New research highlights widespread issues with home improvement work and growing consumer distrust
One in four homeowners has experienced problems with their most recent home repair project, according to new research published by Citizens Advice, with millions of households facing unfinished work, disputes with traders and unexpected costs.
The charity’s latest findings estimate that around 4.8 million homeowners have encountered problems with home repairs during the past 18 months. Home repairs also remain one of the largest sources of complaints received by the Citizens Advice Consumer Service, which recorded almost 37,000 complaints relating to the sector during 2025.
According to the research, the problems homeowners experience range from unfinished work and poor workmanship to unsafe installations and disagreements with contractors. The report also highlights the financial impact these issues can have on households.
Among those who experienced problems, around 1.7 million homeowners reported having to pay additional money either to rectify previous work or because they had been overcharged. Those affected lost an average of £750, while one in ten of those facing additional costs said they spent more than £5,000 resolving the issues.
The research also suggests that concerns over finding reliable tradespeople are influencing homeowner behaviour before work even begins.
Around 28% of homeowners who arranged repairs in the last 18 months said they chose to carry out work themselves because they were unable to find a trader they considered trustworthy. A further 26% delayed or avoided repairs altogether for the same reason.
Citizens Advice found that carrying out more background checks before hiring a contractor did not necessarily reduce the likelihood of experiencing problems. The charity concluded that providing consumers with additional information alone is unlikely to resolve wider issues within the home repairs market.
The report also examined the wider impact on homeowners beyond the financial cost. More than a third (37%) of those who encountered problems said the experience left them feeling stressed, while 12% reported that the issues made them feel unsafe.
The findings come as demand for home improvements and repair work continues across the UK, with homeowners increasingly relying on tradespeople for renovation, maintenance and energy efficiency upgrades.
Alongside the research, Citizens Advice has called for stronger consumer protections within the home repairs market, arguing that greater confidence in the sector would benefit both consumers and reputable businesses. The charity says improving trust could help reduce disputes while ensuring more homeowners feel confident commissioning work from professional tradespeople.
Read the full Citizens Advice report here: Home repair problems hit one in four homeowners – Citizens Advice
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