Licensing campaign reaches Parliament

We know FMB members are passionate about good quality construction, and that you’ve been backing our campaign for a licensing scheme to help protect the industry and customers from cowboy builders.

Now there’s a chance to have these issues debated in Parliament, and we need your help to get your local MP to take part. You can write to or email them using this template letter today. Let them know why licensing matters to you and your business and ask them to come to Parliament on Friday 19 November and speak in a debate on The Domestic Building Works (Consumer Protection) Bill.

Find out who your MP is by typing your postcode into this link.

What is licensing?

In the UK, any person or company is legally allowed to undertake construction work without having to demonstrate a minimum level of competence or achieve relevant qualifications. This means that our industry is not as safe, professional, or productive as it might otherwise be.

We’re committed to raising standards throughout the sector and professionalising the industry in this way would go some way to achieving this. In our Licence to Build Report (2018), we highlighted the following benefits that this would bring to the UK construction sector and it’s reputable and honest builders:

  1. Remove the scourge of incompetent and rogue builders from the industry
  2. Offer much higher levels of consumer protection
  3. Increased quality, professionalism, and productivity within the sector
  4. Support increased health and safety compliance among smaller firms
  5. Improve the overall reputation of the sector and make it a more attractive destination for school leavers

We have also convened a Licensing Task Force, made up of members from all parts of industry and observers from relevant government departments.

Time for action

In recent months, we have been working with Conservative MP Mark Garnier who has tabled a Private Members Bill which will be debated on 19 November, to raise awareness of the destructive impact of ‘cowboy builders’. Private Members Bills can succeed in different ways; they may change the law, but more commonly they raise the profile of a campaign, which can in turn lead the Government to change policy.

Please take a moment to download the letter template and write to or email your MP.  If you have any questions, or would like any further information, please do get in contact with [email protected] or take a look at our Licensing Campaign pages.

Find out who your MP is by typing your postcode into this link.

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