Nearly three-quarters (74%) of consumers do not know about the protections that should be in place when they have home improvement work carried out, according to research from TrustMark.

The report, Consumer Protection in Home Improvements: Building a Consumer Centric Approach, says there are big gaps in homeowners’ knowledge of their rights and the protections available to them.

It also identifies areas where consumer protection could be improved throughout the home improvement journey.

The research, based on responses from more than 1,500 homeowners, found that two-thirds did not receive a contract before work started, while nearly a quarter of homeowners who had work carried out experienced a serious problem.

Only 24% of homeowners said they expected tradespeople to provide information about how to complain and what redress would be available if something went wrong.

By contrast, homeowners were much more likely to expect information about the practical and financial aspects of a project.

The most commonly expected information was the price (82%), followed by a full job specification (71%) and payment terms (68%).

Overall, just 58% of households reported receiving all the information they expected.

TrustMark chief operating officer Charlotte Carter said: “Given the cost of home improvements along with the pressures on general cost of living increases, it’s not surprising homeowners have such a focus on how much work is going to cost and how they pay for it. But any improvement work in our homes is an investment – financially and emotionally and it’s vital that people know how they’re protected, who by and where to go if something goes wrong.”

The research also found that homeowners’ understanding of consumer protections for home improvements is significantly lower than for other major purchases, including new cars, holidays and financial services.

Just 18% of homeowners surveyed rated their knowledge of protections for home improvements as high. Among those who had recently had work carried out, the figure rose to only 25%.

The research found that some types of home improvement work were more likely to be associated with serious problems.

The three areas with the highest reported rates were:

• 42% of homeowners reported serious problems with low-carbon projects, including heat pumps and solar panels.
• 41% reported serious problems with extensions, including loft extensions.
• 38% reported serious problems with insulation measures.

TrustMark said some of the problems associated with low-carbon projects may be attributable to these technologies being less well understood, highlighting the need for better information and technical advice before work begins.

When problems do occur, homeowners also face uncertainty over where to seek help. Some 73% said they would not know where to go for redress if they had a problem with a tradesperson.