Question 1

Is the roofer insured?

Accepted Answer

Insurance is checked as part of vetting, and you are entitled to ask to see the certificate before work starts — a genuine roofer will produce it without hesitation. Public liability is the one that matters most to a homeowner, and any work involving employees also needs employers' liability. Public liability insurance is what covers damage to your property, or injury to somebody, arising from the work. On a roofing job — where materials are being moved at height above a house, a garden and often a public footpath — it is not a formality. You are entitled to ask to see the certificate, and it is worth doing. It should be current, it should be in the name of the business quoting you, and the level of cover should be sensible for the job. A roofer who is reluctant to show it is telling you something. Employers' liability insurance is a separate legal requirement for any business with employees, and it is compulsory rather than optional. If a crew of three turns up, that should exist. Vetting on our side means checking that insurance is in place and current, along with references and a look at previous work, before any homeowner's details are passed on. That is done on a best-efforts basis and it is not a guarantee — which is stated plainly in the terms rather than buried. Confirming the credentials directly before work begins is always sensible. Two other things worth knowing. Roofing work is not covered by a single mandatory registration scheme the way gas work is, so there is no equivalent of a Gas Safe card to ask for. What does exist is voluntary: NFRC membership, CompetentRoofer registration for Building Regulations self-certification, and insurance-backed guarantees on larger jobs. None is legally required, and their absence is not proof of anything — but their presence is a positive signal. And your own insurer matters too. Some buildings policies have conditions about work carried out on the property, so if a large job is planned it is worth a quick check with them.

Question 2

Do you have public liability insurance?

Accepted Answer

Insurance is checked as part of vetting, and you are entitled to ask to see the certificate before work starts — a genuine roofer will produce it without hesitation. Public liability is the one that matters most to a homeowner, and any work involving employees also needs employers' liability. Public liability insurance is what covers damage to your property, or injury to somebody, arising from the work. On a roofing job — where materials are being moved at height above a house, a garden and often a public footpath — it is not a formality. You are entitled to ask to see the certificate, and it is worth doing. It should be current, it should be in the name of the business quoting you, and the level of cover should be sensible for the job. A roofer who is reluctant to show it is telling you something. Employers' liability insurance is a separate legal requirement for any business with employees, and it is compulsory rather than optional. If a crew of three turns up, that should exist. Vetting on our side means checking that insurance is in place and current, along with references and a look at previous work, before any homeowner's details are passed on. That is done on a best-efforts basis and it is not a guarantee — which is stated plainly in the terms rather than buried. Confirming the credentials directly before work begins is always sensible. Two other things worth knowing. Roofing work is not covered by a single mandatory registration scheme the way gas work is, so there is no equivalent of a Gas Safe card to ask for. What does exist is voluntary: NFRC membership, CompetentRoofer registration for Building Regulations self-certification, and insurance-backed guarantees on larger jobs. None is legally required, and their absence is not proof of anything — but their presence is a positive signal. And your own insurer matters too. Some buildings policies have conditions about work carried out on the property, so if a large job is planned it is worth a quick check with them.

Question 3

What if something gets damaged?

Accepted Answer

Insurance is checked as part of vetting, and you are entitled to ask to see the certificate before work starts — a genuine roofer will produce it without hesitation. Public liability is the one that matters most to a homeowner, and any work involving employees also needs employers' liability. Public liability insurance is what covers damage to your property, or injury to somebody, arising from the work. On a roofing job — where materials are being moved at height above a house, a garden and often a public footpath — it is not a formality. You are entitled to ask to see the certificate, and it is worth doing. It should be current, it should be in the name of the business quoting you, and the level of cover should be sensible for the job. A roofer who is reluctant to show it is telling you something. Employers' liability insurance is a separate legal requirement for any business with employees, and it is compulsory rather than optional. If a crew of three turns up, that should exist. Vetting on our side means checking that insurance is in place and current, along with references and a look at previous work, before any homeowner's details are passed on. That is done on a best-efforts basis and it is not a guarantee — which is stated plainly in the terms rather than buried. Confirming the credentials directly before work begins is always sensible. Two other things worth knowing. Roofing work is not covered by a single mandatory registration scheme the way gas work is, so there is no equivalent of a Gas Safe card to ask for. What does exist is voluntary: NFRC membership, CompetentRoofer registration for Building Regulations self-certification, and insurance-backed guarantees on larger jobs. None is legally required, and their absence is not proof of anything — but their presence is a positive signal. And your own insurer matters too. Some buildings policies have conditions about work carried out on the property, so if a large job is planned it is worth a quick check with them.

Is the roofer insured?

Got a roofing job in Macclesfield?

Got a roofing job? Let's get it sorted.