“They did not make me happy at all. I had a person from Federation builders called Maciec Duffka From Dundee to supply and build my shed.
At first I thought he did a good job but after examining the shed thourghly i have noticed gaps warping and lots of errors in the shed. Also the door is warped. I emailed the company he bought it from and they said they can't send a new door as this can happen?? They also sent me the receipt for the shed. £498. This person has charged me 950 including delivery. I feel I have been ripped off. Now I need to find someone who can repair this. Not a happy person.”
“I have had a terrible experience with one of their member builders, who has turned out to be an undischarged bankrupt and convicted fraudster with a suspended prison sentence for a financial scam. He has left me living in unsafe and unsanitary conditions and is holding a lot of my money. They say they can't help because the builder has refused to cooperate with mediation, yet they are still promoting this builder on their website. They have never visited my site either, and the so called mediator constantly found reasons to shut me down. They now ignore all my emails.”
“I employed a builder, member of the FMB, to refurbish the kitchen and ground floor cloakroom. The work carried out was very much substandard and I was charged extortianote rates for materials provided e.g. £267.73 + VAT for 2 sheets of plywood 2440x1220x18mm.
I contacted FMB and was referred to QASSS. I provided all the information requested by QASSS, copies of documents, emails, photos, videos... After two and a half months my case was passed to TD. Aggressive, unpleasant and definitely not a mediator. All the information I had provided was opinion based and therefore irrelevant. (even the cost of the two sheets of plywood).
I since have received a copy of the certicicate issued by the FMB stating :' the works carried out are in progress and satisfactory. No pictures supplied' The works were'finished'. FMB did not visit nor has any photo/video evidence.”
“FMB is a scam. They are ALWAYS on the side of their paying members , that is your builder. That is what I was told by their mediation QRSSS staff TD.
I had a rouge builder a member of FMB who was supposed to do an extension for us. Unfortunately although we did not sign a contract with this builder , we were forced to pay money on account to book a start day for the build. This builder and as soon as he received our 10,000 GBP, produced extras bill for 23,000GBP.
Since he did not start the build , we argued these extras. He said half of these new extras were error on his system, and the other half added by the new subcontracted builder. This builder then accepted another more expensive build 1.5M in Mayfair and rescinded the NON signed contract and took our 10 thousand pound money on account.
FMB was given all evidence but they assigned our case to QRSSS who were very rude and apart from confirming our details on the first 30m phone call, would not take any details of our dispute. Their staff TD said that we can submit what we want through email. But then she sent very hostile email stating that she wants only specific information using the same tone of the builders.
I, under the freedom of information act, asked for a copy of the phone call and written emails, this reviled the soft friendly tone with the builders and the hostile aggressive tone towards us.
On discussing this with FMB, we agreed that another more transparent member of QRSSS handles our file. This was rejected by LH friend of TD who was very rude and aggressive.
FMB did not acknowledge my evidence and dismissed my case without investigation.
I have reported this to CAB and they have now reported FMB to Trading Standards.
I am also now taking my builder to small claim court with the help of CAB, as FMB are only money making machine, not for consumers organisation.”
“An absolute nightmare don't waste your money, I've paid around £173.00 to get accredited, filled out all the forms sent passport ID, etc arranged for an assessor to do a live site visit was told it would be 09/03/2022 AM that's it, I was expecting someone to forward me a more exact time AM as the site was my last project and not live my customer was awaiting further instructions and times from me, as such, the assessor apparently tries to contact me to say he's on the way-"on the same day" with no luck, my customer now won't help absolute nightmare haven't heard anything from them I had to do the contacting.
I've been a painter decorator for 30+ yrs if I had treated my client anywhere like that I would not be in business. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY.”
“I was with them for 6/7 years, most of there emails were about seminars which they would arrange and want a fee for you to sign up. Then there was news reports of changes in the building industry, and then want more of your money to train you for this. They would sent you a monthly magazine which I never read as I'am Dyslexic which I asked them not to send, this cost you £4.25 as part of you monthly fee. The reason I stayed with FMB was for the accreditation as I had no training in my trades I practised. The other reason was the legal support they offered with the contracts and projects I took on.
I'am 63year old and leaned the trades through the years, yes I have made mistakes but none I wasn't prepared to correct even if it costed 1000's. Most of the time I worked through Surveyors and Architects which proved invaluable.
A certain project I had in Richmond Surrey where a client changed the design from the plan over 20 times, 9 times on the bath room alone I was required to do this at no extra cost. When things started to get strained the client fired me.
I ask FMB for help they gave token support but had no interest, but where still happy to take my monthly fee. I lost £22,000 from about £120,000 of the project.
It was the clients neighbours in the street came to my aid. In fact the clients next door neighbour insisted that I did the same job for him and his family. Other persons in the street gave there support and encouragement.
This all took place between 2018/19 I left FMB, December 2020”
