Roofing and chimney repair complaints increase by 24%

New data shows that complaints regarding roofing, roof sealing and chimney repairs have increased by nearly a quarter (24%) compared to last year.

Tradefix Direct submitted a Freedom of Information request to Citizens Advice to determine how many Brits feel let down due to cowboy builders.

Key findings:

Between 1 January 2024 and 30 October 2024, 22,509 complaints were made to Citizens Advice in England regarding home maintenance and improvements.

Complaints about roofing, roof sealing, and chimney repairs were the most common, up from 3,502 in 2023 to 4,330 in 2024.

Complaints concerning insulation saw the most significant increase, doubling from 565 complaints to 1,155 complaints in 2024.

Top 25 complaints made to Citizens Advice regarding home maintenance and improvements in England
Ranking	Type	Number of complaints between 01/01/24 and 30/10/24
1	Roofing, roof sealing and chimney repairs	4,330
2	Major renovations (including lofts, conversions and extensions)	2,714
3	Window frames and doors (excluding electric garage doors)	2,439
4	Fitted Kitchens	1,604
5	Plumbers and plumbing	1,327
6	Paving, driveways, patios and decking	1,287
7	Fitted Bathrooms	1,225
8	Insulation	1,155
9	Other general building work	951
10	Electrical services and installations	691
11	Carpets and underlay	645
12	Conservatories/orangeries	495
13	Floor tiles	460
14	Decorator services	441
15	Guttering and drains	426
16	Double/triple glazing	388
17	Damp Proofing	299
18	Wall coating and rendering	292
19	Laminates and wood	287
20	Home security systems	285
21	Scaffolding and skips	232
22	Electric garage doors and electric gates	192
23	Glazing Services	111
24	Linoleum and vinyl	108
25	Fascias (including cladding) and soffits	76

Which region made the highest and lowest number of complaints regarding cowboy builders?

The Southeast was found to be England's cowboy builder hotspot, with 4,068 complaints made in the past 10 months.

Conversely, the Northeast had the least trouble with cowboy builders, with 1,235 complaints made during the respective period.

The Southwest saw the highest increase in complaints compared to 2023 figures (Jan-Oct), at 6%, with 2,918 complaints vs. 2,753.

What are the signs of a cowboy builder?

No references
Knocking on your door after spotting some work that needs doing
Suspiciously low quotes
Not setting out what is included in the quote
Asking for cash payment upfront
No written contract
No registered business address
Several dissolved companies to their name
Rotating builders working on the job
Disappearing for hours or days at a time
Finding additional jobs to start
Substandard quality of work carried out
Difficult to contact
Disregard for health and safety
Not a reputable trade group member, such as the National Federation of Builders or Federation of Master Builders.

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