Rogue Trader Hotspots Revealed – How Bad is Your Area?

12 August 2025

  • New FOI data reveals the UK hotspots for rogue trader reports
  • Greater London, Yorkshire & The Humber and East Anglia top the list for UK hot spots
  • The top five trades most likely to be exploited by rogue traders include electrical work, roofing work and plumbing
  • Households urged to ‘know who’s knocking’ to avoid falling victim

UK hotspots for suspected rogue trader reports have been revealed, with local residents being warned to “know who’s knocking”.  

Analysis of Freedom of Information request data by consumer safety charity, Electrical Safety First, reveals Greater London, Yorkshire and the Humber and East Anglia as the top three UK hotspots for suspected rogue trader reports in 2024. 

More than 9,700 suspected rogue trader reports for all types of work were recorded across the UK during 2024, with Greater London recording a shocking 2,462. The Capital was followed closely by Yorkshire & The Humber with 2,431 reports whilst East Anglia recorded the third highest number, at 934. The East Midlands recorded the forth highest number with 793 whilst the North West recorded 722.  

East Anglia 

934 

East Midlands 

793 

Greater London 

2462 

North East 

364 

North West 

722 

Northern Ireland 

695 

Scotland 

438 

South East 

198 

South West 

271 

Wales 

287 

West Midlands 

108 

Yorkshire and Humber 

2431 

Grand Total 

9703 

 

Now, households are being warned, whilst all rogue trader work can be dangerous, poor electrical work can leave them and their home at serious risk of fire and electric shock. 

“Falling victim to a rogue trader can be hugely distressing for anyone, leaving you feeling unsafe or vulnerable in your own home,” Richard Harvey, Electrical Installation Safety expert for Electrical Safety First warns. “With so many reports of suspected rogue trade activity, there’s a real chance of dangerous work being carried out in homes that leaves victims picking up the pieces, or worse, at serious risk of harm. People are still feeling the squeeze from the cost-of-living crisis, and rogue traders will exploit this, perhaps offering to do the work in an unrealistic time frame or at a cheaper price. Whilst all types of rogue trader work can be a traumatic experience for anyone to fall victim to, electrical work can be some of the most dangerous, leaving you at risk of fire, burns and electrocution. That’s why we’re urging everyone to know who’s knocking on their door before committing to letting anyone undertake work on their home and to stick with a registered and competent electrician.” 

 

TOP FIVE MOST EXPLOITED TRADES: 
All types of work were recorded within the total 9,703 reports of suspected rogue trader work recorded across the country during 2024. 

Analysis of this data revealed the top five types of work most likely to be exploited by rogue traders. 

Reports of suspected rogue trader work linked to roofing work topped the list with more than 2,000 reports recorded followed by reports linked to; general building works (1,018), plumbing work (881), electrical work (655) and work surrounding carpentry (633).  

Other types of jobs reported included work relating to major renovations, driveways and bathrooms and windows.   

Peter Arrow, a registered electrician with the NICEIC and owner of Arrow & Son, has seen the consequences of poor electrical work first-hand. He recalls how he had to rectify electrical work that left the homeowner thousands of pounds out-of-pocket and at significant risk of electric shock. 

“The homeowner initially hired so-called “electricians” to complete the wiring for an indoor swimming pool and adjoining conservatory,” Peter Arrow explains. “Eventually, they lost contact with them and when I was called in to review the work, it became immediately clear that these individuals were cowboys.” 

The issues Peter uncovered were alarming. “There was mains voltage cabling within arm’s reach of the pool edge, light fittings installed without essential safety connections and corrosion had already begun where they had used incorrect light fittings for the area, putting the homeowner at significant risk of electric shock.” 

The scale of the remedial work required was extensive. “We had to completely rewire the areas around the swimming pool and strip out all the existing wiring in the conservatory before starting again,” Peter Arrow said. “It was a full overhaul, which cost the homeowner thousands of pounds on top of what they had already paid.” 

Now, households are being urged to ‘know who’s knocking’ to avoid falling victim to a rogue trader which could leave their home badly damaged and in a dangerous condition.
 

PROSECUTIONS 
In October last year, a rogue trader from Swindon was sentenced after it was found he carried out dangerous electrical work which was not compliant with building regulations.

He also fraudulently issued houseowners with an electrical installation certificate for the electrical work claiming it had been signed off by an electrician who had not visited the property. 

He was given a 12-month community order and must carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay compensation of £4,669.40 to the victims, an amount equal to the cost of correcting the work he had carried out. 

In July last year, a rogue trader from Cornwall was sentenced after he left customers £90,000 out of pocket. In one case, he removed load-bearing walls without adequate support for the roof and left electrics in a dangerous state. 

He was given a 16-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to three counts of fraud. 

HOW TO AVOID A ROGUE TRADER & THE RED FLAGS TO BEWARE OF 
Electrical Safety First is urging households to ‘know who’s knocking’ as part of its rogue trader awareness campaign, advising all homes to use a competent and qualified registered electrician, to ensure the work in their home is carried out to a high and safe standard.  

Whilst it’s not always immediately obvious that someone could be a potential cowboy, the charity recommends looking out for the following:  

  • Double check your electrician is registered, don’t just take the logo of a registration scheme at face value. Check for their company against the charity's Find an Electrician tool. Rogue traders may fraudulently use recognised logos of trust to deceive customers, so check they appear on the competent persons register online. 
  • Ask to see their paperwork – whilst it may feel embarrassing to some, a competent and registered electrician will be happy to provide the evidence that they are qualified for the job. If an individual refuses to show you this evidence, consider it an indication they may not be qualified for the job. 
  • Beware pressure to commit to the quote on the spot. Ask for time to shop around for costs. Reputable and registered electricians will understand that you will want to compare quotes, beware anyone who tries to pressure you into making a decision on the spot.  
  • Beware of unrealistic time frames. Good work can take time, so be wary of promises to complete complex work in an unrealistic time frame  
  • Ask them if they will be the one carrying out the work. Some rogue traders have been known to contract out the everyday work to individuals you may never have come across.