Warning Signs of Rogue Traders

The classic red flags

Rogue traders rely on urgency and a lack of records. Be cautious if any of these appear:

• •Cash-only and no receipt or invoice.
• •No fixed business address or landline.
• •Pressure to decide "today" or "we are in the area this week only".
• •Refusal to give a written quote or contract.
• •A price far below every other quote.
• •Turning up uninvited to point out "urgent" problems with your roof, driveway or guttering.
• •No insurance, no qualifications, no references.

How to protect yourself

A legitimate tradesperson will happily provide a written quote, an address, insurance details and references. They will not object to you paying by bank transfer or to a contract.

Keep all communication in writing where possible — email or the in-app chat creates a record you can refer back to. Never pay the full amount before the work is finished and inspected. A reasonable deposit for materials is normal; paying everything up front is not.

If something goes wrong

If you have already paid a rogue trader, gather every record — messages, bank transfers, quotes — and report them to Citizens Advice consumer service (0808 223 1133) and Trading Standards. If you paid by card you may be able to raise a chargeback. On Construction Jobs Hub you can report a user from the chat using the Report option.