"COWBOY" BUILDERS HELPED BY QUALITY MARK

THE Government’s heralded anti-cowboy builder initiative, the Quality Mark, has been launched amidst criticism that the measure does not do enough to combat the growing problem of rogue traders in the construction industry.

Jeremy Chapman, Regional Director of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), has described the initiative as ‘fundamentally flawed’ in that it does little to address the problem of customers opting for cowboy builders in return for a 17.5% cash discount.

The Quality Mark was one of a number of proposals drawn up by the Cowboy Builders Working Group, which also proposed mandatory insurance-backed warranty cover on building projects, and a cut in the rate of VAT levied on domestic repair, maintenance and improvement work.

However, by implementing the Quality Mark, but in doing nothing about the rate of VAT, the Government has been criticised by organisations such as the FMB as continuing to perpetuate the ‘black market’ in which rogue traders thrive.

A number of alternative initiatives have been developed by the FMB which aim to increase public awareness of the situation, and to help clients identify and employ legitimate and reputable builders. In addition, the organisation have introduced a Quotation Contract that can help overcome confusion over cost estimates and agreed in the original quotation, one of the main causes of dispute between builder and customer. (CL)