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Checking that a builder is legal.


Nessie
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When I receive a quote for a job from someone who only shows me a SIRET number, how do I know that he is registered to do the job in question?  If an autoentrepreneur, does he have to show anything else/  How do I know if he has professional insurance?  Apart from asking the person myself, is there a link or website I can check it out?

Thank you.

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Why not ask to see his 'carte professionnelle" and his insurance. If he's legit he will be well used to being asked, in fact he'll be half expecting it.

You can check online that he's registered as a business but if he's registered for several trades it won't necessarily tell you all the details. And it doesn't prove he has up to date insurance.
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If the job is fundamental to the structure of the building - roofing, carpentry, masonry, installation of woodburning stoves, etc as well as fitting doors, windows, tiling, etc, the workman should have l'assurance décennale - 10 year guarantee insurance. S/he won't have it for painting and decorating, for eg.

This piece of paper states what the workman is insured for (it often runs to 5+ pages!) and any workman who has l'assurance décennale will be more than happy to give you a copy - the bloody thing costs upwards of 2000 euros per year so someone asking to see it actually makes having it feel worthwhile!

Keep a copy of the paperwork along with the devis and (eventual) facture - particularly the page which states the workman / enterprise name, the insurer and address, the policy number, etc. Then, if something goes wrong with the work over the following 10 years, even if the artisan is no longer in business, the insurance company is responsible for ensuring resolution of the problem. Unless the insurance company can wriggle out of its obligations... but that's a whole different discussion.

In essence, please do not feel embarassed about asking for a copy of l'assurance décennale to go with the devis. [:)]

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[quote user="Nessie"]Thanks, how can I check on line?[/quote]

For l'assurance décennale? If so, you can't. My OH puts his insurance provider and policy number in his email signature and on his devis but few artisans seem to do that as a matter of course. Unless the information is displayed on the person's website or in his details, there's no website which will tell you whether s/he has it or not.

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As said - you can't,you need to ask to see the certificate and check the expiry date on it.

You'll find it's empowering to get this stuff sorted face to face at the outset with your artisan, it helps you come to an understanding based on mutual respect. He'll know you'll know he's 'sérieux', and you'll know he'll know you're a discriminating client.

Good lord - an online real time system with every artisan's decennale details recorded and updated - how many fonctionnaires is that going to keep busy, how much taxpayers money is it going to eat up, how much is it going to add to the cost of every job !!!
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[quote user="tinabee"]If you want to check the business registration you can use this site

https://www.infogreffe.fr/societes/ 

[/quote]

But, to be clear, as Eurotrash says...

[quote user="EuroTrash"]You can check online that he's registered as a

business but if he's registered for several trades it won't necessarily

tell you all the details. And it doesn't prove he has up to date

insurance.[/quote]

...it will only provide confirmation of the first (or first few) trades that he is registered for. So if the site doesn't mention precisely the trade that you want him to carry out for you, that doesn't mean that he's not registered to undertake it. And registered is not the same as insured.

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