Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of legislation in protecting consumers from fraudulent activity by builders.

The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs) prohibit traders, including builders, from engaging in unfair commercial practices against consumers. The regulations apply across all business sectors and set out a framework for how businesses must deal with consumers. Enforcement of the CPRs is by local authority trading standards services.

The Government amended the CPRs in 2014 to give consumers a new private right, making it simpler to bring their own civil actions for certain breaches. The Government also enhanced consumer protection through the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which clarifies consumer rights and remedies when contracting with traders for the provision of services. Traders are required to carry out a service with reasonable care and skill, within a reasonable time and at a reasonable cost where the price has not been agreed upfront. Where a service is not carried out in compliance with these requirements, the consumer is entitled to ask for a repeat performance of the service, or if appropriate, get a price reduction up to the full amount paid.