Shaftesbury · Dorset
Handyman Business Start-Up Guide for Shaftesbury
What you can and can't legally do before you start working in Shaftesbury and Dorset.
Get the step-by-step Handyman Business Launch Kit — £22Before taking your first job as a handyman business in Shaftesbury, it's worth knowing precisely which jobs you can safely take on and which ones need referring elsewhere, across Shaftesbury and Dorset.
What the rules say
No licence, registration or protected title governs the handyman trade in the UK. What the law does restrict is four specific activities: gas work, which must go to a Gas Safe registered engineer (doing it yourself is a criminal offence); notifiable electrical work, which needs a registered competent person or building control sign-off; structural work on load-bearing elements, which needs Building Regulations approval; and handling suspected asbestos in pre-2000 buildings, which should never be drilled, sanded or removed. Everything else -- general repairs, assembly, carpentry, decorating -- is entirely lawful with no qualification needed.
Quick answers
Do I need insurance to start a handyman business in Shaftesbury?
Public liability insurance isn't a legal requirement for a sole trader, but it's strongly recommended given the range of jobs involved, across Shaftesbury and Dorset. Employers' liability insurance is a legal requirement once you employ any staff.
Can a handyman in Shaftesbury remove a load-bearing wall?
No -- structural work such as removing or altering a load-bearing wall needs Building Regulations approval and typically a structural engineer's calculations, wherever you're working, including Shaftesbury. A handyman should refer this on rather than attempt it.
What should a handyman in Shaftesbury do if they suspect asbestos?
Treat any building built or refurbished before roughly 2000 as potentially containing asbestos. Never drill, sand, cut or remove suspected material -- stop work and advise the client to get a professional survey, whether you're in Shaftesbury or anywhere else.
Do I need a DBS check to work as a handyman in Shaftesbury?
A Basic DBS check has no eligibility restriction and is commonly expected by clients and letting agents in Shaftesbury, even though it isn't always a strict legal requirement for general domestic repair work.