Don’t judge a tradesperson by their van, warns Gas Safe Register

New research ahead of Gas Safety Week 2026 (14-20 September) has found that younger homeowners are far more likely than older generations to trust a tradesperson based on how they look rather than their qualifications. 

A quarter of Gen Z and Millennials said they would be more likely to trust a tradesperson based on how they look, compared with just 14 per cent of Gen X and Boomers. Younger generations were also more swayed by positive online reviews (58 per cent), a professional website or social media presence (36 per cent) and branded workwear (22 per cent). 

In fact, 23 per cent of homeowners said they had assumed a tradesperson was qualified because they arrived in a branded van, while 19 per cent said the same of someone wearing a uniform and 16 per cent because they “looked the part”. 

Despite 93 per cent knowing gas engineers must be Gas Safe registered to legally carry out gas work, just 57 per cent have ever checked an engineer’s registration before letting them start a job. More than half (52 per cent) admit hiring a tradesperson without checking their credentials, while a quarter avoided asking questions for fear of seeming rude. 

That reluctance comes despite widespread concerns about getting the wrong person through the door. Nearly eight in ten (79 per cent) are worried about poor workmanship, while 69 per cent fear being scammed and 65 per cent are concerned about being overcharged. 

And the concerns aren’t unfounded, with more than four in 10 (43 per cent) saying they have experienced a negative encounter with a tradesperson. 

TV personality Denise Van Outen, who has teamed up with Gas Safe Register for the campaign, said: “A clean van, smart uniform and five-star review from your mate might make someone look like the perfect fit for the job – but none of those things tell you whether they’re actually qualified to do the work safely and legally.” 

Ronan Howard, customer first delivery lead and SME champion at Gas Safe Register, said: “It only takes a couple of minutes to check to see if your engineer is legally registered, and it could help prevent a serious safety issue in your home.” 

Homeowners can check an engineer’s registration at gassaferegister.co.uk.