黑洞社区

The UK construction industry could be missing out on 拢10bn-worth of business due to its poor image, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

In an attempt to restore the sector鈥檚 reputation in the eyes of the public the FMB has joined forces with 10 other industry groups to develop a mandatory licensing scheme for UK construction companies which it said would 鈥渢ransform the sector into a high quality and professional industry鈥�.

A new Construction Licensing Task Force, headed by former British Property Federation boss Liz Peace, will map out the licensing scheme.

Speaking at the launch of the task force at the House of Lords yesterday communities minister James Brokenshire (pictured) said he fully backed the FMB鈥檚 drive to improve quality and standards as part of what he called a 鈥渃ulture change towards transforming building and fire safety鈥�. 

Brokenshire also told 黑洞社区 magazine at the event he had visited the housing scheme in Barking which had been devastated by fire last weekend and had sought to reassure residents made homeless by the blaze that the government, together with the local authority, was doing all it could to find them alternative accommodation while the cause of the fire was being investigated.

The FMB said the perception of build quality was a major factor in its research around a proposed licensing scheme. It said it had found nearly a third (32%) of homeowners were reluctant to undertake major home improvement work which required hiring a builder for fear of recruiting someone dodgy.

And more than half (55%) of people who had used a builder to carry out home improvement work said they had had a negative experience with the company.

Nearly 90% of homeowners wanted to see the government criminalise what the FMB labelled 鈥渞ogue and incompetent鈥� builders.

More than three-quarters (77%) of small and medium-sized construction firms supported the introduction of licensing to professionalise the industry, protect consumers and side-line unprofessional and incompetent building firms.

And similar percentage (78%) of consumers also wanted to see a licensing scheme for construction introduced.

The industry鈥檚 poor image and a reluctance to use builders for home improvement work was costing the sector 拢10bn.

At the launch of the task force in Westminister Liz Peace said mandatory licensing had the potential to transform the industry into a world-leading sector.

鈥淟icensing will help drive up standards and help address the issue of quality and professionalism, which is some areas, is falling short. At the heart of what we鈥檙e trying to do is increase protection for the ordinary person who engages with the construction sector.

鈥淎ccording to research by the FMB, one third of homeowners are so worried about having a bad experience with their builder, they are putting off commissioning construction work altogether. This could be costing the economy as much as 拢10bn per year.鈥�