Sheffield Family Left Homeless After Builder Goes Bust

Published: 21 February 2026, The English Chronicle Desk, The English Chronicle Online

A Sheffield family has shared the distressing ordeal of being left effectively homeless after the builder hired to extend their home went bust, leaving the work unfinished and the property unsafe. Naomi Nygaard and her family, who moved out of their home in Fulwood in September 2025 to accommodate a £40,000 extension, spent months moving between 13 temporary homes while the project stalled.

Nygaard described the experience as “so traumatic” that her children now refer to it as “our broken home.” The family had paid two-thirds of the total cost (£25,000), but delays, safety concerns, and ultimately the builder’s insolvency prevented them from returning. During inspections, a structural engineer deemed parts of the house unsafe due to large cracks in upstairs bedrooms where the extension was underway.

The builder disputes the family’s account, claiming they repeatedly insisted on pausing work, which he says exacerbated brickwork movement, and that his company’s insolvency stemmed from financial strain caused by delays. However, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), which carried out a dispute inspection, found the work “unsafe” and displaying “obvious disregard” for site safety and management. The FMB confirmed the builder has been removed from membership and barred from re-entry.

Further complicating matters, the Nygaards discovered that the builder’s public liability insurance with Covea had been cancelled and backdated to September 2025, voiding coverage for the unfinished work. Home insurers, Pen Underwriting, clarified that their policies do not cover liability arising from contractors’ faulty workmanship.

The FMB is calling for better regulation of builders, including a mandatory licensing scheme, to prevent consumers from facing similar situations. “Consumers are not protected properly,” the FMB spokesperson said, urging a UK-wide licensing body. A Department for Business and Trade representative highlighted support for the TrustMark scheme, which helps identify reputable traders and provides avenues for redress.

Nygaard reflected on the emotional toll: “It feels like a wound on the house. I don’t know how we’re going to get through all the obstacles required to make our home structurally safe and weatherproof.” Her plea underscores the vulnerability homeowners face when contractors go bust, leaving families in limbo with unfinished, unsafe work.

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