Overview
- The prime minister unveiled the policy package Friday, introducing Trusted Partners, a government-backed smartphone app that will hold homeowners’ payments and release funds only when agreed project stages are completed.
- The Approved Codes Scheme for home improvement firms will open at the end of September and is expected to be fully live by December, letting businesses sign up to show they meet higher standards on service, transparency and dispute handling.
- Ministers also set mandatory accreditation and independent oversight for private bailiffs in England and Wales, requiring certification through the Enforcement Conduct Board or employment by an accredited firm.
- Citizens Advice says more than one in four adults had problems with their last home renovation, and ministers cited large aggregate losses to argue the measures will reduce financial harm to households.
- Conservative critics and some industry figures warn the plans could add bureaucracy for legitimate traders and question enforcement and long-term funding, leaving Trading Standards and oversight bodies to carry much of the work.