More than £21 million has been lost to rogue builders by homeowners in Harrogate and Knaresborough, according to new research.
The figures, released by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), estimate residents in the constituency have lost £21,461,115 to unqualified or rogue traders, with the average victim losing £1,944.
Across Yorkshire and the Humber, total losses are estimated to exceed £1.1 billion.
Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Tom Gordon says the issue has become a regular feature of his constituency casework and has described it as a "clear systematic failure" to protect homeowners.
Speaking on the FMB's Build Up from the Basement podcast, Mr Gordon said:
"Originally you get one email in and you think, oh, it's probably a one-off. Then you get the second one and the third and the fourth, and before you know it there's a clear systematic failure of the system here to actually protect people.
"What we're seeing with some of the people in the industry is that they are completely exploiting people, and ruining people's lives as well. That's what it comes down to."
Mr Gordon, who has previously campaigned on incorrectly installed spray foam insulation, also described the case of a constituent from Knaresborough who is effectively living in her garage because her home has been left covered in mould and damp.
He added:
"People who cannot escape this are thinking about it 24/7. It can be absolutely catastrophic for people's mental health."
The FMB's research also found that 42% of people in Yorkshire and the Humber say they have hired a builder who turned out to be unqualified or unlicensed, while one in five have delayed building work because they could not find someone they trusted.
Two-thirds of those surveyed said mandatory licensing of builders would increase their confidence in the industry.
Carolyn Frank, Director of FMB North, said:
"£21 million lost in one constituency, and £1.1 billion across Yorkshire, is the price homeowners are paying for an industry that anyone can walk into with no checks whatsoever."
The organisation is calling for a mandatory "Licence to Build" scheme, a move backed by Mr Gordon, who says stronger regulation would help protect homeowners while supporting reputable local building firms.
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