Shoddy workmen costing homeowners £4bn

Cowboy builders are costing Britons almost £4 billion a year due to poor working practices and damage caused to properties, it has been suggested.

Research from Abbey Home Insurance has found that almost one in five homeowners who have used a builder claim to have suffered damage to their property as a result, with the average cost coming in at £224.

Furthermore, 48 per cent of those to have suffered such problems were forced to pay for repair work themselves, the study noted.

"The potential damage that could be caused by rogue tradesmen is staggering, and we are encouraging anyone looking to hire a contractor to work on their home to ensure that they have a reputable background," advised Abbey head of insurance marketing Prasad Shastri.

"Using workmen who are less that reputable may seem like the cheaper option in the first instance, but you may not have an enforceable contract or any comebacks if the job goes wrong and that could end up costing a lot more in the long run," Mr Shastri added.

Earlier this month homeowners in the north of the country were advised to avoid builders offering cut price deals on flood repair work for fear of similar consequences.


© Adfero Ltd