How to Check a Tradesperson Before They Come to Your Home

Start with the simplest question: is this person who they say they are? A reputable tradesperson will not mind you asking for their full name and business name before the visit, and showing photo ID at the door. The name on their ID should match the name on the quote, the insurance and any trade registration.

A DBS check shows criminal records held on the Police National Computer. There are three levels. A basic check shows unspent convictions and anyone can apply for one about themselves. Standard and enhanced checks show more, and are only available for particular roles, such as work with children or vulnerable adults.

For most trades in a private home, a basic DBS check is the right level to ask about. A certificate is a snapshot of the day it was issued, so a recent one tells you more than an old one.

Public liability insurance pays out if the tradesperson damages your property or injures someone while working. It is not a legal requirement for a sole trader, but working without it is a risk you would be sharing. Ask for the certificate, and check the dates and the level of cover.

Some work can legally be done only by someone on a particular register. Others are not required, but tell you the work will be certified.

• Gas: anyone working on gas appliances must be on the Gas Safe Register. Check their ID card number online.
• Electrical: for notifiable work, such as a new circuit or consumer unit, use an electrician registered with a competent person scheme such as NICEIC or NAPIT.
• Replacement windows and doors: installers registered with FENSA or CERTASS can self-certify that the work meets Building Regulations.
• Oil heating: look for OFTEC registration. Solid fuel and wood burners: HETAS.

Reviews are useful when they describe a job like yours and come from real customers. Look for detail: what was done, how long it took, what happened when something went wrong. A handful of specific reviews says more than a page of five-star ratings with no words.

• A discount for paying in cash, with no written quote or receipt.
• Pressure to decide on the spot, or a price that is only good for today.
• A large payment up front before any work or materials.
• Vague answers about insurance, registration or who will actually do the job.
• Knocking on the door to point out a problem you had not asked about.

Every tradesperson on TEKTO CNCT is identity-checked, DBS-checked and insured before they can accept a job, and trade-specific checks are added for the trades that need them. You still see who is coming before they arrive, and your payment is held in escrow until you confirm the work is done.