Help us end rogue trading

Everyone from our Trusted Trader network will have received an email from the Which? team asking them to sign a letter to call on the government to clamp down on rogue traders. We set out the reasons we are campaigning for reform, and why we would like our Trusted Traders to add their support.

Which?’s advocacy work and the need for reform

As the UK’s consumer champion we advocate to make life fairer, simpler, and safer for consumers. One of the key ways we protect consumers is through our advocacy work, where our expert teams work to ensure the government protects consumers. One area where we know there is a problem, is the lack of enforcement action against the small minority of businesses that aren’t playing by the rules, and ripping people off.  

The advocacy team at Which? submitted a Freedom of Information Request of all the 187 Trading Standards Bodies, who have responsibility for clamping down on rogue traders, and we found many were woefully underequipped to enforce consumer law. Some Trading Standards bodies have just over 1 staff member per 100,000 people in a local area and many have deprioritised areas of consumer law, including dealing with rogue traders.

The issue of rogue trading being deprioritised is backed up by engagement Which? has carried out amongst our own members and supporters. They told us, not only do they find it almost impossible to get a hold of a local Trading Standards body, many have suffered at the hands of a rogue trader. This was by far the biggest complaint we received with many sharing their frustration about the lack of enforcement action across the Trading Standards system.

Rogue traders cause harm to consumers and businesses alike

Rogue traders cause obvious harm to consumers: they promise to do work that is never started or even completed, leave consumers with ruined and sometimes unsafe homes and leave them out of pocket, sometimes by eyewatering amounts. As we're sure you’re aware, they also undercut honest traders, diminish trust in tradespeople, and ultimately make it difficult for honest traders to secure contracts. 

This results in less business for honest traders like yourselves and damages the industry as a whole. It is in the interests of all traders who maintain high standards to be maintained and rogue traders to be driven out.

Only by reforming the system can we get the change we need

The only way to solve this problem once and for all is to pressure the government to reform the Trading Standards system from top to bottom and that’s why we are writing to the government. Laws only work if they are enforced and it’s clear that the current system is not fit for purpose.

The government needs to hear from reputable and hardworking tradespeople and businesses like yourselves so we can make a compelling and coordinated case for reform. With reform will come a greater ability to clamp down on rogue traders. The government will be forced to take note if it sees there is genuine grassroots support from businesses undercut by these rogue traders. So if you want to be even a small part of the journey to change the system as a whole, then please do sign the letter and demand action now.

Help Which? end rogue trading

Add your company name to our letter, calling for the government to take urgent action on dodgy traders.

Sign the letter