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