Going Straight…Nah – Straight Back To Crime
Checkatrade has seen a surge in unqualified tradespeople trying to join its network ahead of planning reforms that could spark more home improvement demand.
Checkatrade, the consumer reassurance portal, says there has been a 71% year-on-year increase in trades blocked from joining as the risk of cowboys looking to exploit a planning reform ‘gold rush’ has increased.
The rise coincides with building planning reform coming on 31 October.
The company has welcomed new rules to simplify planning permission yet is warning homeowners to stay alert to rogues and encouraging honest tradespeople to be alert and to join Installation Eye’s campaign to get honest installers, warning old, new and returning customers about the hazards of rogue traders.
See the Installation Eye Let’s Hammer The Scammers story here
Easy home upgrades
From 31 October, changes to planning rules will streamline the process for extending, converting and upgrading homes. Whilst speedy building approvals benefit homeowners and the trade industry alike, Checkatrade is warning that increased demand could create fresh opportunities for unscrupulous operators to target unsuspecting homeowners.
Checkatrade blocked 1,223 unqualified applicants in the first eight months of 2026, surpassing the total number of rejections for the entire year of 2025. New member rejections have jumped from an average of 89 per month in 2025, to 152 per month in 2026.
Jambu Palaniappan, CEO at Checkatrade, said: “Simplified planning rules coming into effect on 31 October are a welcome step forward for the housing sector, however, streamlining rules can never come at the cost of consumer safety. The fact that we’ve already had to block more unqualified trades this year than we did for the whole of last year shows just how active bad operators are in trying to take advantage. As planning rules ease, we’re urging homeowners to stay alert to rogues trying to exploit the changes and only ever put their trust in vetted trades.”
To help households navigate the upcoming changes, Checkatrade has outlined four red flags to watch for before booking a trade:
Be careful with cheap quotes. If the cost seems too good to be true, it most likely is. Use Checkatrade’s cost guides to check the price you’ve been quoted.
Never pay upfront. Don’t agree to making full payment in advance of work being undertaken. Get a detailed written quote that includes T&Cs and states what will be covered by the quote and what won’t.
Don’t accept work from trades who doorstep. Reputable trades will never carry out this practice. Checkatrade has zero tolerance of any member found to be canvassing door-to-door. Never be pressured into having work done by someone who knocks on your door.
Check, then check again. Make sure the tradesperson you used has been properly verified, by a platform complaint with consumer protection rules. Competition & Markets Authority guidance requires platforms to vet trades and stamp out fake reviews. To stay safe, stick to verified, CMA-compliant operators such as Checkatrade.
Picture with thanks to ChriskyKey! Via Pixabay: Doorstepping is a sign of a rogue trader.
Checkatrade has seen a 71% year-on-year increase in trades blocked from joining as the risk of cowboys looking to exploit a planning reform ‘gold rush’ has increased.
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