Complaining About Poor Service
When you pay for a service — whether from a tradesperson, a professional, a gym, or any other service provider — you have legal rights if the service is below the standard you were promised. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 covers services as well as goods, giving you the right to repeat performance or a price reduction.
Key points
- Services must be carried out with reasonable care and skill, within a reasonable time, and at a reasonable price.
- If a service is not performed with reasonable care and skill, you are entitled to ask for it to be redone or for a price reduction.
- Written quotes and agreed timescales are contractually binding — hold service providers to what they agreed.
- Services from professional advisers (lawyers, financial advisers) have their own regulatory complaint routes.
Your Rights for Services Under the CRA
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a service provider must:
- Carry out the service with reasonable care and skill
- Complete the service within a reasonable time (if no specific time was agreed)
- Charge a reasonable price if no specific price was agreed
- Carry out the service in accordance with any specific information provided before contracting, which you relied upon
If the service fails to meet these standards, your remedies are:
- Repeat performance: Ask the provider to redo the service (or the defective part) at no extra cost, within a reasonable time
- Price reduction: If repeat performance is impossible or would take too long, you can claim a price reduction — up to a full refund if the service is wholly inadequate
Complaining About a Service Provider
When you are unhappy with a service:
- Put your complaint in writing as soon as possible, specifying exactly what went wrong and what you want done about it
- Photograph any defective work before attempting any remediation
- Keep copies of your original quote or contract, any agreements about timescales, and all invoices
- Give the service provider a reasonable opportunity to remedy the problem before seeking an alternative contractor
If you bring in another contractor to fix poor work without first giving the original contractor the opportunity to remedy it, this may limit your ability to claim the cost from them. Always give written notice of the defect and a reasonable period to rectify it before using a replacement.
Complaints About Professional Services
Regulated professions have their own complaint routes:
- Solicitors: First raise with the firm's complaint partner; then refer to the Legal Ombudsman if unresolved after 8 weeks
- Financial advisers: First raise with the firm; then refer to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS)
- Surveyors: Raise with the firm; then escalate to the RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) complaints service
- Architects: Raise with the firm; then complain to the Architects Registration Board (ARB)
- Accountants: Raise with the firm; then complain to the relevant professional body (ICAEW, ACCA, CIMA, etc.)
Frequently asked questions
The builder has left the job unfinished and stopped responding — what can I do?
Can I withhold payment if I am unhappy with a service?
What if the service provider claims I am at fault for the poor outcome?
What to do next
- 1Get advice from Citizens Advice
Free guidance on your rights when services go wrong.
- 2Find a mediator
Civil mediation for service disputes.
- 3Issue a small claim
Small claims court for service disputes up to £10,000.
Official bodies and resources
Financial Ombudsman Service
OmbudsmanResolves complaints between consumers and financial businesses such as banks, insurers, and lenders.
Citizens Advice
CharityProvides free, confidential, and independent advice on a wide range of issues including benefits, housing, debt, and employment.
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