Tradesperson complaints
Complain about a tradesperson in Ireland
How to prepare a complaint about a builder, plumber, electrician, carpenter, painter, landscaper, deposit, delay, or unfinished work.
- first thing to prove
- scope
- core evidence
- photos
- small-claims cap check
- EUR2,000
Check your dispute first
Answer a few questions to see your options before writing your complaint.
Check your optionsTradesperson complaints usually become hard because the agreement was informal: WhatsApp quotes, staged payments, cash or bank transfers, no completion date, and a dispute about what was included.
Use the quote, payment records and messages to explain unfinished work, poor workmanship or a deposit dispute. Check the tradesperson's business details before taking the complaint further.
What to do next
- 1Write down the agreed scope, price, payments, dates, and what is unfinished or defective.
- 2Create a photo-backed snag list and ask for a specific completion, repair, refund, or contribution.
- 3Check small-claims fit only if the amount, Irish trader identity, category, and exclusions line up.
Common tradesperson complaint searches
Common searches include builder disappeared, plumber not finished, electrician damaged property, kitchen fitter delay, landscaper deposit, painter poor work, roofer leak, and tradesperson ignoring messages.
When to route away
Do not force major building disputes, structural issues, injury, insurance claims, gas or electrical safety issues, planning or building-control issues, or high-value disputes into a simple small-claims frame.
Before you write
- Quote or messages
- Payment proof
- Snag list
- Photos or videos
- Trader name and address
Questions people ask
Can I use small claims for unfinished work?
Possibly, where it is a suitable lower-value consumer services dispute and no exclusion applies. Larger or complex building disputes may need another route.
What if I only have WhatsApp messages?
Use them. Save the quote, date promises, payment acknowledgements, scope details, and any refusal or delay messages.