29/08/2026
We’ve been following the Prime Minister’s announcement on tackling cowboy builders, and while we absolutely agree with the problem he has identified, we’re not convinced the proposed solution tackles the real issue.
Builders Exposed exists for one reason: to help protect people from rogue traders who take money, leave work unfinished, disappear, or leave families dealing with the financial and emotional consequences.
But we also speak to builders.
And we agree with what many decent tradespeople are saying — the vast majority of builders are NOT cowboys.
They are hardworking people trying to earn a living, pay their staff, buy materials and run legitimate businesses.
Adding another payment system, another scheme and another layer of administration risks creating additional costs for the very builders who are already doing things properly.
And ultimately, who pays those extra costs?
The customer.
There is another problem.
The proposed Approved Code is voluntary.
A genuine builder may spend the time and money complying with additional requirements, while the cowboy simply stays outside the system and carries on knocking on doors.
That doesn't solve the fundamental problem.
We believe the focus needs to be much more heavily placed on stopping rogue traders getting through the customer's door in the first place.
That means better vetting.
Better checks.
Better access to previous complaints and enforcement history.
And better ways for customers to research the person or company they are considering handing thousands — sometimes tens of thousands — of pounds to.
This is where we strongly agree with the approach advocated by people such as Graham Nash of Pinnacle Builders - Leeds , who has spent years helping homeowners who have been left in terrible situations by cowboy builders.
We need a system that identifies the cowboys before the damage is done, rather than putting more hoops in front of every legitimate tradesperson in the country.
At Builders Exposed, our position isn't changing.
We will continue giving consumers a place to report their experiences.
We will continue helping people research builders before hiring them.
We will continue supporting honest tradespeople whose reputation is damaged by the minority operating dishonestly.
And most importantly:
We will continue exposing cowboy builders.
Protect the customer.
Support the good builders.
Expose the cowboys.
Builders Exposed
