> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.ipswich.co.uk/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # 'Cowboy traders have been allowed to operate with impunity,' says Ipswich MP - URL: https://www.ipswich.co.uk/cowboy-traders-have-been-allowed-to-operate-with-impunity-says-ipswich-mp/ - Published: 2026-09-01T06:54:03.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-01T06:54:03.000Z - Description: Jack Abbott has criticised rogue builders for leaving "heartbroken families" to "pick up the pieces," as the Government announces tighter regulation of traders and bailiffs. - Author: Oliver Rouane-Williams - Tags: News, Jack Abbott, Policy Changes & Impacts **Why it matters:** The Ipswich MP says cowboy builders have taken advantage of local families for years, with the Government now introducing measures it says will close loopholes used by "unscrupulous operators." **The details:** From today, a new Government-supported scheme will introduce an Approved Code, allowing customers to identify trusted traders. Businesses signing up to the code will need to demonstrate higher standards of customer service, transparency and dispute resolution. From January, the scheme will add financial protections, linking payments to key project milestones so customers are less likely to lose money to unfinished or abandoned work. The Government says families lose £750 on average to dodgy traders. Separately, private bailiffs in England and Wales will be required to meet independent oversight standards, either through accreditation by the Enforcement Conduct Board or by working for an accredited firm, in order to obtain or renew their certificate to work. **What they're saying:** Abbott said: "For too long, cowboy traders have been allowed to operate with impunity, taking people's hard-earned cash and leaving half-finished, shoddy work in their wake, with heartbroken families forced to pick up the pieces, their homes and finances in tatters." He added: "This action is a really important step forward, giving local residents more confidence when hiring traders, secure in the knowledge that their money will be protected whilst building works are ongoing. "These measures will also support the many honest builders in Ipswich and Suffolk who work hard and do the right thing for their customers every day, preventing them from being undercut by those who refuse to play by the rules." Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: "Cowboy builders do not just rip people off. They leave families with months of stress, the disruption of unfinished work, and that horrible feeling of being taken advantage of. "So we're putting the cowboys out of business. These changes mean you'll now have the option to make sure your money is held safely and released bit by bit as the work gets done." Minister for consumer protection Kate Dearden said: "When you hand a builder thousands of pounds, you're not just trusting them with your money. You're trusting them with your home. Yet cowboy builders have left too many people with work half-finished, thousands of pounds down the drain and, in the worst cases, homes that are not safe to live in." Minister for Courts and Legal Services Sarah Sackman said bailiffs "have an important job to do, but with that responsibility must come high standards," adding: "When someone is already struggling with debt, the last thing they should face is intimidating behaviour, unfair treatment or being pushed into excessive repayment arrangements they cannot afford." **The bigger picture:** The measures form part of what the Prime Minister has described as a series of "everyday fixes" intended to ease the cost of living, following previous action on subscription traps and fake discounts. Ministers have also confirmed longer-term plans to review how organisations such as Citizens Advice and Trading Standards work with regulators, enforcement bodies and redress schemes, with the aim of making the system easier to access and quicker to respond to harm. **The bottom line:** The Government says the new rules will make it easier for families to identify trustworthy traders and protect their money during building work, while introducing tougher standards for bailiffs dealing with people in debt. --- **Don't forget:** If you enjoy our content, please [add Ipswich.co.uk as a "preferred source" on Google](https://google.com/preferences/source?q=ipswich.co.uk&ref=ipswich.co.uk) so you can easily find more of the content you value. [Add as a preferred source on Google](https://google.com/preferences/source?q=ipswich.co.uk&ref=ipswich.co.uk) --- ### This article cost us \~£21 to produce It's free for you to read thanks to the generous support of our partners. Please support us by supporting them.