Dozens of Rogue Builder Victims Attend Parliament Event on Licensing

(L-R) Gideon Amos MP and FMB CEO Brian Berry

Dozens of homeowners who have fallen victim to cowboy builders visited Westminster on Tuesday 28 April to share their stories with MPs, as part of a drop-in event calling for mandatory licensing to protect consumers.

The victims, from areas including Chelmsford, Scotland, Milton Keynes, London, Surrey and beyond, described losing tens of thousands of pounds to unqualified traders who left them with dangerous work, abandoned projects and no route to compensation.

The event was organised by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) as part of its Licence to Build campaign, and hosted by Mark Garnier MP who has campaigned alongside the FMB to introduce licensing.

Attending MPs included Mike Reader, the Government’s Construction Champion; Florence Eshalomi, Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee; Bill Esterson, Chair of the Commons Energy Security Committee; and Gideon Amos, Liberal Democrat Housing Spokesperson.

Devastating Impact

MPs were presented with new constituency-level data revealing the scale of consumer harm caused by the absence of builder regulation in the UK.

According to FMB research, UK homeowners have lost £14.3 billion to unqualified or unlicensed builders over the past five years, with victims often left in unsafe homes, facing months of legal battles and emotional distress.

One of the victims who attended the event commented: “It was reassuring to be in a room with others who have gone through the same experience; for the first time, I didn’t feel alone. I never imagined I would end up in this situation. What started as an exciting home improvement turned into a nightmare and we lost tens of thousands of pounds, our home was left unsafe, and the stress has been overwhelming. There was nowhere to turn and no real protection.

“I came to Parliament to share my story because no one else should have to go through this. We need proper checks in place so people can trust who they are hiring.”

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders, said: “Yesterday’s event brought the devastating impact of rogue builders directly to Westminster. We heard from victims who have lost life-changing sums of money, been left living in unsafe homes, and faced little hope of redress.

“This is not a niche issue; it is affecting communities right across the UK and it was brilliant to see MPs from across the house engaging with this.”

Call for Licensing

New research from FMB and the Homeowners Alliance shows these bad experiences with rogue builders have translated into a lack of consumer confidence which is holding back domestic building projects, as one in five households are put off from hiring builders, costing the economy £11.2 billion each year.

The survey found that 82% of UK homeowners would be willing to pay more to hire a licensed builder with proven competence, and more than two-thirds (68%) say mandatory licensing would increase their confidence in builders. As it stands, anyone working on a home can call themselves a builder without proving basic competence.

Brian Berry continued: “Homeowners are telling us loud and clear: they want builder licensing, they need builder licensing, and they’re prepared to pay for it. Right now, families are putting off vital safety work like fixing faulty electrics, repairing structural damage, upgrading unsafe plumbing because they can’t find a builder they trust.

“When 82% of homeowners say they’d pay more to hire a licensed builder, the government has a clear mandate to act. A mandatory licensing scheme would give families the protection they want – and protect the reputation of reputable builders.”

The drop-in event comes as the FMB intensifies its Licence to Build campaign, which calls for all construction companies to hold a valid licence demonstrating qualifications, insurance and adherence to standards before they can legally trade.

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