Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by Mortgage Strategy. Read the original article for full details.
Most Homeowners Unaware of Home Improvement Protections, TrustMark Finds
Nearly three-quarters of UK homeowners are unaware of the protections available when undertaking home improvement work, according to new research from TrustMark. The report, based on responses from over 1,500 homeowners, highlights significant gaps in consumer knowledge and areas where protection could be improved.
The research found that 74% of consumers did not know about the protections that should be in place for home improvement projects. Two-thirds of homeowners surveyed did not receive a contract before work began, and nearly a quarter experienced a serious problem during their project.
Only 24% of homeowners expected tradespeople to provide information about how to complain or what redress would be available if issues arose. In contrast, most homeowners expected information about the price (82%), a full job specification (71%), and payment terms (68%). Overall, just 58% of households reported receiving all the information they expected before work started.
The report also revealed that homeowners’ understanding of consumer protections for home improvements is lower than for other major purchases, such as new cars, holidays, or financial services. Only 18% of homeowners rated their knowledge of protections for home improvements as high, rising to 25% among those who had recently had work carried out.
Certain types of home improvement work were more likely to be associated with serious problems. The highest rates were reported for low-carbon projects, including heat pumps and solar panels (42%), extensions such as loft conversions (41%), and insulation measures (38%). TrustMark noted that some issues with low-carbon projects may be due to these technologies being less well understood, indicating a need for better information and technical advice before work begins.
When problems do occur, 73% of homeowners said they would not know where to go for redress if they had a problem with a tradesperson.
These findings highlight the importance for letting agents and inventory clerks to ensure that clients are informed about their rights and protections when arranging or overseeing home improvement works in rental properties.
Source: Mortgage Strategy