LICENCE TO BUILD
The FMB’s mandatory licensing campaign gains backing from the government, cross-party MPs and homeowner groups SUPPORT SURGES FOR LICENSING
F ollowing the Grenfell Inquiry Report, published earlier this year, which called for the licensing of principal contractors, the FMB is leading an intensive push to make the licensing of builders mandatory. The FMB’s licensing paper, launched at its summer parliamentary reception, builds upon previous work by consulting firm Pye Tait in 2018, and sets out a practical framework for how licensing could and should operate. Since May, the FMB has been running its ‘Licence to Build’ campaign – featuring key assets and victim testimonials – and has gained media traction, with coverage in national publications including The Sun and The Mirror , reaching millions of UK readers, along with an hour-long discussion on BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours . The Homeowners Alliance has also established its own campaign page in support of the licensing push. The £14.3 billion problem A recent FMB survey of more than 2,000 consumers found that £14.3 billion was paid to rogue traders over a five-year period. The findings paint a troubling picture: ● 35% had to pay unexpected extra costs; ● 22% saw their jobs left unfinished; and ● 33% received poor quality work. Research conducted jointly by the FMB and the Homeowners Alliance exposed widespread misconceptions about the construction industry’s regulatory framework, including: ● 45% of UK homeowners wrongly believe that builders are already licenced;
building companies, has requested a subsequent debate on the issue. The FMB’s Build Up from the Basement podcast is an influential platform for building political support, with numerous
MPs – including Mike Reader MP – committing on air to campaign for
mandatory licensing. These high-profile commitments maintain momentum and demonstrate cross-party support for the campaign. Driving reform The FMB is actively engaged in multiple initiatives to bring about mandatory licensing. For a start, FMB Chief Executive Brian Berry sits on the Retrofit Reform Advisory Panel, chaired by Energy Consumer Minister. The panel, which held its first meeting in late July and meets every six weeks, is focused on accreditation of retrofit installers, with the aim of delivering licensing for retrofit installation over the next 12 months. Additionally, the FMB was part of the leadership team overseeing Professor Peter Bonfield’s inquiry into flood- prevention measures. One of the issues raised in the final report was the competence of builders carrying out flood-prevention measures and the need for a licensing to set a minimum competence level. With government commitment, cross- party political support, and overwhelming public backing, the momentum behind the FMB’s licensing campaign continues to build. The coming months will be crucial in turning proposals into legislative reality.
● 65% incorrectly expect builders to have insurance covering accidental damage; ● 32% think builders must register with a government or regulatory body, but no such requirements exist; and ● 66% of homeowners aged 18-34 – more likely to hold these misconceptions – believe registration is mandatory. Despite confusion, 81 per cent of the public agreed that there should be mandatory licensing for residential builders. Political momentum builds The Energy Security and Net Zero (ESNZ) Committee also favours licensing for retrofit work following evidence of poor installation standards – and has, through its Chair Bill Esterson, announced support at the launch of the FMB licensing report in parliament. Conservative MP Mark Garnier, who previously tabled a Private Members Bill calling for the licensing of domestic
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Master Builder
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