The number of potential cowboy builder scams faced by households in England and Wales has almost doubled since 2022, data shows.
In an analysis of Citizens Advice figures, home improvement company Leader Online said complaints flagged as possible cowboy builder scams rose from eight per cent to 14 per cent in England and Wales between 2022 and 2025.
It comes at a time when the government plans to tackle rogue companies by setting up a database of trusted merchants and a payment system that offers greater safeguards.
The cost of properly carrying out poorly executed home improvement work was £2.3 million in 2025, the highest since 2022, Leader said.
But only a small proportion of complainants provided a breakdown of ‘damage costs’, meaning the actual cost of remedial work to fix shoddy home improvements could be much higher.
Damage costs include all costs arising from the poor quality work, not just the price to put it right. For example, this may involve the costs of alternative accommodation if poor construction work means that a home cannot be occupied as planned.
Leader Online said that applying the average reported damage cost of £1,000 to all 189,224 complaints made through Citizens Advice in the period would indicate that the actual total bill for remedial work last year could have been as much as £189.2 million.
Dodgy: The number of potential cowboy builder scams affecting households in England and Wales has almost doubled since 2022, data shows (file image)
In 2022, Citizens Advice Consumer Service recorded 50,346 recorded cases of home renovation problems involving tradesmen
Of these, an estimated 4,024 cases were flagged as potential scams, giving the year a potential scam rate of eight percent.
By 2025, the number of complaints registered through Citizens Advice had fallen, but the percentage identified as possible scams was higher: 14 percent.
Data from early 2026 shows that suspicion of fraud remains high.
David Turner, head of product at Leader Online, said: ‘The financial and emotional impact of a cowboy builder cannot be underestimated.
‘The cost of repairing poor or incomplete work is significant for most people, especially if they are facing wider financial pressures.
‘A good professional must be clear about what is included in the quotation, what materials are used, how long the work will take and when payment must be made.
“If these details feel vague, rushed, or keep changing, it’s wise to pause before handing over any money.”
Cowboy builders targeted by new repression
Households undertaking home renovations could get better protection against cowboy builders through a new database of trusted traders and a payment system that offers more safeguards, the government said last week.
Merchants who sign up for the program, which launches in September, must demonstrate certain standards in customer service, transparency and dispute resolution.
Under the new merchant scheme, households’ money will be kept in an account and released in installments after certain project milestones are completed.
The National Federation of Builders said the changes will not stop rogue operators, while the Conservatives suggested there would be extra paperwork for companies already operating legitimately.
Citizens Advice has said that home renovations are one of the biggest sources of consumer complaints.
In a report published in July 2026, Citizens Advice said it received around 37,000 complaints in 2025 relating to home maintenance and improvements.
It found that 28 percent of people who hired a tradesperson for home repairs or improvements in the past 18 months experienced a problem, with those who lost money losing an average of £750, while 11 percent lost more than £5,000.
The July Citizens Advice report also found that households using licensed or larger brand retailers were no less likely to experience problems than households using sole traders, underlining that voluntary schemes alone could not fix the market.
Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: ‘Your home is the biggest investment you make. Although improving it can be stressful; we help families prevent it from becoming a nightmare.
“We are taking action to protect consumers, support reputable merchants and ensure people can spend their money with more confidence and security.”
The Federation of Master Builders called the crackdown “a great move for the industry,” but expressed concerns about the voluntary nature of the plan.
It said: ‘However, there is a real concern that this is just another voluntary programme, with no regulation behind it.
‘Voluntary schemes have never filled the gap for good regulation that protects both reputable builders and consumers.’
Have you had a problem with cowboy builders? editor@thisismoney.co.uk
