ROGUE traders and cowboy builders can leave people angry, over charged and facing the consequences of shoddy workmanship.

And it turns out Bury is among the worst places in England and Wales for complaints made about dodgy tradespeople.

Householders in the borough made 774 complaints against tradespeople between April 2019 and March 2020.

This gave it the ninth highest figure in the country for complaints per 10,000 people, at 40.71.

Topping the list was Blackpool, where rogue traders attracted 51.76 complaints per 10,000 people.

While it appears traders in Hartlepool may be the most trustworthy ­— incurring only 17.59 complaints per 10,000.

The rogue trader data was compiled by comparison website, Business Comparison, following a Freedom of Information request.

The firm examined consumer issues relating to tradespeople reported to National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, which were then referred on to Trading Standards.

A Business Comparison spokesman said: "Whether they’re actively out to short change you or simply aren’t doing the job to the level that you’d expect, it’s easy to be caught out by a rogue trader and, unfortunately, they often target the older members of society too.

"Unfortunately, cases of rogue traders are all too common in the UK, with over 180,000 cases reported to Trading Standards."

So what can you do if you fall foul of a rogue trader? And can you get the problem fixed or your cash back?

According to Citizens Advice, whatever the problem is, you will need to talk to the trader and come to an agreement.

You should take up the problem with the trader who arranged the work, even if they sub-contracted all or some of it to another business.

Before you do that, it is a good idea to:

  • Gather any paperwork and receipts
  • Take photos to use as evidence of the problem
  • Make notes about what’s happened, including dates and times

But if you are unsure what to do, you can call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 to speak to an adviser.