Most problems on a building job are solved by someone picking up the phone early. This is what to do if that has not worked, and what we commit to in return.
Start by telling us
If something is wrong, raise it while the job is running rather than saving it up. Speak to our team on 07487 706530, or to whoever is running your job on site.
The great majority of complaints are a misunderstanding about what was agreed, or something that can be put right the same week. Raising it early costs nothing and usually ends it.
Making a formal complaint
If the informal route has not resolved it, put it in writing:
- Email: Essexprobuild@outlook.com
- Post: Essex Probuild Ltd, Scarletts Chase Offices, Scarletts Chase, West Bergholt, Colchester, CO6 3DH
Please include the property address, roughly when the work was carried out, what the problem is, what you have already raised and with whom, and what you would like us to do about it. Photographs are genuinely useful.
What happens, and when
| Stage | What we do | Timescale |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Acknowledgement | We confirm we have received it and tell you who is handling it. | Within 5 working days |
| 2. Investigation | We look into it. This normally includes visiting the property and speaking to everyone involved. | Visit arranged within 10 working days |
| 3. Written response | We tell you what we found, whether we accept it, and what we propose to do, with dates. | Within 21 days of acknowledgement |
| 4. Review | If you are not satisfied, ask for a review. A director looks at it again. | Within 14 days of your request |
If an investigation is going to take longer than these timescales, for example because a structural engineer needs to inspect, we will tell you that and give you a revised date rather than going quiet.
If we still cannot agree
If you remain unhappy after our review, you have options that do not require us to agree:
- Citizens Advice gives free, impartial guidance on consumer rights and can refer matters to Trading Standards. Their consumer helpline is 0808 223 1133.
- Essex Trading Standards can look at matters involving consumer protection law.
- Mediation. An independent mediator is quicker and cheaper than a court and we will consider it in good faith.
- The courts. You retain the right to bring a claim. The small claims track handles most domestic building disputes below the current limit without the need for a solicitor.
If you would like the matter looked at independently, mediation is the route we will agree to.
Your statutory rights
Nothing in this procedure affects your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which requires that work is carried out with reasonable care and skill and within a reasonable time, and that materials are of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose. Following this procedure does not stop the clock on any legal time limit.
How we use complaints
We keep a record of every formal complaint, what caused it and what we changed as a result. On a building job the same issue arising twice is a process problem rather than bad luck.
This procedure is a starting point drafted for a small building contractor and should be reviewed by your own legal adviser before you rely on it.
Last reviewed July 2026.