Find a trusted tradesperson

You can find a trusted tradesperson by:

• asking family and friends for personal recommendations. This is often the easiest and safest way to find a tradesperson who will give a quality service.
• using the TrustMark tool to find tradespeople. TrustMark is the only government-endorsed scheme for all trades in and around the home. You can search for reputable tradespeople using your postcode.

Be wary of traders who knock on your front door looking to get work. Don’t feel pressured to hire them. If in doubt, always say no and close the door. If necessary, contact the police.

Before you hire a tradesperson

Once you have a shortlist of tradespeople:

• Get at least 3 quotes so that you can compare.
• Check exactly what is covered by the price, such as labour and materials.
• Check their credentials and trade licence. For example, boiler engineers must be Gas Safe registered. See the table below for different trades’ quality marks.
• Ask for 2 or 3 recent examples of similar work and contact details of the people they did the work for. It’s best to get in touch because written references aren’t always genuine
• Find out how long they have been trading for.
• Verify their contact details, including office address and landline phone number.

How to avoid problems

Unfortunately, home improvements and repairs don’t always go to plan. Follow these tips to minimise problems and extra costs.

• Give the tradesperson a clear brief. Be specific and set out a clear, detailed description of the work (except for very small jobs). The brief should describe what work needs to be done in the greatest detail possible.

• Get a written contract. For medium or large jobs, you should insist on a full legal written contract. This offers you protection if anything goes wrong. Agree on any stage and final payments before work starts.

• Don’t pay in advance. Only pay for work that has been done. Sometimes materials need to be bought in advance. It is reasonable for the trader to ask you to pay a fair percentage of these costs as the job progresses.

Consider:

• the materials the tradesperson will use and what you will supply
• whether subcontractors. such as plumbers, are included in the cost
• cleaning up and waste disposal
• whether there is adequate insurance to cover the work? This is often linked to quality marks and guarantees (see the table below).

Check building regulations

Certain types of work must comply with building regulations.  For example, installation of a new heating system, boiler or oil tank.

You will need a compliance certificate from your local authority. This certificate proves that the work is safe and has been done to the right standard.

If your tradesperson is a member of a Competent Persons Scheme, the scheme can provide your certificate for you. This is a government-run accreditation programme, 

To find a member, visit Find a competent person and enter your postcode or search for a trade.

If you have problems with a tradesperson

Contact Citizens Advice. They will pass your information to Trading Standards, which may contact you for further information.

Quality marks and guarantees

Schemes

Installation or measure	Guarantee scheme	What the scheme offers
Cavity wall insulation	Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA)	Help finding an installer. Advice after installation. Help if there are any issues following installation.
Cavity wall insulation. Energy efficient glazing and draught proofing. External and internal wall insulation. Loft and floor insulation. Building repair, maintenance and improvement. Conservatories and conservatory warm roofs. Cavity clearance.	CERTASS	Protection of any deposit A guarantee covering the completed installation. An insurance policy to cover this guarantee if the contractor stops trading. Suitably qualified and assessed site operatives.
Replacement of windows and doors. Roof windows and roof lights	FENSA or Independent Network	Support in the event of an issue with FENSA certified work Insured guarantee scheme
Solid fuel, wood, biomass heating, systems, fuels and services	HETAS	Installer search Retailer search Information for consumers
Full and partial electrical installations Oil heating, including storage tanks, pipework, boilers and other appliances. Solid fuel heating, including non-masonry chimney systems but excluding biomass. Heating and hot water systems, including electric boilers for central heating, underfloor electrical heating, vented and unvented hot water storage, heat recovery systems. Insulation: cavity wall, internal or external solid wall systems Replacement doors, windows and roof-lights Renewable energy small scale electricity generation (photovoltaics wind turbines, water turbines, micro-CHP) Renewable energy small scale heat generation (biomass, heat pumps, solar thermal, micro-CHP) Ventilation systems and air-conditioning	NAPIT	Work guarantee Dispute resolution
Oil heating systems	OFTEC	Find an approved technician Frequently asked question (FAQs)
Renewable or low-carbon technologies: Air source heat pump Biomass Exhaust air heat pump Gas absorption heat pump Ground/water heat pump Micro CHP (micro combined heat and power) Pitched roof installation kit Solar assisted heat pump Solar photovoltaics Solar thermal Wind turbine	Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC)	Registered installers Consumer information Complaints process

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