Now customers are leaving traders in the lurch

Tradesmen say they are suffering at the hands of late payers - with one in 20 businesses owed up to �50,000.

The survey, by insurer Eagle Star, found that more than half of tradesmen across the UK have been left out of pocket by people who refuse to pay.

Of 500 workers quizzed by the small business arm of the insurer, two in five said they had suffered a bad experience with a customer, with most involving non-payment of bills - often leading to cash flow problems.

'Cowboy customers'

Steve Wilson, managing director of Eagle Star Small Business Direct, said: "We see plenty of TV programmes on so-called cowboy builders, but there's little on how some customers are reluctant to pay up for perfectly good work.

"This can have serious repercussions on any small business, and as tradesmen often pay up-front for contractors and materials, any delay in receiving payment can prove costly."

A third of those left in arrears said they were owed over �5,000, while 14% were owned more than �20,000 and 7% facing unpaid bills totalling �50,000.

Almost half said some customers had taken more than six months to pay off their debts.

The delayed payments had a knock-on effect, with more than a third of the plumbers, electricians, glaziers, builders and carpenters polled saying they had been forced to work longer hours.