The new 'Find A Builder' service will help homeowners find qualified builders who have been properly inspected and vetted.
With National Trading Standards braced for a spike in green home improvement scams[i], and Citizens Advice seeing an 18% rise in complaints year-on-year, alongside a 28% increase in doorstep crime complaints, the partnership want to give homeowners a safe route for finding a builder.
This partnership builds on earlier joint work from the FMB and HomeOwners Alliance, such as the campaigns to cut the VAT on home improvements and to license all UK construction companies. We will continue to work together to help educate consumers through our popular where to start guides on extensions and conversions, and how to add value to your home.
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Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: "The Master Builder logo represents quality, trust, protection and experience. When you choose a Master Builder company, you can build with confidence. Our free Find a Builder service connects consumers with local, quality builders, and we provide advice and support for getting started with your building project."
Berry concluded: "I'm delighted to be partnering with the HomeOwners Alliance, the preeminent advice service for consumers. Our organisations share similar values, and it's exciting to be bringing the FMB name and our services to a wider audience so we can all build better."
Paula Higgins, Chief Executive of the HomeOwners Alliance, said: "We know from the millions of visitors to the HomeOwners Alliance website that finding a builder is stressful. But more than that, rogue traders can leave consumers devastated with hefty financial losses."
Higgins continued: "We also know that the unregulated market puts consumers off from doing home improvement works. We are addressing this by offering the FMB's Find a Builder service to connect consumers with trusted quality builders that have been vetted. We are proud of our campaigning work with FMB and look forward to continuing to make a real difference to consumers today and in the future."
