Spitalfields · Greater London
How to Start a Handyman Business in Spitalfields
What you need to know about the scope-of-competency boundaries, insurance and getting started -- specific to Spitalfields and the wider Greater London area.
Open the Handyman Business Launch Kit to see everything included — £22If you're weighing up a handyman business in Spitalfields, the good news is there's no licence standing in your way. The catch is knowing exactly where general repairs end and specialist-only work begins, across Spitalfields and Greater London.
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 Spitalfields?
Public liability insurance isn't a legal requirement for a sole trader, but it's strongly recommended given the range of jobs involved, across Spitalfields and Greater London. Employers' liability insurance is a legal requirement once you employ any staff.
Can a handyman in Spitalfields 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 Spitalfields. A handyman should refer this on rather than attempt it.
What should a handyman in Spitalfields 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 Spitalfields or anywhere else.
Do I need a DBS check to work as a handyman in Spitalfields?
A Basic DBS check has no eligibility restriction and is commonly expected by clients and letting agents in Spitalfields, even though it isn't always a strict legal requirement for general domestic repair work.