Sources

Every guide on this site is based on these official and primary sources. We link to them so you can read the original wording.

All sources were checked on 24 October 2026. Where a page and the law differ, the law and the official guidance win.

1. Citizens Advice: Before you get building work done on your home
   Used in: How to choose a builder in London, Questions to ask a builder before you hire them, Quotes and contracts: what to get in writing, Paying a builder safely, Red flags and doorstep scams, Deposits, stage payments and late payment, Materials and retention of title, Vetting clients and spotting scams, Insurance, safety (CDM 2015) and waste
2. Citizens Advice: Cancelling building or decorating work
   Used in: Questions to ask a builder before you hire them, Quotes and contracts: what to get in writing, Red flags and doorstep scams, Cancelling building work, Cancellation rules for builders
3. Citizens Advice: Check if something might be a scam
   Used in: Red flags and doorstep scams, Vetting clients and spotting scams
4. Citizens Advice: Getting your money back if you paid by card or PayPal
   Used in: Questions to ask a builder before you hire them, Paying a builder safely, If things go wrong with your builder
5. Citizens Advice: If you have a problem with home improvements
   Used in: Red flags and doorstep scams, If things go wrong with your builder
6. Citizens Advice: If you need more help about a consumer issue
   Used in: Red flags and doorstep scams, If things go wrong with your builder
7. Citizens Advice: Template letter to complain about poor quality work
   Used in: If things go wrong with your builder
8. Civil Procedure Rules, rule 26.9 (scope of each track)
   Used in: If things go wrong with your builder, Chasing unpaid invoices
9. Companies House: Find and update company information
   Used in: How to choose a builder in London, Questions to ask a builder before you hire them, Vetting clients and spotting scams
10. Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, regulation 7
    Used in: Insurance, safety (CDM 2015) and waste
11. Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013
    Used in: Cancellation rules for builders
12. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 19 (offence)
    Used in: Red flags and doorstep scams, Cancellation rules for builders
13. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 28 (exceptions to cancellation)
    Used in: Cancelling building work, Cancellation rules for builders
14. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 30 (cancellation period)
    Used in: Red flags and doorstep scams, Cancelling building work, Cancellation rules for builders
15. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 31 (extended period)
    Used in: Cancelling building work, Cancellation rules for builders
16. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 36 (services started in the cancellation period)
    Used in: Cancelling building work, Cancellation rules for builders
17. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 5 (definitions incl. off-premises contract)
    Used in: Cancelling building work, Cancellation rules for builders
18. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 6 (contracts excluded)
    Used in: Cancelling building work, Cancellation rules for builders
19. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 7 (£42 threshold)
    Used in: Cancellation rules for builders
20. Consumer Credit Act 1974, section 75
    Used in: Paying a builder safely
21. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 (reasonable care and skill)
    Used in: Quotes and contracts: what to get in writing, If things go wrong with your builder, Contracts, scope and variations
22. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 50 (information is binding)
    Used in: Quotes and contracts: what to get in writing, Contracts, scope and variations
23. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 51 (reasonable price)
    Used in: Quotes and contracts: what to get in writing
24. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 52 (reasonable time)
    Used in: Quotes and contracts: what to get in writing
25. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 57 (liability that cannot be excluded)
    Used in: Quotes and contracts: what to get in writing, Contracts, scope and variations
26. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 62 (unfair terms)
    Used in: Quotes and contracts: what to get in writing, Contracts, scope and variations, Deposits, stage payments and late payment, The Construction Act (HGCRA 1996) explained
27. Consumer Rights Act 2015, sections 54 to 56 (remedies)
    Used in: Quotes and contracts: what to get in writing, If things go wrong with your builder, Records, photos and resolving disputes
28. Environment Agency: Public register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers
    Used in: Insurance, safety (CDM 2015) and waste
29. Federation of Master Builders: Find a builder
    Used in: How to choose a builder in London, Red flags and doorstep scams
30. GOV.UK: Building regulations approval
    Used in: Questions to ask a builder before you hire them, Planning, building regulations and party walls, Vetting clients and spotting scams
31. GOV.UK: CCJs and your credit rating
    Used in: Chasing unpaid invoices
32. GOV.UK: Competent person schemes
    Used in: How to choose a builder in London, Planning, building regulations and party walls, Insurance, safety (CDM 2015) and waste
33. GOV.UK: Dispose of business or commercial waste
    Used in: Insurance, safety (CDM 2015) and waste
34. GOV.UK: Dispose of household waste
    Used in: Questions to ask a builder before you hire them, Insurance, safety (CDM 2015) and waste
35. GOV.UK: Employers’ liability insurance
    Used in: How to choose a builder in London, Insurance, safety (CDM 2015) and waste
36. GOV.UK: Enforce a judgment
    Used in: Chasing unpaid invoices, Materials and retention of title
37. GOV.UK: Get information about a company (Companies House)
    Used in: How to choose a builder in London, Vetting clients and spotting scams
38. GOV.UK: Late commercial payments, charging interest and debt recovery
    Used in: Deposits, stage payments and late payment
39. GOV.UK: Make a court claim for money
    Used in: If things go wrong with your builder, Deposits, stage payments and late payment, Chasing unpaid invoices
40. GOV.UK: Make a court claim for money, court fees
    Used in: If things go wrong with your builder, Chasing unpaid invoices
41. GOV.UK: Party walls and building work
    Used in: Questions to ask a builder before you hire them, Planning, building regulations and party walls
42. GOV.UK: Permitted development rights for householders, technical guidance
    Used in: Planning, building regulations and party walls
43. GOV.UK: Planning permission
    Used in: Planning, building regulations and party walls
44. GOV.UK: Resolve a money claim through mediation
    Used in: If things go wrong with your builder, Chasing unpaid invoices, Records, photos and resolving disputes
45. GOV.UK: Search for land and property information (HM Land Registry)
    Used in: Vetting clients and spotting scams
46. GOV.UK: Small claims track, fast track and multi-track (EX305 and EX306)
    Used in: If things go wrong with your builder, Chasing unpaid invoices
47. GOV.UK: When you do not need building regulations approval
    Used in: Planning, building regulations and party walls
48. Gas Safe Register
    Used in: How to choose a builder in London, Insurance, safety (CDM 2015) and waste
49. HSE: CDM 2015, domestic clients
    Used in: Insurance, safety (CDM 2015) and waste
50. Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, section 104
    Used in: The Construction Act (HGCRA 1996) explained
51. Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, section 106 (residential occupiers)
    Used in: Deposits, stage payments and late payment, The Construction Act (HGCRA 1996) explained, Records, photos and resolving disputes
52. Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, section 108 (adjudication)
    Used in: The Construction Act (HGCRA 1996) explained, Records, photos and resolving disputes
53. Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, section 109 (stage payments)
    Used in: The Construction Act (HGCRA 1996) explained
54. Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, section 110 (dates for payment)
    Used in: The Construction Act (HGCRA 1996) explained
55. Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, section 112 (suspension)
    Used in: The Construction Act (HGCRA 1996) explained
56. Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, section 113 (pay-when-paid)
    Used in: The Construction Act (HGCRA 1996) explained
57. LABC Front Door (local authority building control)
    Used in: How to choose a builder in London
58. Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, section 2
    Used in: Deposits, stage payments and late payment
59. Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, section 5A
    Used in: Deposits, stage payments and late payment
60. NHBC: Homeowners
    Used in: How to choose a builder in London
61. Party Wall etc. Act 1996
    Used in: Planning, building regulations and party walls
62. Planning Portal: Extensions, planning permission
    Used in: Questions to ask a builder before you hire them, Planning, building regulations and party walls
63. Practice Direction: Pre-Action Conduct and Protocols
    Used in: If things go wrong with your builder, Chasing unpaid invoices, Records, photos and resolving disputes
64. Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims (Ministry of Justice, PDF)
    Used in: Chasing unpaid invoices
65. Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines Regulations 2005
    Used in: Chasing unpaid invoices
66. Report Fraud (police national fraud reporting service)
    Used in: Paying a builder safely, Red flags and doorstep scams, If things go wrong with your builder, Vetting clients and spotting scams
67. Sale of Goods Act 1979, section 19 (reservation of right of disposal)
    Used in: Materials and retention of title
68. TrustMark: information for homeowners
    Used in: How to choose a builder in London, If things go wrong with your builder, Records, photos and resolving disputes