This information applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland

When you hire a builder to work for you, you are buying a service and are entitled to expect that it should be done with the care and skill you would expect from a tradesman. That means that any walls built should not crack or roofs be leaky.

You do not need to have agreed a time scale before the work is started but you can expect it to be carried out within a 'reasonable' time. There is no legal definition of 'reasonable' but it would not be reasonable to expect a builder to build a complete house in two weeks or reasonable for it to take three months to build a barbecue.

If you think that the builder is taking an unreasonable time, you could begin by keeping a diary of the times that the builder is doing your work and photographs of the stages of the work as it is going on. This could be used as a form of evidence if you decide to take legal action. If you talk to the builder about your concerns and this makes no difference it would be a good idea to write to the builder (keeping a copy of the letter) setting out what you want. If this still makes no difference then you may be able to take court action.

For more information on how to deal with a problem with services, see Buying services – your rights.
For more information about taking court action, see Small claims.

Other Frequently asked questions about consumer affairs:

• Do shops have to give refunds for returned goods?
• Do I have to take a credit note if I return goods?
• Can I take an unwanted present back to the shop?
• Can I return something I bought in the sales?
• Do I have to take goods that don't match my order?
• Can I get a deposit back if I cancel my order?
• What does a guarantee for an item cover?
• Can I get my money back for a faulty sale item?
• How can a pre-paid card help me?
• What can I do if I bought a faulty car?
• What are my rights if I buy from a private seller?
• A letter says I've won a prize - is it a scam?