Identity
Confirms who is behind the account or business. It does not prove technical competence for every type of work.
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ONEBOX trust guide
Check the evidence that matters for the actual work.
“Verified” should never be treated as one universal badge. Identity, insurance, experience, qualifications, registration and certification answer different questions. The right checks depend on the exact service and scope.
Five checks that should stay separate
Insurance
Check that the policy is current and relevant to the activity, limits and property involved. Insurance is not a qualification.
Experience
Look for evidence connected to similar work, not only a general number of years in business.
Qualification or training
Evidence should match the task. Completing unrelated training does not authorise regulated work.
Registration and certification
Some work has legal, building-control or self-certification requirements. Check the official register and the category covered.
Gas work: registration is a legal requirement
A business carrying out gas work within the legal scope must be registered with Gas Safe Register. The individual engineer must also be competent for the specific category of gas work being undertaken.
Before work starts, check the engineer’s Gas Safe ID card. The front identifies the engineer and expiry; the reverse lists the categories they are qualified to work on. A general claim of being “Gas Safe” is not enough if the required appliance or work category is not covered.
Use the official register or HSE guidance to check the business or engineer. Plumbing work that does not involve gas may not require Gas Safe registration, so the scope must be distinguished accurately.
Domestic electrical work: ask about Part P and certification
Electrical work in dwellings must comply with Part P of the Building Regulations in England. The route to demonstrating compliance depends on the work. Some installers registered with an authorised competent person scheme can self-certify relevant work; another route may involve building control or appropriate third-party certification.
Ask:
- whether the planned work is notifiable;
- which competent person scheme or register applies, if any;
- what electrical and Building Regulations certificate will be provided;
- whether the registration covers the business or person doing the work;
- how you can verify the registration independently.
A platform profile, review or identity check does not replace the certificate or official registration required for the work.
Building work, alterations and listed properties
Building Regulations approval and planning permission are different. Depending on the project, you may need one, both or neither. Work involving structure, heating systems, fuse boxes, bathrooms, windows, roofs or other alterations can trigger specific requirements.
Listed buildings and properties in conservation areas may have additional controls. Before work begins, check the project with the relevant local authority or building control body. A Professional’s experience can help identify likely requirements, but responsibility and approval should be made explicit in the quote or contract.
For cleaning, gardening, handyman and decorating work
Many everyday services do not have one universal statutory register. That does not make checking unnecessary. Focus on identity, relevant experience, current insurance where appropriate, the written scope, access arrangements, materials, exclusions and evidence from comparable completed work.
If the scope crosses into gas, electrical, structural or another regulated area, stop treating it as a general task and apply the relevant specialist checks.
How ONEBOX should present trust
ONEBOX should show evidence in layers rather than using one vague badge:
- Identity checked — who controls the account;
- Business or insurance evidence — document type, status and relevant dates;
- Service-specific evidence — which work the document supports;
- Official registration reference — where the customer can independently verify it;
- Work history — genuine activity completed through the network.
Availability or matching must not imply that every credential required for the final scope has already been confirmed. Customers should see what has been checked, what remains relevant and what evidence accompanies the booking.
How these checks appear in ONEBOX
Customer-facing Professional profiles now separate the verification outcomes that can be shown safely, without exposing identity documents, certificates or internal review notes. Read how ONEBOX presents Professional checks.
Independent official checks
Frequently asked questions
Does identity verification prove competence?
No. It confirms who is behind an account. Qualifications, registration, insurance and experience are separate.
Who can legally carry out gas work?
A registered business and an engineer competent for that specific category of work.
How do I check an electrician?
Confirm the scope, whether the work is notifiable, what certification will be provided and which official scheme or register applies.