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May 7, 2019
In the latest news release from our annual HomeOwners Survey of over 2000 UK adults, polled by YouGov and sponsored by Resi.co.uk, we found Brits are struggling to find decent builders to get their home repaired or done up.
Paula Higgins, Chief Executive, Homeowners Alliance, says: “This is an unregulated sector and this aspect needs to be reformed.
“The shortage of construction workers is at a record low. We are not training a strong enough workforce as we have a lack of apprenticeships across the industry. Many construction workers are on zero hours contracts and, like many other industries, construction has been affected by a staff Brexodus.”
Alex Depledge, CEO of Resi.co.uk, adds: “The overall quality is so varied, depending on who you are lucky – or unlucky enough – to get. It’s no wonder that finding a reliable builder is such a big obstacle for people when it comes to renovating their homes. There needs to be urgent reform to regulate the industry, so that people know what they are getting and can easily find a builder they can trust.”
The study also revealed that planning permission is stopping or delaying more than a quarter (27%) of homeowners from carrying out necessary home improvements. A shocking 4.8 million people are affected.
Paula Higgins, Chief Executive, Homeowners Alliance, says: “It is local councils that make planning decisions, but their budgets have been cut back to the bone by central government. The upshot is planning departments with sky-high backlogs. While some local authorities have done well generating finances, for example, selling land to developers, others are struggling.
“When we have a housing crisis on our hands this lack of joined up thinking is breathtaking. We need local authorities who are managing to stay on top of planning to share good practice with others and for central government to offer a cash injection to planning teams to solve this crisis.”
Alex Depledge says: “Our planning system isn’t fit for purpose. Our independent research at Resi shows that planning departments have been cut to the bone over the last decade. It’s no wonder that widespread delays and a lack of clarity make it a serious issue for so many homeowners.”
Regional Results – Londoners most likely to experience obstacles to improving, those in North least so
Methodology – 2019 HomeOwners Alliance Homeowners Survey
How calculations derived: Source: DCLG live tables on dwelling stock Great Britain table 102 by tenure (May 2018). 17,345,000 owner occupied dwellings: x 41.74% = 7.2 million (finding a builder); x 27.47% = 4.8 million (planning issues); x 23.16% = 4.0 million (VAT cost); x 30.53% = 5.3 million (paid cash in hand)
Methodology – 2019 Homeowner Survey
March 25, 2025 
