Cowboy builders are targeting Generation Z as “easy victims” to rip off on a huge scale.
A report has found 18-24-year-olds are seen as easy pickings by dodgy tradespeople who think they “haven’t got a clue” about home improvements. Rogue operators have moved on from targeting the elderly and now go after young adult home improvers with a whopping 81% of those aged 18-24 who have used a tradesperson in the last year saying they’ve been swindled.
Checkatrade polled 1,800 adults who have hired a tradesperson in the last 12 months and found 63% of them had suffered at the hands of dishonest operators.
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Common complaints included shoddy work, unfinished jobs and costs.
(Image: Getty Images)
Only 63% of those polled said their final bill matched the initial quote and just 59% were kept informed about cost changes in advance.
Jambu Palaniappan, of Checkatrade, said: “It’s alarming to see these unsavoury characters are now zeroing in on new Gen Z targets.
“It’s vital that all consumers are alert to red flags to avoid being ripped off, and this is especially key for the next generation of home improvers whose inexperience makes them easier victims when undertaking their first projects.”