Five checks, ten minutes, and most cowboy-roofer stories become avoidable.
Ask for the exact company name and look it up on this register or Companies House directly. No registered company isn't automatically a red flag — sole traders are legal — but registration adds a layer of accountability. If they claim to be a limited company, the record must exist and show Active status.
“Twenty years in the trade” with a company incorporated eight months ago deserves a question. Directors sometimes dissolve companies to shed liabilities and guarantees, then start again. On any profile here, the incorporation date is drawn from the official record — compare it with what the salesperson tells you.
Public liability insurance of at least £2 million is standard for roofing work. Ask for the certificate, check the dates, and check the name on it matches the company quoting.
A real quote specifies materials by name, scope, access arrangements, waste disposal and payment terms. Large upfront cash deposits are the single most reliable warning sign in roofing complaints; staged payments tied to completed work are the norm among reputable firms.
Ask for two recent local jobs and drive past. A roofer proud of their work will tell you exactly where to look. Online reviews help, but physical roofs in your area, on housing stock like yours, are the evidence that matters.
Check roofers in your town