You paid a builder, garage, cleaner, designer or other provider, and the work was shoddy, incomplete or careless. As a consumer in England and Wales, you have strong legal rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Here is a plain-English guide to those rights and how to enforce them.
Your core right: reasonable care and skill
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 says that a service must be carried out with reasonable care and skill (s 49), to the standard of a reasonably competent provider. The Act also implies that:
- where no price was fixed, you need only pay a reasonable price; and
- where no time was fixed, the service must be done within a reasonable time.
In addition, anything the provider told you about the service (or themselves) that you relied on is binding as a term of the contract. These rights are automatic and cannot be excluded by the provider's terms.
The remedies when a service falls short
If the service was not done with reasonable care and skill (or not as described), you are entitled to:
- Repeat performance, the provider must redo the substandard work (or the defective part) at no extra cost and within a reasonable time, without significant inconvenience to you.
- Price reduction (if repeat performance is impossible, or not done in a reasonable time or without significant inconvenience, you can claim an appropriate reduction in price) up to the whole amount in serious cases.
Where goods were supplied as part of the service (e.g. parts fitted) and they are faulty, you also have the goods remedies, repair, replacement or refund.
You may also claim damages
Beyond the price, you can claim damages for consequential losses caused by the poor work, for example, the cost of putting right damage, or other reasonably foreseeable losses flowing from the breach. You must take reasonable steps to limit your loss.
How to enforce your rights, step by step
- Complain to the provider in writing, set out what was wrong, refer to your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and say what you want (redo the work, a refund/price reduction, or compensation). Give a reasonable deadline.
- Keep evidence, photos, the contract/quote, invoices, messages, and (for poor workmanship) an independent expert report or quotes to put it right.
- Use any complaints/ADR scheme, many trades belong to alternative dispute resolution (ADR) or trade-association schemes; the provider must tell you if one applies.
- Card/payment protection, if you paid by credit card for £100–£30,000, you may have a claim against the card provider under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974; chargeback may help for debit cards.
- Letter before action, then the small claims court, for lower-value claims, the small claims track is designed to be used without a solicitor.
Watch the time limits
Claims for breach of contract generally must be brought within six years, but act promptly, as evidence fades and prompt complaints are taken more seriously.
Key takeaways
- A service must be done with reasonable care and skill, in a reasonable time, for a reasonable price (Consumer Rights Act 2015), and these rights can't be excluded.
- Main remedies: repeat performance, then price reduction (up to a full refund), plus damages for consequential loss.
- Complain in writing, gather evidence, use ADR or section 75 card protection, and escalate to the small claims court if needed.
- Breach-of-contract claims generally have a six-year limit, but act quickly.
Sources
- Consumer Rights Act 2015 (services: reasonable care and skill (s 49), reasonable price (s 51) and time (s 52); binding information; remedies of repeat performance and price reduction)
- Consumer Credit Act 1974, s 75 (credit-card claims £100–£30,000)
- Limitation Act 1980 (six-year limit for breach of contract); ADR for consumer disputes
--- This article is general information about the law of England & Wales as at 2026, not legal advice. For advice on your circumstances, consult a qualified solicitor or Citizens Advice.