1. What to know before you begin
Before you appoint a company, confirm exactly who you are dealing with and whether the information you have been given is consistent.
No single check proves that a company will complete suitable work. Use several checks together, ask for written information and keep copies of important documents and messages.
2. Confirm the company’s identity
Start by making sure the legal business named on the quote is the same organisation you have researched.
Match the legal name
Compare the company name on the quotation, invoice, website and Companies House record. A trading name may be different, so ask which legal business will enter into the contract.
Check the company number
Where a limited company is involved, confirm that the Companies House number on its documents matches the public record.
Compare contact details
Check whether the telephone number, email address and website are consistent across the quote and the company’s own public information.
Understand the registered office
A registered office is an official correspondence address. It may be an accountant’s office or home address rather than the place the company works from.
3. Check relevant experience and suitability
Ask about comparable work
Request examples of similar adaptations, especially where the work involves level access, wheelchair circulation, hoists, lifts or specialist controls.
Ask for recent references
Where possible, speak to previous customers and ask about communication, reliability, changes to price and how problems were resolved.
Confirm who will do the work
Ask whether employees or subcontractors will attend, who will supervise them and who remains responsible for the completed work.
Discuss the user’s needs
Make sure measurements, layouts and product choices are based on the person using the adaptation, not only on a standard installation.
4. Check protection, permissions and paperwork
Request insurance details
Ask for current public liability insurance and any other cover relevant to the work. Check the insured name and expiry date.
Clarify permissions
Confirm who will deal with planning permission, building regulations, landlord consent, listed-building consent or utility approvals where needed.
Get a written quotation
The quote should describe the work, products, quantities, labour, VAT, exclusions, timescale, payment stages and how long the price remains valid.
Read the cancellation and complaint terms
Understand how to cancel, raise a concern, request corrections and use any warranty or guarantee after completion.
5. Before paying or allowing work to begin
Do not rely on pressure
Take time to read the documents. Be cautious where someone demands an immediate decision, unusually large cash payment or payment to an unrelated personal account.
Agree payment stages
Link payments to clear stages or delivered materials. Keep receipts and avoid paying the full balance before you have inspected the completed work.
Record agreed changes
If the design, price or timescale changes, ask for the change and its cost to be confirmed in writing before the additional work proceeds.
Check grant approval first
Where a Disabled Facilities Grant or council funding may be involved, do not assume work can begin before the council has approved it.
6. Common questions
How can I check if a company is legitimate?
Check the legal name and company number, compare contact details, review the Companies House record, ask for insurance and references, and make sure the written quote identifies the business that will carry out the work.
Does an active Companies House status mean a company is trustworthy?
No. Active status means the company remains registered. It does not confirm workmanship, insurance, financial stability, experience or suitability for your project.
What should I check before paying a deposit?
Confirm who you are paying, what the deposit covers, whether materials are included, when work will start, what happens if the project is cancelled and how the remaining payments are staged.