Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Tradesperson | Energy North
Before you hire any tradesperson to work on your rental property, ask them three essential things: What qualifications do they hold? Are they registered with a competent person scheme? Do they carry valid public liability insurance? If they can't answer these clearly and honestly, they're not the right fit for your property.
Hiring the wrong contractor isn't just inconvenient—it exposes you to legal liability, puts your tenants at risk, and can invalidate your insurance. As landlords, you're responsible for the safety and compliance of your properties. That means vetting tradespeople properly before they step foot on site.
In this guide, I'll walk you through the essential questions every landlord should ask, drawn from my experience as a qualified electrician and someone who's seen both excellent and frankly dangerous work over two decades in North East England.
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Why Landlords Must Vet Tradespeople Carefully
Your legal responsibilities as a landlord don't end when you hand over a set of keys. Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), you're required to maintain properties in a safe, habitable condition.
Electrical safety alone is governed by BS 7671 wiring regulations and Part P Building Regulations. Gas safety falls under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. Hire someone who doesn't understand these requirements—or worse, ignores them—and you could face:
- Fines of thousands of pounds
- Criminal prosecution in cases of serious breaches
- Civil liability if a tenant or visitor is injured
- Insurance claims being rejected because work wasn't certified
- Difficulty selling or refinancing the property
The cost of vetting a tradesperson properly takes a few minutes and costs nothing. The cost of fixing bodged work or dealing with enforcement action is substantial.
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1. What Qualifications and Certifications Do You Hold?
This is your opening question, and it should be specific. Don't accept vague answers like "I've been doing this for 25 years." Experience matters, but qualifications are what tell you someone understands current regulations and best practice.
For electricians, you're looking for:
- NVQ Level 3 Electrical Installation (or equivalent Level 3/4 qualification)
- AM2 (Advanced Modern Apprenticeship) or Level 3 equivalent, especially if they completed training more recently
- Relevant manufacturer certifications for specialist work (EV charger installation, for example, often requires specific training)
If someone can't produce evidence of these qualifications, they shouldn't be working on your property. A genuine professional keeps their certificates accessible and is proud to show them.
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2. Are You Registered with a Competent Person Scheme?
This is non-negotiable for electrical work. A Competent Person Scheme registration means the tradesperson has been independently assessed and must comply with Building Regulations and BS 7671.
The major schemes in the UK are:
- NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting)
- ELECSA (Electrical Contractors' Association)
- SELECT (Select Electrical Contractors)
When a registered competent person completes electrical work, they can issue an Electrical Installation Certificate or EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) for inspection work. Without this certification, you may struggle to prove compliance to future buyers, lenders, or enforcement officers.
Ask to see their current registration certificate. Check it online if you want to be thorough—all schemes allow you to verify registration.
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3. Do You Have Valid Public Liability Insurance?
A tradesperson working on your property should carry minimum £6 million public liability insurance, often £10 million for larger companies. This protects you if they damage your property or, more importantly, if they injure themselves or anyone else on site.
Ask for:
- A copy of their insurance certificate
- Confirmation that it covers the type of work they'll be doing (not all policies cover everything)
- The expiry date (check it's current)
Don't rely on them saying "I'm covered." Insurers sometimes exclude certain work types, and policies lapse. A five-minute phone call to their insurer costs nothing and could save you thousands if something goes wrong.
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4. Can You Provide References from Recent Landlord Clients?
Ask for at least two or three references from landlords—not homeowners, but people managing rental properties. Landlord clients understand compliance requirements and can tell you whether the tradesperson turned up on time, did the job properly, and provided the right paperwork afterward.
When you contact referees, ask specific questions:
- Did the work meet your expectations?
- Was the site left clean and safe?
- Did they provide all necessary certificates and documentation?
- Would you hire them again?
If they're reluctant to provide references, or if the references they give are vague or evasive, that's a red flag.
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5. Are You Compliant with Part P Building Regulations?
Part P of the Building Regulations applies to most electrical installation work in England. It requires that work is either:
- Carried out by a registered competent person, or
- Certified as compliant by a Building Control officer (which costs extra and takes longer)
Any qualified electrician should understand Part P and be able to explain how they'll ensure your work complies. If they seem confused by the question, move on.
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6. What Guarantees and Warranties Do You Offer?
Reputable tradespeople stand behind their work. Typically, you should expect:
- 5 years' warranty on workmanship as a minimum (many offer 10)
- Manufacturer's warranty on parts they install (usually 3–10 years depending on the product)
- A guarantee that work complies with Building Regulations
Get this in writing as part of your contract. It protects both of you and demonstrates they're confident in the quality of their work.
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7. Will You Provide a Written Quote and Timeline?
Never accept a verbal quote or vague agreement. You need:
- A detailed, itemised written quote
- Clear breakdown of labour, materials, and any call-out fees
- A realistic timeline for completion
- Confirmation of start and finish dates
- Payment terms (e.g., 50% upfront, 50% on completion)
A proper quote also protects you against scope creep. If they discover additional work (say, a consumer unit upgrade when they thought it was just a few circuits), they should notify you and provide an updated quote before proceeding.
Prices vary widely depending on the job, location, and complexity. For an EICR in a two-bed terraced house, expect £150–300. For a consumer unit replacement, £800–1500 plus VAT. These are realistic ranges, but always get quotes from multiple providers.
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8. Do You Hold Gas Safe or Electrical Installation Work Certification?
If gas work is involved, the tradesperson must be registered on the Gas Safe Register. This is the legal requirement under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.
For electrical work, the equivalent is registration with a Competent Person Scheme (covered above).
There's no middle ground here. If it's gas work and they're not on Gas Safe, they can't do it legally. Same principle applies to electrical work.
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9. How Do You Handle Health and Safety on Site?
Ask about their approach to:
- Site preparation and risk assessment
- How they'll protect your property and tenants during work
- Waste disposal
- PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and safe working practices
- Whether they'll notify you of any hazards they find (asbestos, structural issues, etc.)
A professional tradesperson should have a clear, methodical approach. They should be able to explain what they'll do to keep the site safe and minimize disruption.
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10. What's Your Process for Obtaining Required Certificates?
After electrical work, you'll need one of these:
- Electrical Installation Certificate (for new work)
- Minor Works Certificate (for small jobs like adding circuits or replacing outlets)
- EICR (for inspection of existing installations)
Ask them to walk you through their process. When will the certificate be issued? How long will it take? Will they handle Building Control notification if required?
This matters because you can't legally let a property without current electrical certification. Getting the paperwork sorted quickly keeps your property compliant and avoids delays if tenants are waiting to move in.
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Red Flags to Watch For
- No qualifications or reluctance to discuss them
- Not registered with a Competent Person Scheme
- No public liability insurance, or won't provide proof
- Unwilling to provide references
- Verbal quotes only; nothing in writing
- Vague about timelines or guarantees
- Pushes for upfront payment of more than 50%
- Can't explain Part P or Building Regulations compliance
- Makes promises about what they'll do but doesn't commit to paper
If something doesn't feel right, trust your instinct. There are plenty of good tradespeople out there. Don't settle for someone who makes you uncomfortable.
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FAQ: Landlord Questions About Hiring Tradespeople
Q: What happens if I hire someone who isn't qualified and something goes wrong?
A: You could face enforcement action from your local authority, fines, and civil liability if someone is injured. Your insurance may not cover you if work wasn't done by a qualified person. It's simply not worth the risk.
Q: Do I need to get quotes from multiple tradespeople?
A: Absolutely. Get at least three quotes. You'll get a sense of the market rate and can often spot if someone's overcharging or underquoting (which sometimes indicates they're cutting corners). Prices should vary based on specifics, but they shouldn't be wildly different.
Q: Can I ask a tradesperson to do work "off the books" to save money?
A: You shouldn't. Unregistered, uncertified work puts you in breach of Building Regulations and creates liability. If you sell the property or face an inspection, you'll have to declare it, which could destroy the sale. The money you save upfront will cost far more in the long run.
Q: What should I do if a tradesperson finds additional problems during work?
A: Require them to stop, notify you immediately, and provide a written quote for the additional work before proceeding. Never let them assume authority to spend money beyond the original quote.
Q: How do I verify someone's qualifications myself?
A: For electricians, check NICEIC, ELECSA, or SELECT registers online. For Gas Safe, visit the Gas Safe Register website. For NVQ qualifications, you can ask to see the certificate itself—check it has the correct awarding body and is recent enough to be current.
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Final Checklist Before Hiring
Before you give any tradesperson the job, make sure you've ticked every box:
- ✓ Seen and verified qualifications (NVQ Level 3 or equivalent)
- ✓ Confirmed registration with a Competent Person Scheme (electricians)
- ✓ Checked current public liability insurance certificate (£6m+ minimum)
- ✓ Obtained and reviewed at least two references from landlord clients
- ✓ Received a detailed, written, itemised quote
- ✓ Discussed timeline and confirmed start/finish dates
- ✓ Clarified payment terms (ideally 50/50 split)
- ✓ Confirmed what certificates will be provided and when
- ✓ Discussed health and safety approach
- ✓ Obtained answers in writing where possible
Taking 30 minutes to do this vetting properly saves you from months of potential headaches and legal exposure.
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If you're looking for electrical work on a rental property in North East England—whether that's an EICR, consumer unit upgrade, EV charger installation, or landlord safety certification—[contact Energy North Ltd](https://energynorth.uk). We're qualified, registered with NICEIC, and we work with dozens of landlords every year. We'll be happy to discuss your property's needs, provide a detailed quote, and answer any questions about compliance.