Home improvements and building
When you have hired a builder or contractor to carry out home improvements or building work, follow our guidelines to make sure that you pay a fair price for a satisfactory job.
- Make sure you have a written quote and contract covering the work, the price, payment arrangements and start/finish dates.
- Before you make any final payment make sure you are satisfied the work has been carried out properly and meets the terms of the contract.
- Be suspicious if you are suddenly being charged for extra expenses. If you have agreed a price beforehand for the work, you should not have to pay for 'extras'. Don’t be embarrassed to ask receipts.
- Sometimes unexpected extra work will be needed, but agree the additional costs in writing before extra work starts.
- Try to avoid paying deposits, particularly large deposits, and don’t ever pay the whole amount up front. There is a risk that the trader could disappear with your money and you will have less leverage over completion, quality etc.
- In all cases, you should try and keep back enough money to keep pressure on the trader to get on with the job and to finish it properly.
- But be fair about completion: pay promptly if everything contracted for has been completed satisfactorily.
Get and keep the paperwork
Get an invoice, including VAT, and ask for a signed receipt for every payment you make - keep all invoices and receipts.
Pay the company
Do not pay an individual builder, always the company.
When paying on credit
- If you have any kind of credit agreement, think carefully and take legal advice before you withhold payments as your future credit rating could be affected.
- If you paid by credit card or the work is being financed by a credit agreement arranged by the trader, the lender is jointly liable with the trader for any breach of contract (if the work costs between £100 and £30,000). Tell the lender if there is a dispute. See Bought on credit? for more information.
