 1980 [17][5]. Scheme routes are much shorter, for example TrustMark requires you to approach its ombudsman within 12 months of your first complaint [15]. Always complain promptly and in writing rather than waiting.

Can I get my deposit back if the builder never showed up?

Possibly. Send a "time of the essence" letter giving a final deadline, then treat the agreement as ended and reclaim the advance you paid for work not done [11]. If you paid by credit card, Section 75 can help even on amounts under £100 where part of a larger job was charged to the card [8]. If the money was taken dishonestly, report it as fraud [6][12].

Does Trading Standards get my money back?

No. Trading Standards investigates unfair trading and can prosecute rogue traders, but Citizens Advice confirms "they can't help you get a refund" [12]. To report an issue, contact the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133. To recover money, use a Section 75 or chargeback claim if you paid by card [8], or the small claims court [9].

Conclusion

A bad job is stressful, but the law gives London homeowners a clear path. Keep calm, gather evidence, and put your complaint in writing with a deadline. Rely on the Consumer Rights Act 2015 for a free redo, then a price reduction or refund, and escalate through the trade body, a card claim or small claims only if you must. Report unsafe gas or electrical work straight away.

The surest way to avoid all of this is to hire well in the first place. When you need a job doing, find a trusted local tradesperson through loacally and hire with confidence.

Sources

1. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 -- legislation.gov.uk, accessed 2026-10-01
2. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 55 (repeat performance) -- legislation.gov.uk, accessed 2026-10-01
3. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 56 (price reduction and refund) -- legislation.gov.uk, accessed 2026-10-01
4. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 52 (reasonable time) -- legislation.gov.uk, accessed 2026-10-01
5. Complain about a service -- Citizens Advice, accessed 2026-10-01
6. Problem with home improvements -- Citizens Advice, accessed 2026-10-01
7. How to complain if you are unhappy with building work -- Which?, 8 December 2025
8. Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act -- Which?, 18 June 2025
9. How to use the small claims court -- Which?, 22 July 2026
10. Make a court claim for money -- gov.uk, accessed 2026-10-01
11. Letter to make time of the essence (services) -- Citizens Advice, accessed 2026-10-01
12. Report to Trading Standards -- Citizens Advice, accessed 2026-10-01
13. Gas safety in the home: frequently asked questions -- Health and Safety Executive, accessed 2026-10-01
14. Building regulations approval: when you do not need approval -- gov.uk, accessed 2026-10-01
15. Complaints process -- TrustMark, last updated 7 April 2026
16. Shoddy tradeswork is sparking more than 700 complaints a week -- Citizens Advice, 11 August 2025
17. Limitation Act 1980, section 5 -- legislation.gov.uk, accessed 2026-10-01
18. Householders and landlords help hub -- NICEIC, accessed 2026-10-01
19. Complaints against members policy -- NAPIT, accessed 2026-10-01