Updates from Citizens Advice North East Kent August 2026

What can you do if you hire a company to do some work in your house or garden, and the quality of their work is poor? What if you’ve already paid before you inspected their work?

When you put your trust in a trader and they don’t meet your expectations it can be really frustrating, but you should be able to get it fixed or get some money back. Evidence is important - take photos and make notes about what happened, including times and dates, and keep hold of receipts or other proof of payment.

If a trader hasn’t done a good job with ‘reasonable care and skill’, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 entitles you to ask for the problem to be fixed or for a refund.

This is something you can mention when you take the problem up with the trader and cite your evidence. They should fix the problem within a reasonable amount of time, without causing you too much inconvenience. The law doesn’t say what counts as reasonable, so you’ll have to agree on it with them.

If they can’t or won’t fix the problem, you can ask for a partial or full refund, depending on how bad the problem is. You’ll have to come to an agreement about how much you should get. It’s a good idea to start by suggesting a figure and explaining why you think it’s reasonable, then take it from there. Once you’ve agreed on the amount with the trader the law says you should get your refund within 14 days.

If you can’t come to an agreement, or they refuse to fix the problem or give you a refund, there are other steps you can take - including complaining to your card provider if you paid by card.

Check if the trader is a member of a trade association or quality scheme. If they are, they might have to follow certain rules, and if they’ve broken them you could get help to take your complaint further. They might be part of an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme - a way of solving disagreements with a trader without going to court - or they might agree to use one.

If the trader isn’t part of an ADR scheme, and you’ve already complained to your card provider and the complaint isn't resolved, you may be able to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

If you need further support you can contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service for advice from a trained adviser. The helpline number is 0808 223 1133.

How can we help you?

Drop-in sessions (no appointment necessary):

Sittingbourne

Mondays 10am-12pm - Swale House

Tuesdays 11.30am-1.30pm - Murston Family Hub

Sheppey

Tuesdays 10am-12pm - Sheppey Gateway (except the second Tuesday of every month, which is held at Sheerness East Working Mens Club)

Faversham

Wednesdays & Fridays 10am-12pm - 43 Stone Street, Faversham

Thursdays 10am-12pm - West Faversham Community Centre

Telephone advice: Call Adviceline on freephone 0808 278 7979 (Monday-Friday 10am-3.30pm)

Email advice & specialist debt advice: Contact us online at canek.org.uk

Citizens Advice North East Kent operates across Canterbury district, Swale and Thanet. If you live or work in any of these areas we can support you. To stay up to date with our opening times, please visit canek.org.uk or follow us on Facebook.