How to Verify a Tradesman's Credentials Before Hiring (2026)

Verifying a UK tradesman's credentials takes five minutes and prevents most expensive mistakes. Every trade has a public register, and every competent tradesman carries insurance that they will show you on request. If either is missing, walk away — the legal and financial risk of hiring uncredentialed work is significant.

This guide lists the credentials that matter for each trade, shows you how to check each one independently, and explains what to do if you have already hired someone and want to verify.

What credentials does a gas engineer need?

Gas Safe Register — no exceptions. Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, only Gas Safe registered engineers can legally work on gas installations (boilers, cookers, fires). Ask for their Gas Safe ID card (every engineer carries one), note the registration number, and verify it at gassaferegister.co.uk. The register shows the categories of work they are certified for — a boiler engineer is not automatically qualified to fit a gas cooker.

Work done by an unregistered person on gas fittings is a criminal offence, and your household insurance may be voided in the event of fire or carbon monoxide incident.

What about electricians?

NICEIC is the primary voluntary body; NAPIT and ELECSA are also recognised. Registration signals assessment against BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations). For notifiable work (consumer unit changes, new circuits, bathroom/kitchen electrics), you legally need someone registered with a Part P Competent Person Scheme — which NICEIC, NAPIT, and ELECSA all offer. Verify at niceic.com, napit.org.uk, or elecsa.co.uk.

What about plumbers?

Plumbing itself is not a regulated trade in the UK — no compulsory register. Look for voluntary accreditations: CIPHE (Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering), WaterSafe, or APHC (Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors). If the plumber works on gas, they must also be Gas Safe. A credible plumber will have public liability insurance (at least £2m cover).

What about builders, roofers, and general tradesmen?

TrustMark is the government-endorsed quality scheme (Department for Business and Trade). Federation of Master Builders (FMB) is well-regarded for builders; NFRC for roofers; Chartered Institute of Building for larger commercial work. For replacement windows and doors, FENSA or CERTASS registration is essential — otherwise Building Regulations compliance becomes your problem.

What insurance should a tradesman have?

• Public liability: £1m–£5m — covers damage to your property or injury to third parties
• Employer's liability: £5m minimum — legally required if they have employees
• Professional indemnity: £250k+ — relevant for design/surveying work
• Tool/equipment cover: their problem, not yours, but its absence is a quality signal

Ask for the certificate. A legitimate tradesman will send it without hesitation. If they delay, find reasons, or the certificate is dated years ago, treat it as a warning.

What about references and reviews?

Look for verifiable reviews (from platforms, not just a personal website), a mix of recent and older ones, and at least some ordinary 4-star reviews alongside the 5-stars — a profile that is only 5-star reviews with vague comments is often suspicious. Ask for two named references from jobs in the last six months and actually call them.

What about quotes and contracts?

A written quote, not a verbal estimate. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives you protection on services, but disputes are far easier to resolve when the scope, price, timeline, and payment schedule are in writing. For work over £500, a contract with deposit/staged payments is standard practice. Never pay in full up front.

How does GeraHome verify tradesmen?

Every tradesman on GeraHome completes trade-appropriate credential verification (Gas Safe number, NICEIC, FENSA, TrustMark as applicable) that is checked against the regulator's register, identity and right-to-work checks, insurance certificate upload with expiry tracking, and a reference check with past clients. The verification badges on GeraHome profiles correspond to externally verifiable data, not marketing claims.