Guide

Which jobs a handyman can legally do

Short answer

A handyman can legally do most small repairs, fixings, decorating and garden jobs. Three areas need more. Gas work needs a Gas Safe registered engineer. A new circuit or consumer unit is notifiable electrical work. New windows need Building Regulations sign-off. Agree who certifies the work before the job starts.

Updated 15 October 2026 · 3 min read · 10 sources

Work with no registration rule

Most household repairs need no registration and no approval. GOV.UK says most repairs, replacements and maintenance are exempt from Building Regulations approval. Heating systems, oil tanks, fuse boxes and glazing units are the exceptions.

These jobs are usually open to any competent handyman.

Assembling furniture, hanging pictures and fixing shelves.
Painting, wallpapering, tiling and laying most floors.
Replacing a toilet, basin, sink or bath on existing pipes.
Clearing and replacing gutters and downpipes.
Fitting an outside door that is less than half glass.
Repairing fences and gates within the planning height limits.

Gas: only a registered engineer

HSE says anyone paid to work on a gas appliance in a home must be on the Gas Safe Register. The rule is in the 1998 gas safety regulations.

Connecting a gas hob, moving a gas fire or touching a boiler all count as gas work. A handyman who is not on the register must refuse these jobs. Each Gas Safe engineer carries an ID card that you can check on the register.

If you smell gas, leave the room open, do not use switches and call 0800 111 999.

Electrical work under Part P

Part P of the Building Regulations sets the rules for electrical safety in homes in England. It makes three kinds of work notifiable.

A registered electrician can self-certify this work. If not, building control or a registered third-party certifier must check it. Work that is not notifiable must still be safe.

Adding a new circuit.
Fitting a new or replacement consumer unit.
New work or changes to circuits in a special location, such as a bathroom near the bath or shower.

Building work that needs sign-off

GOV.UK lists building work that needs approval. A firm on a competent person scheme can self-certify its own work, so you do not apply yourself.

Replacing windows, and doors that are half glass or more.
A new bathroom with new drainage or water pipes.
A new heating system, or extra radiators.
New roof coverings on a pitched or flat roof.
A new fuse box and the wiring connected to it.

Planning and heritage rules are separate

Building Regulations deal with safety. Planning law and listed building law deal with use and appearance. A job can need any mix of the three.

Oxford has 18 conservation areas. Cherwell, the Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire list 184 more between them. Our guide to consent for small jobs in Oxfordshire explains the local rules.

Keep the paperwork

Ask at the start which certificates the job will produce, and who will get them. Store each certificate with the deeds.

When you sell, the buyer’s solicitor will ask for certificates for notifiable work. A missing certificate can delay the sale.

Questions

Can a handyman connect my gas hob?

Only if the handyman is on the Gas Safe Register. Connecting a gas hob is gas work, and HSE says a Gas Safe registered engineer must do it. Ask to see the engineer’s ID card.

Can a handyman move a light switch?

Often, yes, if the change is on an existing circuit and away from a bath or shower. That work is not notifiable, but it must still be safe. A new circuit is notifiable.

Who certifies new windows?

Replacement windows need Building Regulations approval. A firm on a competent person scheme can self-certify them. If the fitter is not on a scheme, someone must apply to building control before the work.