A new study from Checkatrade has looked into the reasons some people may unknowingly invite a rogue tradesperson into their home. Working in collaboration with Konstantinos Katsikopoulos, professor of behavioural science at the University of Southampton, the study revealed that 1 in 5 British homeowners have been victims of rogue trades, with Newcastle, London, Liverpool, and Sheffield being particularly affected.

Combined with his research into risk management and perception, Professor Katsikopoulos has determined the elements that make people more likely to take a risk and hire a rogue tradesperson: Stress + low price + word-of-mouth recommendation = more likely to take a risk and hire an unverified tradesperson.

Professor Katsikopoulos comments: “When it comes to risk perception and decision making, people are more likely to cut corners when under bouts of stress, financial pressures and even trusting word-of-mouth recommendations. If you find yourself in these scenarios, it’s best to not rush a decision, no matter how small the cost, and always do your research.”

Adding to the risky behaviours, 47% admit to not even thinking about checking if a tradesperson was verified (that is, vetted by a third party) if they offered to do a job for less than £1000. In fact, £703.84 is the worrying price point at which homeowners will start to think about checking if a tradesperson is verified or vetted by a third party. With the current cost of living crisis, that’s a risk few homeowners can afford, potentially putting themselves at further risk of having to pay an even more costly sum to rectify.

Meanwhile, over half (51%) said they would purely rely on a word-of-mouth recommendation for any home improvement job, either planned or emergency, without doing any further checks – potentially putting themselves at risk of employing a rogue tradesperson without even knowing.

Rogue trade hotspots

While homeowners everywhere should keep an eye out for potential rogue trades, Newcastle (30%), London (29%), Liverpool (25%), and Sheffield (25%) were the areas where more residents agreed to having been affected by rogue trades.

A further 65% have also been left disappointed by work carried out in their homes or garden, even if they wouldn’t necessarily describe the worker as a rogue tradesperson, with poor quality results (62%) and leaving a mess behind (24%) the biggest gripes. But for 20%, the biggest bugbear was the job taking much longer than initially estimated to complete while 17% felt they were overcharged for their job.

Plumbing was revealed as the trade most likely to leave homeowners dissatisfied (24%), followed by painting and decorating (19%) and bathroom installations (17%). Nearly a fifth (17%) have also been left disappointed by work done outside, either in gardening or fencing.

Finally, when it comes to unsatisfactory work carried out by a rogue trade, people have found themselves on average losing £1150. With 6 in 10 (60%) saying they had to invest additional money to fix or finish the disappointing work left by a rogue trade.

Cities where people claim they’ve fallen foul of a rogue trade
1. Newcastle 30%
2. London 29%
3. Sheffield 25%
3. Liverpool 25%
4. Bristol 19%
5. Manchester 18%
5. Leicester 18%
6. Leeds 14%

Kim Faura, chief product officer at Checkatrade, highlights the importance of working with verified trades, adding: “Recently, we’ve been hearing from Checkatrade trades that they are being asked to rectify problems created by rogue and unqualified trades. With one in five homeowners intending to do home improvement work this summer, it’s vital they do their research before hiring a trade. This includes not only referring to directories like Checkatrade and our online reviews but also leaving a review once a job is complete. This helps us to continuously monitor if members are upholding the Checkatrade Standard, including committing to carrying out quality and fair work.

“Every Checkatrade member must pass up to 12 rigorous checks to be on the platform, and we’re committed to ensuring the industry maintains its high standards. Plus, our guarantee means that jobs booked through and reviewed on Checkatrade, can claim up to £1000 for 12 months, for additional peace of mind.”