Rogue workmen costing homeowners £6.8 billion
New research from Santander Insurance UK has shown that nearly one in five (18 per cent) of British homeowners has fallen victim to ‘Bodger the Builder'- sloppy workmen who are causing significant amounts of damage to peoples homes. These cowboy workmen have cost their victims more than £6.8bn, or on average £1,592 per botched job.
With over a third of Britons (39 per cent) planning to make improvements to their home over the next year, Santander Insurance UK is asking homeowners to carefully consider who they let work on their home and not just to settle on the cheapest option.
Miguel Sard, CEO at Santander Insurance UK said: "Unfortunately anyone can call themselves a builder, but the potential damage that could be caused by rogue tradesmen is staggering. We are encouraging anyone looking to hire a contractor to work on their home, to ensure that they have a reputable background.
"When we asked those that had been victims of cowboy workmanship what had made them choose that builder, one in ten people said that they simply went for the cheapest option rather than making sure the contractor was recommended by a recognised trade body such as the Federation of Master Builders."
Worst still, just over a third (37 per cent) of victims ended up footing the bill for the damage themselves, while a further one in five (18 per cent) have still not seen the damage get repaired.
The research also showed that most of the people who suffered damage to their property had been recommended the workman by a friend (25 per cent) or in fact the workman was already a friend (10 per cent). A further 20 per cent of victims had simply been fooled by what ‘looked like a good company'.
Miguel Sard continued: "Trusting in a friend's recommendation is all very well, but always do research on the company yourself. Using workmen who offer ‘mate rates' may look like a cheaper option, but if the job goes wrong it could end up costing a lot more in the long run, especially if there is no contract or insurance to cover the damage caused.
Regionally, Londoners are the biggest victims of ‘Bodger' workmen with 21 per cent at the receiving end of a dodgy building job, in comparison to the Midlands and Wales (14 per cent), which saw the least exposure to dodgy building work.
Reining in the Cowboys
Santander Insurance UK offers the following tips when looking for a good builder:
Avoid the ‘hard sell' - Don't be swayed into making an instant decision. If a tradesman is being too pushy or is clearly after just closing the sale, try to avoid being drawn into a contract until you have done your research about the job that needs to be done, the estimated cost and the company you plan to use.
Don't pay in advance - Advance payments, particularly at the start of the job, should be avoided. Also, avoid demands for cash payments, it is normally a good sign that the workmen are operating on the black economy and you are potentially putting yourself at risk from rogue traders.
Endorsement - Does the builder have reputable third party endorsements?
Compare quotes - Get estimates from a number of different builders. Be clear about what you want done and request written quotations. If there is a large variation in the size of the quotes, find out why - don't just go for the cheapest.
Research - Find out more information and advice on the National federation of Builders (NFB) website on builders.org.uk.
Santander home insurance has been awarded a 5 star rating from independent financial researchers Defaqto for the sixth year in a row for its ‘Peace of Mind' insurance product. Santander's home insurance product is one of only two providers to have ever achieved this honour.
Key features of the ‘Peace of Mind' product include:
Unlimited total sum insured for Buildings and Contents (up to 5 bedrooms) cover
Unlimited sum insured cover for the cost of temporary accommodation
No extra charge for paying monthly premiums by Direct Debit
24 hour emergency help line
Cover for the loss of downloaded information and music