The short answer
Check that the firm has a working landline and a real address, that a limited company appears at Companies House, and that its Google Business Profile matches what they told you. Ask for a written quote, read the guarantee wording, and confirm the waste carrier registration. If any answer is vague or changes, pause before you pay anything.
A real phone number and a real address
Start with the basics. A trading firm should be able to give you a landline or a stable business number, not only a mobile that changes. Ring it. A proper firm answers, or returns the call, and gives its name the same way each time. A number that rings out, goes to a personal voicemail or turns out to belong to someone else is a warning sign.
Ask for the business address, and look it up. A yard, unit or office is reassuring, though many small firms work from home, and that is fine if the address is genuine. What matters is that the address exists, matches the name on the quote and is not a mail drop in another part of the country. Compare it against the van signage, the website and the paperwork, because all four should agree.
If the person on your doorstep cannot or will not give a postal address, that tells you something. Turn to our page on doorstep roofers to see why unsolicited callers deserve extra caution.
Companies House for limited companies
If the quote carries a company name with the word Limited or Ltd, you can look it up on Companies House, which is free to search. Check that the name is spelled the same as on your quote, that the company is active rather than dissolved or in the process of being struck off, and that the registered office is a real address.
The register also shows when a company was formed and who its directors are. A company that began trading last month is not automatically bad, since every firm starts somewhere, but it should match what you were told. If someone claimed to have been in business for many years and the register says otherwise, ask them to explain.
Sole traders do not appear at Companies House, so this check applies only to limited companies. For a sole trader, lean harder on the other checks in this list, and ask for a full name and address on the written quote.
Google Business Profile and online footprint
Search for the firm by name and town. A genuine local roofer usually has a Google Business Profile, with an address area, a phone number and a website that agree with each other. Look at when the photographs were added and whether they show actual roofs rather than stock images. You can find us on Google, and any firm you are checking should be just as easy to find.
Read the reviews, but do it with care. Look for detail: specific jobs, dates, mentions of how the firm dealt with a problem. A run of near-identical short reviews posted on the same day should make you hesitate. A single bad review is not a verdict, but how the firm replied tells you a good deal.
Also check the website. A real site has a named business, a contact address and a phone number. A page with only a form and a stock photograph proves very little.
Written quotes and clear wording
Ask for the quote in writing and read it before you agree. It should name the firm, give an address and describe the work in plain words: which slopes, what covering, what happens to the old material. It should show a total price, say whether VAT is included, and say whether scaffolding is part of it. A quote that is a figure on the back of a card is not enough.
Watch for pressure. A price that is only good today, a discount for paying cash now or a request for a large payment before the work starts are all reasons to step back. Our guide to choosing a roofer covers the wider hiring process once the basics check out.
If you signed at home, remember the 14-day right to cancel. That is explained in full on the cooling off period page.
Guarantee wording and waste carrier registration
If a firm offers a guarantee, ask to see the exact words before you pay. Check how long it lasts, what it covers and who stands behind it. A guarantee is only a promise from the firm that gives it, so find out what happens if that firm stops trading. Ours is a 10-year workmanship guarantee in writing.
Roofers carry away old tiles, felt, timber and debris, and anyone who carries other people's waste in England should be registered as a waste carrier. Ask for the registration number and check it on the public register on GOV.UK. A firm that says it will tip rubbish for you but cannot show a registration may leave you with a fly-tipping problem that traces back to your address.
It is a quick check with a clear answer, and a legitimate firm will not mind you asking.
What to do if something does not add up
One odd answer is not proof of a scam, but two or three should make you stop. Do not hand over a deposit, do not let work start and do not feel rushed. A good firm understands why you check, and gives you time. If you have already paid and doubts are growing, write down what you were told and keep every message.
If a firm fails the checks, our page on what to do about a bad roofer explains your rights and the steps to take. Otherwise, take a calm look at two or three firms, and compare what each one offers in writing. Run the same checks on Skyline Swindon Roofing: phone the Swindon number, text us on WhatsApp or fill out the contact form, and after the survey a written quote arrives with photographs of your roof attached. You can also watch our roofing video first.