Most jobs around a house can be done by any competent person. A few can’t — not because they’re difficult, but because the law says so.

It’s worth knowing the difference, because getting it wrong can invalidate insurance, cause problems when you sell, and in the worst cases seriously hurt someone.

Here’s the plain version.

First: there’s no such thing as a handyman licence

In the UK there’s no single licence required to work as a handyman. Someone can legally offer painting, carpentry, furniture assembly, tiling and general repairs without a specific qualification.

That’s not a loophole — those jobs genuinely don’t need one. What matters is that once work crosses into regulated territory, specific certification becomes legally mandatory, and no amount of experience substitutes for it.

Gas: never anyone but a Gas Safe engineer

This is the clearest line of all.

Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, it is illegal for anyone except a Gas Safe registered engineer to work on gas appliances, fittings or pipework. That covers repairs and maintenance, not just new installations.

So: boilers, gas hobs, gas fires, gas cookers — no exceptions, ever. Not for a handyman, not for a keen DIYer, not for a friend who “used to do it.”

You can check anyone’s registration on the Gas Safe Register before they start. Anyone legitimate will expect you to.

Electrics: it depends on the job

Electrical work in England and Wales falls under Part P of the Building Regulations, which splits jobs into two groups.

Notifiable work must be done by a registered electrician or signed off by building control. That includes installing a new circuit from the consumer unit, replacing the consumer unit (fuse box), and most electrical work in bathrooms or shower rooms.

Non-notifiable work is more relaxed — generally like-for-like replacements on an existing circuit, such as swapping a socket faceplate, light switch, ceiling rose or light fitting.

Two things worth knowing. All electrical work has to meet the wiring standard BS 7671, regardless of whether it needs notifying — the rules care about safety, not who held the screwdriver. And Scotland has its own system, based on building warrants rather than Part P, so check locally if you’re not in England or Wales.

If you’re ever unsure whether a job is notifiable, treat it as if it is.

Plumbing: mostly fine, with limits

Ordinary plumbing is generally open to anyone competent — clearing blockages, fixing a leaking pipe, replacing a tap or a compression fitting, fitting a new loo seat.

The limits are around unvented hot water cylinders (which need appropriate registration), anything connected to a gas boiler, and larger new pipework, which can trigger notification depending on the scope.

Rule of thumb: repairs and swaps, usually fine. Systems and heat sources, get a specialist.

The other ones to leave alone

Structural work. Removing or altering a wall needs proper assessment — a wall that looks decorative may be holding up your house. This needs building control involvement, not enthusiasm.

Asbestos. Common in homes built or refurbished before 2000, often in artex, floor tiles, insulation board and old garage roofs. If you suspect it, stop and get it tested. Disturbing it is genuinely dangerous.

Roofing at height, and anything involving a chimney or flue.

So what is handyman work?

A great deal, happily:

Shelves, curtain poles and blinds · TV mounting · flat-pack assembly · door adjustments and handles · filling, sanding and painting · sealant and grouting · tap and loo-seat swaps · fence and gate repairs · furniture reassembly after a move · picture and mirror hanging · draught-proofing · general small repairs.

That covers the overwhelming majority of what people actually need doing.

How to hire safely

• Ask for the right registration for regulated work, and check it — Gas Safe or a Part P competent person scheme
• Check they’re insured. Public liability cover protects your home if something goes wrong
• Be wary of anyone claiming to be “as good as” registered. For gas and notifiable electrics, that’s not a matter of skill — it’s the law
• Don’t pay in full upfront
• Ask for the certificate where regulated work has been done. You’ll want it when you sell

Regulations change and vary across the UK. If you’re unsure about a specific job, check with your local building control or the relevant registration body before work starts.

FAQ

Do handymen need a licence in the UK? No — there’s no universal handyman licence, and general repairs, carpentry, painting and assembly need no specific certification. Regulated work such as gas and notifiable electrics does, by law.

Can a handyman do electrical work? Simple like-for-like replacements on an existing circuit are generally non-notifiable. Notifiable work — new circuits, consumer units, and most bathroom electrics — must be done by a registered electrician or certified by building control.

Can a handyman work on a boiler or gas appliance? No. Only a Gas Safe registered engineer may legally work on gas appliances, fittings or pipework, including repairs.