Every free check, on one page
22 tools for the moments that matter when hiring a trader: before you shortlist, before you sign, before you pay, and after the work. All built on real public evidence, every rule cited to its source. No ads, no paid placement.
Trade Credential GuideWhich official register to check for each trade, and how to verify it.Cowboy CheckerSpot the warning signs of a dishonest business before you hire.Compare tradersEnter the names from your quotes and line them up on the public evidence.Company Health CheckCheck whether the company behind a business is active, dissolved, or in liquidation.CertificationsThe certifications, licences and registrations we have found in public sources, and what each one means.Do I Need Planning Permission?Whether your project needs planning permission, with the rules cited and your council's real record.Paperwork CheckerThe certificates your building work should have produced, and what to do if one is missing.Cost GuidesWhat the big home projects cost, from published guides, with every figure linked to its source.Quote CheckDescribe the quote you were given and see which features are officially listed warning signs.Rating Reality CheckWhere a rating and review count really sit against the market's full distribution.Licence CheckA licence number from a van or quote, checked against every public register included here in one search.Gas and Electrical RulesGas Safe rules, England's notifiable electrical work, and the DIY the law actually allows.Emergency: Who to CallGas smell, power cut, burst pipe: the official number to call first, from the official pages.Planning Approval TimesHow long planning permission really takes in your council, from its own register.Waste Carrier CheckIf your rubbish is fly-tipped, the fine can be yours. The duty of care and the free check.Heat Pump Grant CheckerThe published heat pump grant, who actually claims it, and whether the conditions cover you.Busy SeasonWhen each trade is actually busiest, from the dates on real finished jobs.Before You Pay the Final BillFaulty work and a final bill: the Act's remedy ladder, stated honestly for both sides.VAT on Building Work20%, 5%, 0%, or legitimately none at all: what the published VAT rules actually say.Council ExperienceWhich architects and agents know your local council.Planning Approval RateHow often a firm's planning applications get approved.Planning FinderPlanning applications and the architects behind them, by postcode.
Where to start
Holding a quote? Check it for red flags and line your quotes up on the evidence. Holding a name? Check the business. Holding a licence number? Check it against every register we hold. Or just browse traders ranked by the strength of their public evidence.