Your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 for building work
The short answer: when you hire a builder, the law automatically requires the work to be done with reasonable care and skill, finished within a reasonable time, and (where no price was agreed) charged at a reasonable price. These rights come from the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and apply to every contract between a homeowner and a trader — you do not need them written into your contract for them to apply.
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-09-03
What the Act actually says
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 (Part 1, Chapter 4, verified 2026-09-03) sets statutory standards for services:
- Section 49 — reasonable care and skill. The work must be carried out with the care and skill a reasonably competent builder would use. Cracking caused by an inadequate foundation, flashings that were never fitted, tanking omitted in a wet room — all potential breaches of this section.
- Section 51 — reasonable time. If no completion date was agreed, the work must be done within a reasonable time. A project that stalls for months with no explanation may breach this even without a written deadline.
- Section 52 — reasonable price. If you didn't agree a price, you cannot be charged more than a reasonable going rate for the work.
What this means in a dispute
These sections give you the legal foundation for three remedies you will negotiate for in a letter before action or claim:
1. Repeat performance — ask the builder to redo the defective work (at no cost). 2. Price reduction — where redoing is impossible or the work is simply not worth what you paid. 3. Full or partial refund — in practice, the value of putting the defect right, supported by an independent quote for remedial work.
The contract still matters
The Act sets your minimum rights. Your contract (written quote, specification, emails confirming the scope) may give you more: fixed completion dates, agreed prices, specific materials, staged payment terms. Keep both in view — a dispute is usually framed as "the contract said X, and the Act required Y".
The 6-year window
In England and Wales, claims founded on contract (including breach of these statutory standards) are generally subject to a six-year limitation period from the breach. That is the outer limit, not a target — evidence degrades, and early action is cheaper. Limitation is a legal question: if you are anywhere near the edge, take advice.
What the Act does not do
- It does not enforce itself — you must complain, negotiate, and if necessary start a claim.
- It does not cover pure "change of mind" about aesthetic choices you approved.
- It does not replace building regulations enforcement, which sits with building control (a separate public function).
Next steps
- Send a formal letter before action citing your rights under ss.49–52.
- Collect the evidence that proves the breach: how to evidence a building dispute.
- If the builder ignores you, take them to the small claims court.
Sources: Consumer Rights Act 2015, Part 1, Chapter 4 (legislation.gov.uk, verified 2026-09-03). This page is general information, not legal advice.
Preparing a claim? EvidenceCanvas (Casewright) helps you organise your evidence and draft pre-action documents for the small claims track. It is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
Reviewed by Sean McNamara · 2026-09-03 · Independent information directory — not legal advice.