More Than 1/5 Of Homeowners Have Been The Victim Of A Rogue Trade Says Research

More Than 1/5 Of Homeowners Have Been The Victim Of A Rogue Trade Says Research

A poll of 2,000 adults on the property ladder found people from Newcastle, London and Sheffield are most likely to have fallen victim to a tradesperson scam.

However, 23% confessed they’re still likely to choose the cheapest tradesperson on offer and run the risk, due to the cost of living.

And more than a quarter (27%) have booked a trade without sourcing references.

With 24% having completely skipped background checks altogether.

This has left 33% of those who have done so regretting their decision to cut corners and forego tradesperson research.

Kim Faura, chief product officer at Checkatrade, which commissioned the research, said: “Recently, we’ve been hearing from our Checkatrade trades that they are being asked to rectify problems created by rogue and unqualified trades.

“With one in five homeowners intending to do home improvement work this summer, it’s vital that they do their research before hiring a trade.

“This includes not only referring to directories like ours and our online reviews but also leaving a review once a job is complete.

“This helps us to continuously monitor if members are upholding the Checkatrade Standard, including committing to carrying out quality and fair work.”

Homeowners lose significant amounts of money

The study also found 65% have been left at least slightly disappointed by work carried out in their homes or garden, even if they wouldn’t necessarily describe the worker as a rogue tradesperson.

With poor quality results (62%) and leaving a mess behind (24%) the biggest gripes.

But for 20%, the biggest bugbear was the job taking much longer than initially estimated to complete.

And 17% felt they were overcharged for their job, according to the OnePoll.com figures.

Plumbing was revealed as the trade most likely to leave homeowners dissatisfied (24%), followed by painting and decorating (19%) and bathroom installations (17%).

Nearly a fifth (17%) have also been left disappointed by work done outside, either in gardening or fencing.

When it comes to unsatisfactory work carried out by a rogue trade, people have found themselves on average losing £1,150.

With six in 10 (60%) saying they had to invest additional money to fix or finish the disappointing work left by a rogue trade.

To find out more about the rogue trade hotspots across the UK click here.

Konstantinos Katsikopoulos, professor of Behavioural Science at the University of Southampton, has revealed the moment at which people drop their guard and are more likely to unknowingly invite a rogue tradesperson into their home.

Combined with his research into risk management and perception, he has determined the elements where people are more likely to take a risk and hire an unverified tradesperson.

Professor Katsikopoulos said: “When it comes to risk perception and decision making, people are more likely to cut corners when under bouts of stress, financial pressures and even trusting word-of-mouth recommendations.

“If you find yourself in these scenarios, it’s best to not rush a decision, no matter how small the cost, and always do your research.”

The five cities residents are most likely to have had a rogue trade

  1. Newcastle
  2. London
  3. Sheffield
  4. Liverpool
  5. Bristol