Complain about a tradesperson in Ireland

Start with what was agreed, what has been paid and what remains unfinished or defective. Keep any later changes and their prices separate. A short list with one dated photo per issue is easier to assess than a long message saying the whole job is wrong.

If the quote was in WhatsApp, save the conversation with its dates and any payment acknowledgement. Identify who contracted to do the work, including any trading name, rather than assuming the person who visited is the correct business to pursue.

For example: Our agreement dated [date] included [work]. I have paid [amount]. The following items remain [unfinished or defective]. Please confirm which items you will address and propose dates. I have attached the agreed scope and numbered photos.

CCPC guidance says services should match the agreement and be carried out with reasonable care and skill. Usually give the business an opportunity to fix the problem within a reasonable time. Refund, price-reduction or cancellation options depend on what happened and whether it can be put right. Do not promise a deposit refund simply because the customer is unhappy.

Before paying someone else to redo disputed work or withholding money, check the agreement and get appropriate advice where needed. Preserve the original condition where safe, the other side's reply and any independent assessment.

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.

Do not wait for our email response if there is an immediate safety risk or an urgent deadline. For an ordinary lower-value complaint, you can ask Brian for free help organising the facts and wording during our pilot. We confirm the work before accepting it and do not provide a technical inspection or court representation.