£4 billion lost to rogue tradespeople in the UK
Over £4 billion1 has been lost by UK homeowners due to cowboy builders and dodgy tradespeople, as 35% fail to carry out basic checks before handing over their money.
Nearly a fifth (18%) have been scammed by “tradespeople” via social media, rising to one in three (33%) amongst young adults
Scams are costing the nation £4 billion in total, with them costing £410 on average
Ding is urging people to be cautious and has launched a Scam Spotter guide to help people identify and avoid rogue traders
New data from home maintenance and repair brand Ding reveals a growing issue of rogue tradespeople operating online, affecting over 9 million UK adults2, with young people being hit hardest.
Over £4 billion has been lost by UK homeowners due to cowboy builders and dodgy tradespeople, as 35% fail to carry out basic checks before handing over their money.
With nearly one in five (18%) UK adults falling victim to a rogue tradesperson, Ding are advising people to be cautious, especially 18-34-year-olds, with a third (33%) admitting they’ve been scammed.
While word of mouth remains the top way to find a tradesperson (51%), younger generations are turning to digital platforms, with 24% of 18-34s using WhatsApp, 19% relying on Facebook Marketplace, and others turning to Instagram (6%) and TikTok (5%).
Overall, 35% of UK adults don’t verify credentials before booking. At the same time, over half (55%) believe rogue traders have increased on social media over the last year, yet in their time of need they continue to use these platforms without caution.
For those who do check for red flags, the research found that 64% agree that it is odd behaviour when a tradesperson asks for full payment upfront but doesn’t provide a receipt or record for this payment. (See Table A for the top 10 red flags)
Chris Houghton, Home Expert at Ding said,
“Social media is making it easier than ever for rogue traders to appear legitimate. We’re urging homeowners to check and verify before booking. With 80% of UK adults having hired a tradesperson at some point, it’s more important than ever to know what to look out for, so you can separate skilled professionals from digital con artists. If in doubt, always book a tradesperson with a trusted provider like Ding.”
To help combat the rise of digital cowboy builders, Ding has launched a Scam Spotter Guide to help people spot red flags, from fake reviews to requests for full payment upfront, before it's too late.
Whatever your job—just Ding it.
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1 According to nationally representative research by Opinium amongst 2,000 UK adults (18+), 18% of UK adults have lost money or been scammed by a tradesperson they found online. According to the latest ONS stats, there are 53,646,829 UK adults (18+) which equates to 9,656,429 UK adults. On average, they have lost £410 which equates to £3,967,958,853 or £4 billion.
2 According to nationally representative research by Opinium amongst 2,000 UK adults (18+), 18% of UK adults have lost money or been scammed by a tradesperson they found online. According to the latest ONS stats, there are 53,646,829 UK adults (18+) which equates to 9,656,429 UK adults.
About the research:
Unless otherwise stated, data is based on Opinium commissioned research amongst 2,000 UK adults (18+) in May 2025.