What Is a Retention?
Written by James Walker · Last reviewed 15 August 2026
James Walker has 2 degrees in construction (BSc (Hons) Building Surveying · MSc Environmental Design of Buildings) and an extensive background in issue resolution, resolving over £4 billion of consumer issues.
A retention is a portion of the total price, 10%, that you hold back until the work is completely finished, including any snagging.
What it is for
It gives you something left to pay at the point where you most need leverage. Near the end of a job, a builder's attention is already moving to the next one, and the small unfinished items are exactly the ones that get abandoned. A retention is what gets them done.
When it should be released
When the snagging list is complete and you are satisfied, not on the builder's last day on site, and not because the job looks finished. Walk it properly first.
How it differs from a deposit
A deposit is paid before anything happens. A retention is paid after everything has. They sit at opposite ends of the job and do opposite things: a deposit is your money at risk, a retention is your protection.
How it works
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