When you pay a business for a service, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 treats four things as part of the deal. The work must be done with reasonable care and skill; anything the trader tells you about themselves or the service (like a quoted completion date) is binding if you relied on it; where no price was fixed you need only pay a reasonable price; and where no time was fixed, it must be done in a reasonable time.
Your remedies
If the trader breaches those standards, you can require repeat performance — they redo the parts that fell short, at their cost and without significant inconvenience. Where redoing the work isn’t possible or isn’t done in a reasonable time, you can claim a price reduction, up to a full refund depending on how serious the failure is. A trader can’t use the small print to duck these duties or cut your remedies below what the Act allows.
A worked example
A decorator paints your hallway but the finish is patchy and uneven. The work should have been done with reasonable care and skill, so you can require them to put it right at no extra cost. If they can’t or won’t return within a reasonable time, you can claim a price reduction to reflect the poor work.
Common questions
The job overran badly — can I do anything?
If no time was agreed, the law implies a reasonable time, and persistent delay can be a breach.
They quoted “around £500” but billed £900 — do I have to pay?
Where no fixed price was agreed you owe a reasonable price; a quote you relied on may be binding.
What to do next
Raise it with the trader in writing first, setting out what’s wrong and the remedy you want. If they won’t co-operate, see complaints and dispute resolution and our Legal claims pages, and check the trader in the Complaints Directory. For building work specifically, see home-improvement and insulation claims.
Sources
Consumer Rights Act 2015, ss. 49–52 (standards), 54–57 (remedies) — legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15; Citizens Advice, “If you’re unhappy about poor service”. Reviewed: 3 September 2026.