The Government's message to tradesmen not signed up to the Quality Mark scheme is simple: The public probably don't trust you.

A hard-hitting advertising campaign for the Government's anti-cowboy builder initiative has been launched.

Industry and energy minister Brian Wilson is urging businesses to grasp the business opportunities the scheme offers.

He said: "Quality Mark offers a real incentive and opportunity for reputable builders to separate themselves from the cowboys while winning extra business in the process."

The campaign focuses on the reason why the scheme was launched.

Cowboy builders are Britain's number one consumer problem after more than 106,000 complaints were registered with Trading Standards officers last year.

With the epidemic constantly hitting the headlines and horror stories routinely filling TV programmes, many people are put off having work done because they do not know who to trust.

This costs the industry £4 billion a year in lost business.