UK Government Launches Mandatory Bailiff Regulation and 'Trusted Payments' Scheme for Home Renovations
The UK government has announced a two-pronged crackdown on consumer exploitation, targeting unscrupulous tradespeople and aggressive debt collectors. Prime Minister Andy Burnham introduced a new 'Approved Code' for builders and a 'Trusted Payments' system to protect homeowners from rogue operators. Simultaneously, mandatory accreditation for private bailiffs in England and Wales will be enforced, granting the Enforcement Conduct Board the power to revoke licences of non-compliant firms. These measures aim to address widespread consumer complaints, with over £10bn lost to home improvement scams in 2024 alone.