Contractor check
Can you trust this contractor? Before you sign a quote or pay a deposit: what the official registers say about them, what they do not say, and what to ask yourself.
Checking a contractor, in five steps
- The enterprise number Is it on the quote, and does it belong to the name and address on that quote? Look it up above: the check shows whether the company is active, since when and what it registered.
- Bankruptcies and health An open bankruptcy or a reorganisation is a reason not to sign. The annual accounts tell whether the company can carry its debts; a sole trader files none.
- Recognition and class Not required for private work, but a sign that the administration checked the technical and financial capacity, up to the amount per contract the class gives.
- Debts and insurance Social and tax debts show in Check inhoudingsplicht, the insurance on the certificate the contractor gives you. The check tells you where and how.
- A written quote and a small deposit Price, completion time and payment schedule on paper, pay in instalments by transfer, never in cash above 3,000 euros.
Buying as a business? The Supplier due diligence also shows owners, sanctions lists and public contracts.