Complaining about a tradesperson: faults 2026

Hiring a tradesperson is a big expense, and it hurts when the result does not live up to expectations. The holes in the walls are crooked, the floor creaks, and the roof renovation leaks at the first downpour. What do you do?

Fortunately, your rights as a consumer are strong in Denmark. This guide explains step by step how to complain, what you can demand, and where you can take a complaint if the tradesperson will not listen.

Note: This guide covers consumer agreements, that is situations where a private individual hires a tradesperson. Business-to-business relationships are regulated somewhat differently.

What are your basic rights?

When you as a consumer hire a tradesperson, the relationship is governed by:

• The terms of the agreement (what you agreed orally or in writing)
• The Sale of Goods Act (for deliveries with a goods element)
• The general rules of the law of obligations for services
• AB Forbruger (the General Conditions for consumer building work), a set of standard terms that many tradespeople use

If you have not agreed AB Forbruger, the general rules of the law of obligations apply, including the requirement of professionally correct work and liability for defects.

What is a defect?

A defect exists when the work:

• Is not carried out in a professionally correct manner
• Does not live up to what you agreed
• Is done with the wrong materials
• Conflicts with technical norms and standards (for example DS standards or the building regulations)

Mere dissatisfaction is not enough. There must be a specific point of deviation.

Complaint deadlines: when must you act?

Complaint deadlines are decisive. If you act too late, you lose your rights. Two kinds of deadline apply at the same time:

• The relative deadline: you must complain "within a reasonable time" after you discover (or should have discovered) the defect. A reasonable time is typically a couple of months, but never wait unnecessarily.
• The absolute deadline: for building work, a complaint period of 5 years from delivery of the work is used in practice. That corresponds to the complaint deadline at the approved building complaint boards. If AB Forbruger has not been agreed, the general limitation rules apply (as a rule 3 years, but up to 10 years for hidden defects).

Important: Complain as soon as you discover a defect. If you wait too long, the tradesperson can argue that you have accepted the defects.

Step by step: how to complain about a tradesperson

Step 1: document the defect

Before you contact the tradesperson, secure your documentation:

• Photos and videos of the specific defects, ideally with an object for scale
• Written notes on when you discovered the defect and what you observed
• Your contract or quote: what exactly was agreed?
• Receipts and invoices for the work paid for
• Correspondence: keep all texts, emails and letters

Step 2: send a written complaint

Contact the tradesperson in writing, not only by phone. A written complaint ensures you have proof that you complained in time.

Your complaint should contain:

• A clear description of the defect
• When you discovered it
• What you want: repair, price reduction or cancellation
• A reasonable deadline for the tradesperson's response (typically 14 to 21 days)

Example wording:

"I hereby complain about the bricklaying work you carried out on [date]. I have found that [describe the defect specifically]. The work is not professionally correct, in that [reason]. I ask you to contact me before [date] to arrange a repair."

Step 3: get an expert assessment if you disagree

If you disagree about whether there is a defect, it can be useful to get an independent expert assessment. This can be:

• An impartial building surveyor or engineer
• A professional organisation (for example the Danish Technological Institute)
• A court-appointed or board-appointed expert survey

An expert assessment strengthens your case, but costs money. Assess whether the cost is proportionate to the size of the claim.

Step 4: demand repair

The starting point is that the tradesperson has the right to repair the defect, that is to put the fault right. That is normally the first solution you should demand.

Repair can be refused if:

• It would be impossible
• It would cost the tradesperson disproportionately much
• It would not solve the problem

If the tradesperson refuses to repair, or the repair fails repeatedly, you are entitled to:

• A price reduction corresponding to the value of the defect
• Cancellation and repayment of the amount paid (for a material defect)
• Damages for loss you have suffered as a result of the defect

Where can you complain?

If you cannot reach agreement, the case can be brought before a complaint board. Before you complain, you must have complained in writing to the tradesperson, and the tradesperson must have rejected or failed to respond. You must also have paid the part of the bill that is not in dispute.

Byggeriets Ankenævn (the Building Complaint Board)

Byggeriets Ankenævn handles consumer complaints about building work carried out by members of DI Byggeri, TEKNIQ Arbejdsgiverne or Danske Anlægsentreprenører.

• Complaint deadline: 5 years from completion of the work
• Fee: DKK 400, which is refunded if you win, or if the case cannot be handled
• Processing time: typically 3 to 6 months
• Outcome: the ruling is not directly enforceable, but is followed in the great majority of cases

Note that you as a consumer can at most be ordered to pay a small amount in costs if you lose.

Ankenævnet for Tekniske Installationer

Complaints about plumbing and electrical work are handled by Ankenævnet for Tekniske Installationer when the tradesperson is a member of TEKNIQ. If you complain to the wrong board, the board normally forwards it to the right one.

Important: Håndværkets Ankenævn has been closed to new cases since 31 December 2025. Pending cases are being finished, but new complaints must be sent to Byggeriets Ankenævn or Ankenævnet for Tekniske Installationer.

The public consumer complaint system

If the tradesperson is not covered by an approved industry board, you can use the public system: first mediation at the Centre for Complaint Resolution (Center for Klageløsning) and then, if necessary, the Consumer Complaints Board (Forbrugerklagenævnet).

• Requirement: the claim must be above a minimum threshold (for most services at least DKK 1,110)
• Fee: a small fee for mediation and a further fee if the case goes on to the board; the fee is refunded if you win
• Processing time: can take several months

The courts

For larger claims and complex cases it may be necessary to bring a court case:

• The small claims procedure: for claims up to DKK 50,000, cheaper and simpler
• An ordinary civil case: for larger claims, where a lawyer is recommended

What is AB Forbruger, and what does it mean for you?

AB Forbruger (the General Conditions for consumer building work, 2012) is a set of standard terms that many tradespeople use. The terms include, among other things, rules on:

• Complaint period: as a rule 5 years from delivery
• Expert survey: the parties can request an expert survey to obtain a technical assessment
• Dispute system: Byggeriets Ankenævn is the relevant board when AB Forbruger is agreed and the tradesperson is a member of one of the underlying organisations
• Payment plan: payment is made progressively as the work advances, not fully in advance

AB Forbruger may not place the consumer in a worse position than mandatory (non-derogable) law. If you have not agreed AB Forbruger, the general rules of the law of obligations apply, and you are not bound by AB Forbruger's special procedures.

A special note on unauthorised tradespeople

Certain trades require authorisation, for example electrical and plumbing work. If an unauthorised person carries out such work:

• The work may be unlawful and require subsequent legalisation
• Your insurer can refuse to cover damage resulting from the work
• The tradesperson cannot document a professional standard

Always check whether the tradesperson is authorised for the work in question.

A practical scenario: what happens in practice?

To illustrate the process, follow this example:

Scenario: Peter orders a new bathroom from a tradesperson firm for DKK 85,000. The work is finished in January. In March, Peter discovers damp under the tiles, a defect that suggests faulty grouting.

1. Peter takes photos and notes what he observes and when.
2. He sends an email to the firm on 28 March with a clear description of the defect and asks for a repair within 21 days.
3. The firm disputes the defect and claims that Peter's own use caused the damp.
4. Peter commissions an independent building surveyor, who concludes that the grouting was faulty at the time of execution.
5. With the report in hand, Peter contacts the firm again and demands a repair. The firm refuses.
6. Peter brings the case before the relevant board (Byggeriets Ankenævn or Ankenævnet for Tekniske Installationer).
7. The board rules in Peter's favour and orders the firm to repair the defect or pay a price reduction.

The point: Documentation and a quick written complaint were decisive for Peter. Without a timely complaint and without the expert report, the case would stand much weaker.

Comparison of complaint routes

Route	Time	Cost	Binding?	Suited to
Direct dialogue	Days	DKK 0	No	All disputes, always try this first
Byggeriets Ankenævn	3 to 6 months	DKK 400 (refunded if you win)	In practice yes	Building work from affiliated firms
Ankenævnet for Tekniske Installationer	3 to 6 months	A complaint fee (refunded if you win)	In practice yes	Plumbing and electrical work from TEKNIQ members
Centre for Complaint Resolution / Consumer Complaints Board	Several months	A small fee (refunded if you win)	The board's ruling is normally followed	Services with no approved industry board
Expert assessment	1 to 4 weeks	DKK 2,000 to 10,000	No	Securing technical evidence
District court small claim	3 to 9 months	Court fee	Yes	Claims up to DKK 50,000
Civil court case	1 to 3 years	High	Yes	Larger claims, complex cases

Secure your agreement from the start

Many disputes with tradespeople arise because the agreement was unclear from the beginning. With a clear written contract it is far easier to document what was agreed.

A good contract should contain:

• A precise description of the scope of the work
• The choice of materials and quality requirements
• A timetable and delivery date
• A payment plan (avoid paying everything in advance)
• Terms on defects and complaints

Frequently asked questions about complaining about a tradesperson

What is the complaint deadline against a tradesperson?

For building work, a complaint period of up to 5 years from delivery of the work is used in practice. But you must complain "within a reasonable time" after you discover the defect, typically within a couple of months. If you wait too long, the tradesperson can argue that you have accepted the defect.

Can I withhold payment if I am dissatisfied?

Yes, you have the right to withhold a reasonable amount corresponding to the value of the defect until the tradesperson repairs it. But you may not withhold more than corresponds to the defect. Withhold the disputed amount and pay the rest, otherwise the tradesperson can assert breach against you.

The tradesperson will not repair and threatens debt collection. What do I do?

Immediately send a written message stating that you dispute the claim and have complained about defects. A disputed claim normally cannot go through the ordinary debt-collection process without a legal basis. Complaining to a board is now relevant, and any counterclaim for a price reduction can be set off.

What applies if the tradesperson has gone bankrupt?

If the tradesperson's firm has gone bankrupt, you can file your claim in the estate. The chance of an actual payout is limited. Check whether the tradesperson was affiliated with a guarantee or security scheme; some industries have such schemes.

Summary

If you experience defective tradesperson work, the key points are:

1. Document the defect thoroughly with photos and written notes
2. Complain in writing and quickly, "within a reasonable time" from discovery
3. Demand repair as the first step
4. Go to a complaint board if the tradesperson does not respond positively
5. Consider a court case for larger claims

Your strongest protection is good documentation and quick action. A written agreement from the beginning is your best insurance.

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The content of this article is for guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a lawyer for advice on your specific situation.