Before you say yes: check the quote for red flags
Some features of a quote are officially listed warning signs, and some are just how the trade works. Describe the quote you were given and see what the CCPC actually says about each part, with the source, verified 2026-07-17. It checks the quote, not the business: that check comes after, by name.
Describe the quote in your hand
Answer what applies. Each answer is read against what the CCPC actually says, with the source. Skip anything you are unsure about.
Answer any question to see what the official guidance says about it.
Then check the business itself
A clean quote from the wrong business is still the wrong business. Check the business by name on the public evidence, line your quotes up side by side. Or browse tradespeople with public evidence.
Common questions
Is a big deposit a red flag?
At 50 percent up front, most of the money would move before any work. No Irish law caps a deposit, so the CCPC's checklist is the protection: agree the completion date, whether and when the deposit is refundable, and any cancellation charge, in writing, before paying, pay large amounts by card rather than cash, and always get a receipt.
The tradesperson knocked on my door. What are my rights?
An uninvited doorstep or cold call sale has its own regime in Ireland: mandatory pre contract information over 50 euro and the 30 day cooling off right below. Take the time the law gives you. A doorstep sale you did not invite carries a 30 day cooling off period in Ireland: you can cancel within 30 days and get a full refund, no reason needed. That is longer than the 14 days for online purchases, and guides that copy the 14 day figure onto doorstep sales are out of date. For purchases over 50 euro the doorstep seller must also give you required information before you agree, including any deposit conditions and your right to cancel.
They only take cash. Is that a problem?
The CCPC's own advice is to pay large deposits by debit or credit card to protect yourself, and to always get a receipt. A trader who will only take cash rules both protections out.
Is a discount for cash a red flag?
A discount for cash is not in itself against the rules. The officially grounded concern is cash ONLY: it defeats the card protections the CCPC advises using for large payments.
This is guidance from the public rules and official consumer guidance, not legal advice. It describes the features of a quote as you entered them; it says nothing about any named business. Rules change and cooling off rights carry exclusions, so check the cited official page before you rely on any single rule.
More ways to check who to trust
Free, independent checks. No ads, no paid placement.
- Cowboy Checker
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Enter the names from your quotes and line them up on the public evidence.
- Company Health Check
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- Certifications
The certifications, licences and registrations we have found in public sources, and what each one means.
- Rating Reality Check
Where a rating and review count really sit against the market's full distribution.
- Check Before You Hire
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- Licence Check
A licence number from a van or quote, checked against every public register included here in one search.
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- Emergency: Who to Call
Gas smell, power cut, burst pipe: the official number to call first, from the official pages.
- Planning Approval Times
How long planning permission really takes in your council, from its own register.