Trusted tradespeople

Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice provides information on how to Find a trader and check you can trust them, and how to check schemes that recommend traders, including:

TrustMark - the Government’s trader scheme
the Consumer Codes Approval Scheme
Buy with Confidence
Which? Trusted Trader

You can also Contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline if you need help with finding a trader, for example if you have a disability that means you can’t easily look online.

Consumer Friend

Consumerfriend.org.uk provides a checklist and guide to finding a good business, including:

Ask friends and family for recommendations
Seek references, read reviews, speak to previous customers and if possible, visit previous jobs
Research a company and check their website
Be specific and set out a clear, detailed description of what you want and need. Ask for quotes from at least three businesses. This gives you something to compare
Don't just select the cheapest. Consider how you feel about the business and the way you have been treated so far; do you want them in your house? Can you work with them and communicate with them well? How is their previous quality of work and attention to detail?
Only pay for work that has been completed unless you are using a payment service that protects your money
If the business must pay some upfront costs for materials, it's ok for them to ask you for some money up front to cover some of these costs
Always get a written contract
Agree in writing on any changes that happen along the way, even if that is you emailing the business, so you have a record of what was said at the time
Trust your gut instinct and only do business with someone you have a good feeling about

Visit the Consumer Friend website to read the checklist to find a good business and the finding a good business guide

Which? Trusted Traders

Which? Trusted Traders is a scheme run by Which? that recognises reputable businesses who successfully pass a process carried out by trading standards professionals.

You can find out more about the scheme and find Which? Trusted traders at https://trustedtraders.which.co.uk/

Find a ‘competent person’

Search the Competent Persons Register to find a tradesperson, or check that they belong to a scheme.

Search the Electrical Competent Person Register if you’re looking for an electrician to work on your home.

Find a plumbing or heating engineer

The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering provides information for the public on:

what to do in a plumbing emergency
plumbing health hazards
tips to cut energy bills and water waste

You can also Find a plumbing or heating engineer

Consumer Code for Home Builders

The Consumer Code for Home Builders was developed by the home-building industry to make the home buying process fairer and more transparent for purchasers.

The Code is designed to help you understand what levels of service to expect from your builder, feel fully informed about your purchase and know your consumer rights before and after you move in. In the unlikely event that problems arise, a speedy, free dispute resolution scheme is available to deal with complaints about breaches of the Code.

Visit the Consumer Code website for more information about the Consumer Code for Home Builders.

Home Improvement Consumer Protection Scheme (HICS)

The Home Improvement Consumer Protection Scheme (HICS) is a consumer protection organisation that gives consumers confidence when choosing accredited installers for their home improvement project.

Visit the HICS website for more information or to Find an accredited HICS installer

Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman

The Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman is an independent, not-for-profit, government approved organisation set up to help resolve disputes and raise standards.

They offer Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) training and advice to organisations and consumers in the retail, furniture, and home improvement industries, helping both sides reach a fair and reasonable outcome, which is binding on our members.

Double Glazing and Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme

The Double Glazing and Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme aims to protect consumers and improve the reputation of the glazing industry.

Visit the DGCOS website to Search for Windows, Doors & Conservatory installers near you

MCS standards for low-carbon energy technology products

MCS sets, defines and maintains the standards for low-carbon energy technology products, contractors and their installations. This includes heat pumps, solar, biomass, small wind and battery storage.

Membership of MCS demonstrates adherence to these recognised industry Standards, highlighting quality, competency and compliance.

MCS aims to decarbonise heat and power in the UK’s homes by giving you confidence in home-grown energy.

Visit the MCS website to Find a MCS Contractor

OFTEC – Trade association for liquid fuel heating equipment manufacturers and training providers

If your home is not on the gas grid, you will be one of around 20% of UK homes that have the option to choose an alternative central heating or cooking technology to mains gas.

This could be an electric heating, LPG, solid fuel or the most popular off-grid option, oil heating.

The OFTEC website provides heating information and advice for anyone living or working in a building not connected to the mains gas network.

Visit the OFTEC Consumer pages for more information or to Find an OFTEC registered technician

HIES

HIES is a consumer protection organisation covering the installation of renewable energy and home energy efficiency products.

Visit the HIES website for more information about the HIES Consumer Code or to Find a HEIS installer

RECC

RECC sets out high consumer protection standards for businesses who are selling or leasing renewable energy generation systems to domestic consumers. RECC is approved by Chartered Trading Standards Institute as part of the Consumer Codes Approval Scheme and is also a TrustMark Scheme Operator.

Visit the RECC website for more information about the RECC Consumer Code or to Find a Code Member

The Carpet Foundation

The Carpet Foundation is the UK carpet industry’s lead body. They are supported by over 450 carpet shops nationwide, all of whom follow a Code of Practice approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute.

Visit the Carpet Foundation website for more information or to Find your local carpet expert

Buy With Confidence is a national scheme that provides consumers with a list of local businesses who have given their commitment to trading fairly.

Every business on the list has undergone a series of detailed checks before becoming an approved member of the scheme.

This is a new scheme for Lincolnshire. Trading Standards are accepting applications from traders and building the resource for consumers in Lincolnshire.

You can find out more about the scheme and find a business at buywithconfidence.gov.uk

Gas Safe Register

Working with gas can be dangerous, so it’s crucial that you never try to fix, fit or move appliances like your boiler or cooker yourself. Badly fitted or poorly maintained gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning; it just isn’t worth the risk.

By law, anyone carrying out work on gas appliances and fittings as part of their business must be competent and registered with Gas Safe. That’s why you should only ever use a Gas Safe registered engineer to carry out gas work in your home.

Visit gassaferegister.co.uk for more information about Gas Safe and to find a Gas Safe engineer.

Report an illegal gas worker

If anyone is doing gas work in the United Kingdom, Isle of Man, Guernsey or Jersey and they are not Gas Safe registered, they could be working illegally.

Did you know:

Approximately two thirds of illegal gas work inspected by the Register has been found to be unsafe.
Using an illegal gas worker could invalidate the warranty on your boiler and may invalidate your home insurance.
If you have any information on businesses or individuals carrying out illegal gas work, you can report them.

You can report illegal gas workers or raise a concern about a Gas Safe registered business on the Gas Safe website.

FENSA

FENSA is a government-authorised scheme that monitors building regulation compliance for replacement windows and doors.

Every FENSA Approved Installer, from large national brands to small local companies is assessed regularly by FENSA to ensure its standards are continually maintained.

Visit fensa.org.uk for more information about FENSA.

Green Deal

The Green Deal helps you make energy-saving improvements to your home and to find the best way to pay for them.

The improvements that could save you the most energy depend on your home, but typical examples include:

insulation, such as solid wall, cavity wall or loft insulation
heating
draught-proofing
double glazing
renewable energy generation, such as solar panels or heat pumps

Green Deal Mark

All Green Deal organisations must be authorised. Look for the quality mark, which is a green house with a tick on the roof.

You can also check if a Green Deal company is genuine.

Visit Gov.uk for more information about the Green Deal: energy saving for your home

Check out the Good Home Lincs web pages on Trading Standards for more information about reporting traders to trading standards or if you have a problem with building work or home improvements.