Find a qualified professional for each landlord check
The law rarely says “use company X”. It says who is allowed to do the work: a Gas Safe registered engineer, a qualified and competent electrician, an accredited energy assessor, a competent fire risk assessor. Before you book anyone, check them on the official register below. It takes two minutes and it is the best protection against a worthless certificate.
| Check | Who can do it | Where to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Gas safety record | An engineer on the Gas Safe Register, qualified for the appliance type | Gas Safe Register (check the ID card and the appliance categories) |
| Electrical report (EICR) | A qualified and competent person; membership of a competent person scheme is a good sign | Electrical Competent Person register, NICEIC, NAPIT |
| Energy Performance Certificate | An accredited domestic energy assessor | GOV.UK: find an energy assessor |
| Asbestos survey | A surveyor working for a body accredited by UKAS to ISO/IEC 17020 for asbestos surveys | UKAS directory |
| Asbestos removal (licensable work) | A contractor holding an HSE asbestos licence | HSE licensed contractors |
| Fire risk assessment | A competent person; third-party certification or registration is the easiest evidence | IFE register, BAFE |
| Fire door inspection | A trained fire door inspector | FDIS |
| Legionella risk assessment | You, if competent, or a specialist | Legionella Control Association |
| Damp and mould survey | An independent surveyor or a qualified damp specialist | Property Care Association, RICS firms |
| HMO licence | Your local council | GOV.UK: find your council |
Getting quotes
For several checks we work with a quote service that sends your request to local professionals, who then contact you. It is free for you and the service may pay us a fee for the introduction. Whoever you choose, verify their registration above before the visit.
Five questions to ask before you book
- Which registration or accreditation covers this exact job, and what is your number?
- What exactly is included in the price: number of appliances, circuits, samples, rooms, a written report?
- When will I receive the report, and in what format can I send it to tenants?
- If something fails, will you quote for the repair separately, and can I use someone else for it?
- Do you carry professional indemnity or public liability insurance for this work?
A survey or inspection should tell you what is wrong. Be careful when the person who finds the problem is also the only one offering to fix it, especially for damp: an independent survey costs money but removes the conflict of interest.