Hiring Tradespeople Safely

Registration for regulated work

Gas, electrical, heating and certain building work require registration or certification in most jurisdictions.

Registration numbers are verifiable on the scheme's own register, which is the check that matters. A card can be shown by anyone; the register cannot be faked.

Unregistered work on regulated systems can be unsafe, can invalidate insurance, and can create problems when selling the property.

Insurance

Public liability insurance covers damage they cause to your property or injury to others.

Ask for the certificate and check it is current and for an adequate amount.

Where they employ others, employers' liability insurance is usually a legal requirement.

The payment structure

Never pay in full in advance. This is the single most common route to loss.

A modest deposit for materials on a larger job is normal. A large deposit before work starts is not.

Stage payments tied to completed milestones align interests, and the final payment should follow completion and your inspection.

Paying by card or bank transfer creates a record. Cash arrangements with no invoice remove your protections entirely.

Reviews and recommendations

Personal recommendations from people who have had comparable work done are the most reliable signal.

Online reviews vary in reliability and can be purchased. Look for detail and for how the trader responds to criticism.

Trade association membership provides a dispute route, which has value if something goes wrong.

Warning signs

Cold callers offering work on your roof, driveway or trees, particularly with a discount for deciding today.

Pressure to decide immediately or to pay before work begins.

No written quotation, no address, and only a mobile number.

Discovering additional urgent problems once work has started, particularly in areas you cannot inspect.

Documentation to keep

The quotation, all invoices, certificates for regulated work, guarantees, and photographs of the work in progress.