What to check before you let someone into your home, which credentials matter for which trade, and the questions worth asking first.
The checks that matter are not the same for every trade, and the ones people usually skip are the ones that cost money later.
Check by trade
Gas work: the engineer must be on the Gas Safe Register. Ask for the card and check the number on the register itself, not on a photo of it.
Electrical work: look for registration with a scheme such as NICEIC, NAPIT or ELECSA, which lets them self certify notifiable work.
Anyone in your home: public liability insurance, and confirmation that it is current rather than that it exists.
Questions worth asking
Is the quote fixed or an estimate, and what changes it?
Who does the work, you or a subcontractor?
What happens if something is found once the panel is off?
Is there a guarantee on the labour as well as the parts?
How is payment taken, and when?
Warning signs
Pressure to decide today, or a discount that expires this afternoon.
Cash only, or a large deposit before any work starts.
No written quote and no address.
Reviews that all arrived in the same week.
Every professional on Halo Hive is identity checked, background screened, UK certified and insured before taking work, and payment is held until the customer confirms the job is done.