In 10 seconds
Before any Welsh tradesperson begins work: verify their trade body register, see proof of insurance, check Companies House, get three written quotes, sign a written contract, and never pay more than ~20% upfront. Each step takes 5 minutes and prevents the most common scam patterns.
Step 1 โ Verify the trade body register
Every regulated UK trade has a public register. The tradesperson can show you a card, but the card alone proves nothing โ search the live online register instead. Cards can be forged, expired, or for a different scope of work than the one quoted.
Register URLs by trade:
- Gas / heating / plumbing โ gassaferegister.co.uk/find-an-engineer
- Electrical โ niceic.com/find-a-contractor and search.napit.org.uk
- Builders โ fmb.org.uk/find-a-builder and trustmark.org.uk
- Roofers โ nfrc.co.uk/find-a-member
- Windows and doors โ forms.fensa.org.uk/fensa-certificate
- Solar / heat pumps / biomass โ mcscertified.com
- Oil-fired heating โ oftec.org/consumers/find-a-technician
Step 2 โ See proof of insurance
Public liability insurance protects you if their work damages your property or injures someone. Employers' liability covers their staff. For Welsh domestic work:
- Public liability โ ยฃ2 million minimum, ยฃ5 million typical, ask to see the certificate.
- Employers' liability โ legally required at ยฃ5 million minimum if they have any employees.
- Tools and materials cover โ covers theft from your driveway / garden during the job.
- For grant-funded or major work โ separate 10-year insurance-backed guarantee from a Competent Person Scheme (CompetentRoofer, FMB Insurance Backed Guarantee, etc.).
Step 3 โ Check Companies House
Search the company name at find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. An active company will show registered directors, registered office, and filed accounts. Look for:
- Multiple years of filed accounts (newly-formed companies are higher risk).
- No "compulsorily struck off" or "in liquidation" events.
- The registered address matches what they've told you.
- The director names match the people you've been talking to.
Step 4 โ Get three written quotes
For any job over ยฃ500, get at least three quotes in writing. This isn't about always picking the cheapest โ it's about pricing context and scope-of-work consistency.
Red flag: one quote is dramatically below the others. Usually means an undeclared shortcut on materials, labour, or scope.
Red flag: one quote is dramatically above the others. Usually means inflated cost or invented "essential" extras.
Quotes should itemise materials, labour, VAT (if applicable), and a payment schedule.
Step 5 โ Sign a written contract
A written contract protects both sides. It should specify:
- Exact scope of work (what's included, what isn't).
- Materials specification with brand/grade where relevant.
- Start date and completion date.
- Payment schedule โ avoid 50%+ upfront (see step 7).
- Warranty period for workmanship and materials.
- Variation procedure โ how additional work gets agreed and priced.
- Dispute-resolution route โ for TrustMark or FMB members this is the scheme's ADR provider.
Step 6 โ Confirm Building Control if applicable
For any extension, structural alteration, significant re-roofing (>25%), new electrical circuit, new windows, gas appliance installation, or new drainage โ Building Control approval is required. Either:
- The tradesperson is in a Competent Person Scheme that self-certifies (Gas Safe, NICEIC, NAPIT, FENSA, CERTASS, CompetentRoofer), in which case they handle notification, OR
- You or your builder submits Full Plans / Building Notice to your local authority Building Control before work starts.
Step 7 โ Pay in stages, never the full upfront
Standard UK domestic-trade payment structure:
- Deposit on commencement: 10-20% maximum (materials deposit only).
- Mid-project payments: tied to specific stages of completion (e.g. "first fix electrical complete", "plaster cured").
- Final balance: on completion AND after you've received all certificates (Building Regs, Electrical Installation, Gas Safety, etc.).
- Payment method: bank transfer or credit card (chargeback protection on ยฃ100-ยฃ30,000 under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act). Avoid cash for any amount โ no audit trail and a strong red flag for unregistered work.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I pay upfront for a major job?
Maximum 20% as a materials deposit. Anything above that is unusual for legitimate Welsh tradespeople and a common scam pattern. Stage the rest against verifiable progress milestones.
What's the difference between a quote and an estimate?
A quote is a fixed price โ the tradesperson cannot legally charge more without your written agreement. An estimate is a guideline that can change. For any job over ยฃ500, always insist on a written quote, not just an estimate.
Should I always pick the trade-body-registered option?
For regulated work (gas, electrical, windows, major roofing), yes โ registration is the only legal route. For unregulated work (general decorating, minor carpentry), registration is a useful quality signal but not legally required.
A tradesperson says their public liability is "implied" โ should I trust that?
No. Public liability insurance is a specific paid-for policy. Ask for the certificate (a one-page PDF showing insurer, policy number, coverage amount, and expiry date). Anyone refusing or unable to provide it is uninsured โ your home insurance and theirs is exposed.
Who do I report a dodgy Welsh tradesperson to?
For consumer-protection issues: Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0800 223 1133 (English) or 0800 223 1144 (Welsh) โ they refer to your local Trading Standards. For gas: Gas Safe Register on 0800 408 5500. For electrical: NICEIC complaints or NAPIT direct. For builders: TrustMark or FMB if they're members; otherwise small claims court.
What if work is already partly done and I'm worried?
Stop further payments immediately. Document the current state with photos, the original quote, and any communications. Contact Citizens Advice for free initial guidance, then consider engaging an independent surveyor (RICS member) to assess what has been done. Many disputes settle without court action if the evidence is clear.
Do I need a written contract for small jobs?
For anything over ยฃ500 or anything involving regulated work (gas, electrical, structural), yes. For sub-ยฃ500 maintenance work, written email confirmation of the scope and price is acceptable. Always keep the written evidence whatever the amount โ it's your protection.
Can a tradesperson refuse to give an invoice?
If they're VAT-registered, they're legally required to provide a VAT invoice on request. If they're not VAT-registered (turnover under ยฃ90,000/year as of 2026), they still must provide a receipt that identifies them and the work. Refusal is a strong red flag for cash-in-hand undeclared work.
Sources
- Citizens Advice โ Hiring a tradesperson โ Consumer-protection guidance for UK tradespeople.
- Companies House โ find a company โ UK Government company-verification register.
- Gov.uk โ Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act โ Credit card chargeback rights for purchases ยฃ100-ยฃ30,000.
- Trading Standards Wales โ Welsh consumer-protection enforcement.
- HSE โ Construction work guidance โ Health and Safety Executive guidance for domestic construction.
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