How to Find a Trusted Tradesperson: 10 Things to Check
The home services market is largely unregulated. Most trades have no mandatory licensing, and the barrier to calling yourself a plumber or electrician is essentially zero. This guide gives you a practical checklist to separate the professionals from the cowboys — before they touch your home.
8 minute read · Updated April 2026
Quick answer: 10 things to check
- 01.Verify mandatory licences and registrations
- 02.Confirm they have public liability insurance
- 03.Check real customer reviews — not just their own website
- 04.Get at least three written quotes
- 05.Ask about qualifications, not just experience
- 06.Check they are VAT-registered if the job warrants it
- 07.Request a written contract for any job over £500
- 08.Never pay 100% upfront
- 09.Ask specifically who will be doing the work
- 10.Know the warning signs of a rogue trader
Verify mandatory licences and registrations
Some trades are legally regulated. Gas engineers must be on the Gas Safe Register (gassaferegister.co.uk). Electricians carrying out notifiable work must be registered with a competent persons scheme such as NICEIC or NAPIT. Oil heating engineers must hold OFTEC registration. Always verify — do not just take their word for it. For other trades (plumbing, carpentry, painting), look for voluntary trade body membership: CIPHE for plumbers, BSI-registered contractors, or FECC membership for decorators.
Confirm they have public liability insurance
Ask for proof of public liability insurance before work starts. A reputable tradesperson will carry at least £1–2 million in public liability cover. This protects you if they accidentally damage your property or cause injury. "Don't worry, I'm insured" is not enough — ask to see the certificate. All GeraHome providers carry verified insurance documentation on their profile.
Check real customer reviews — not just their own website
A tradesperson's own website is a marketing brochure. Look for reviews on independent platforms: Google, Trustpilot, Checkatrade, or GeraHome's verified review system. Look at patterns across multiple reviews — not just the star rating. A 4.8-star rating from 200+ reviews is far more trustworthy than a 5-star rating from 8. Pay attention to how they respond to negative reviews. A professional who handles complaints well is a professional you can trust.
Get at least three written quotes
For any job over £500, get at least three quotes. For major work, get four or five. Written quotes should itemise labour, materials, and any additional costs. Be wary of quotes that are vastly lower than others — this often means corners will be cut, poor-quality materials will be used, or scope has been missed deliberately to win the job and add costs later. The middle-priced quote from a reputable provider is usually the best choice.
Ask about qualifications, not just experience
"20 years' experience" means nothing if those years were spent doing poor work. Relevant formal qualifications matter. City & Guilds or NVQ Level 2/3 for most trades. CSCS card for construction work. Arborist work: LANTRA or City & Guilds Units 3 and 6. Ask specifically: "What qualifications do you hold for this work?" A legitimate professional will answer clearly and be able to show credentials.
Check they are VAT-registered if the job warrants it
If a tradesperson is offering unusually low prices on a large job and asks to be paid cash, check whether they are VAT-registered. The current UK VAT threshold is £90,000 turnover. A busy professional doing significant work should be VAT-registered. Cash-in-hand arrangements make it very difficult to recover money if something goes wrong — and signal a level of informality that often extends to the quality of their work.
Request a written contract for any job over £500
A written contract should include: the full scope of work, materials specified, start and end dates, payment schedule (never pay 100% upfront), and a guarantee or warranty period. For major renovation or building work, a RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) or JCT (Joint Contracts Tribunal) standard contract is worth using. If a tradesperson refuses to provide a written contract, walk away.
Never pay 100% upfront
A standard payment structure: a reasonable deposit of 10–25% for materials, staged payments tied to specific milestones, and a final payment held until all work is completed and snagged to your satisfaction. "I need the full payment to buy materials" is a red flag for smaller jobs where materials cost very little. Always retain a meaningful final payment — it is your primary leverage for getting the job finished correctly.
Ask specifically who will be doing the work
The person you meet, review, and contract may not be the person doing the work. "My mate" showing up instead of the qualified professional you vetted is a common issue. Ask: "Will you be doing this work yourself, or will it be a team member or subcontractor?" If subcontractors are involved, confirm they are covered by the same insurance and hold the same qualifications.
Know the warning signs of a rogue trader
Classic signs of a rogue trader: cold-calling (genuine tradespeople are busy enough without cold calls), claiming to be "working in the area" and offering a special deal, refusing to give a written quote, pressuring you to decide immediately, asking for cash only, refusing to provide references, no verifiable business address, and no traceable online presence. If you are using GeraHome, every listed provider has been through our verification process — licence check, insurance verification, and review screening — before appearing on the platform.
GeraHome Does the Checking For You
Every provider listed on GeraHome has passed our verification process: licence check, insurance confirmation, identity verification, and ongoing review monitoring. Find a provider without the homework.