Guide

Handyman work and the law in England

Short answer

A handyman can legally do most repairs, fixings, decorating and garden jobs. Three areas need more. Gas work needs a Gas Safe registered engineer. Notifiable electrical work, such as a new circuit, needs certifying under Part P. Some building work, such as new windows, needs Building Regulations approval. Agree who will certify it before work starts.

Updated 15 October 2026 · 2 min read · 6 sources

Jobs with no special rules

Everyday repair and upkeep sits outside both registration and building control. The GOV.UK exempt list covers most like-for-like work. Heating, oil tanks, fuse boxes and glazing are the exceptions.

Odd jobs, wall fixings and flat-pack.
Painting, tiling and most floor laying.
A new bath, toilet, basin or sink in the same place.
New gutters and downpipes.
A front or back door with glass in less than half of it.
Fences and gates, within the planning height limits.

Gas work

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 reserve paid gas work in homes for Gas Safe registered engineers. HSE explains the rule in its gas safety FAQs.

A hob, cooker or gas fire is covered whether it goes in, comes out or moves. For a gas smell, ring the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 straight away.

Electrical work under Part P

In England, Part P sets the electrical safety rules for homes. Three kinds of job must be notified.

An electrician on a competent person scheme certifies the job themselves. Otherwise, sort out a third-party certifier or building control before the first cable is cut. Smaller jobs still have to be safe.

A new circuit.
Any new consumer unit, including a swap for the old one.
Work on circuits in bathroom zones and other special locations.

Other work that needs approval

These jobs normally go through building control. When a competent person scheme member does the job, it certifies the work and you make no application.

Replacement windows and most glazed doors.
A new bathroom with new drainage or plumbing.
A new heating system, or extra radiators.
A new roof covering.
A new fuse box and the wiring connected to it.

Planning rules are separate

Building Regulations and planning permission are two separate systems. A job can need either, both or neither.

In a conservation area, in the Chilterns National Landscape, or at a listed building, small outside jobs can need consent. Our guide to consent for small jobs in Buckinghamshire explains when.

Keep the paperwork

Keep each certificate and approval with your house papers. When you sell, the buyer’s solicitor will ask for them.

Questions

Is a handyman allowed to connect a gas hob?

Only if he or she is on the Gas Safe Register. Connecting a hob to the gas supply is gas work.

May a handyman put in an extra socket?

A spur from a circuit you already have, in a living room or bedroom, needs no notice. It has to be safe. Bathroom zones and brand-new circuits need notice.

Can a handyman fit new windows?

New windows come under building control. FENSA and similar scheme members certify their own installs; without one, a building control application is needed.