What happens if there's a dispute?
The short answer
- Raise the issue in the app, under Warranty and Resolutions.
- You and your tradesperson then have 45 days to sort it out between you.
- If you can't, either of you can take it to an independent ombudsman.
- There's no extra cost, and the decision is binding on both sides.
- If your tradesperson disappears or stops trading, you don't wait 45 days.
On this page
Most problems never get this far
Because you sign off each stage before the money for it moves, small problems get raised while the work is still happening, when they're easy to put right. That's very different from finding out at the end, after everything has been paid.
The last 10% of the price isn't paid until the whole job is finished properly, snagging included. So there's always a reason for your tradesperson to come back and finish things off.
How a dispute runs
- Day 0
You raise the issue
In the app, under Warranty and Resolutions. Describe what's wrong and add photos.
- Days 1–45
You and your tradesperson try to sort it out
Most issues are resolved here. Your tradesperson usually has the right to put the work right themselves.
- After day 45
Either of you can go to the ombudsman
An independent body looks at the evidence from both sides.
- The decision
Binding on both of you
No extra cost to you. No solicitor needed. No court.
How to raise an issue
Open the app and go to Warranty and Resolutions in the menu at the bottom left. Describe what's wrong, and add photographs, they matter more than anything else you write.
Be specific. "The tiling in the main bathroom is uneven along the north wall" gives everyone something to look at. "The bathroom's a mess" doesn't.
The 45 days
This period exists because most disagreements are solved by a conversation and a return visit. Going straight to a formal process would make a fixable problem slower and more stressful for everyone.
It's also usually your tradesperson's right to put defective work right themselves, at their own cost. Giving them that chance is both fair and, if things go further, better for your position.
What the ombudsman does
An ombudsman is independent. They don't work for us and they don't work for your tradesperson. They look at what was agreed, what was done, and the evidence from both sides, then reach a decision.
It costs you nothing, you don't need a solicitor, and it's considerably faster than court. The decision binds both of you.
It also works both ways. If your tradesperson believes they've been treated unfairly, they can use it too, which is part of why they agree to it.
Disputes and warranty claims
Two different things, though both start in the same place in the app.
A dispute is a disagreement during the project, the work, the price, whether a stage is finished. A warranty claim is about the work itself after it's done. Your work is covered for three months during construction and 24 months after it finishes, underwritten by a fully authorised, A-rated insurer.
Don't pay it all up front
Trusted Payments caps what you pay up front and releases the rest in stages, as each part of the job is finished and signed off.
How it worksCommon questions
- Does it cost me anything?
- No. There's no additional fee for using the ombudsman.
- Do I need a solicitor?
- No. The process is designed to be used without one.
- How long does it take?
- Considerably less than court. The 45 days come first, then the ombudsman's own process.
- Can my tradesperson raise a dispute against me?
- Yes. It works both ways, which is what makes it independent.
- What if I disagree with the decision?
- It's binding on both sides. That's what makes it worth having.
- Can I still go to court?
- Speak to the ombudsman about how their decision affects your options.
Where this information comes from
Dispute Resolution Ombudsman
Last reviewed 16 August 2026