What you can do when a builder, tradesperson or service provider does a poor job — the reasonable-care-and-skill standard and the remedies available under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a trader supplying a service to you must carry it out with reasonable care and skill. Where no price or timescale was agreed, the charge must be reasonable and the work done within a reasonable time. Anything the trader said about the service that you relied on can also become a binding term.
Reasonable care and skill is about how the work was done, not just the end result. If a tradesperson worked carelessly or below the standard of a competent professional, that is a breach even if some of the job is usable. Failing to meet a clear promise about the service can also be a breach.
If a service falls short, you can require repeat performance to put it right at no extra cost. Where redoing the work is impossible, or cannot be done within a reasonable time without significant inconvenience, you can claim a price reduction — which in serious cases can be a substantial part, or even all, of what you paid.
Keep the quote, any contract, messages and photos of the work. Set out clearly and in writing what was agreed, what went wrong and what you want. For larger or disputed jobs, an independent expert report and early legal advice can make the difference, and many trades have ADR or trade-association schemes.
If the work was not carried out with reasonable care and skill, you can require the trader to put it right at no further cost. If they refuse or cannot do so within a reasonable time, you may be entitled to a price reduction reflecting the poor work.
Withholding payment can be risky and may put you in breach of the contract yourself, so it is rarely a clean solution. It is usually better to set out your complaint in writing, seek repeat performance or a price reduction, and take advice before refusing to pay larger sums.
No. The Counsel is an AI tool that provides legal information, not legal advice, and it does not represent you or handle disputes for you. For a significant or contested job, treat its output as a starting point and take advice from a qualified solicitor.
The Counsel is an AI tool for England & Wales. It provides legal information, not legal advice, and does not replace a regulated solicitor. For anything high-value or contested, take advice before you act.
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