A handyman handles the practical maintenance and repair jobs that most properties generate regularly but rarely need a specialist trade for.
Putting up shelves, assembling furniture, fixing a door that will not close properly, hanging blinds, filling and making good after minor damage: these are the jobs that get pushed to the bottom of the list because they are not emergencies, but that slowly make a property harder to live or work in.
For property managers, landlords, and facilities teams, a professional handyman also fills the gap between major trade callouts and the day-to-day maintenance requests that do not justify sending a specialist engineer.
This guide covers what a handyman does, what falls outside their scope, how to tell when you need a handyman versus a specialist trade, and when the job is better handled as part of a planned maintenance programme.
A handyman carries out general maintenance, minor repairs, and practical installation work across a property. The work is broad by nature. Most handymen operate across several categories simultaneously, which is what makes them useful for properties that generate a steady stream of small jobs rather than occasional large ones.
Flat-pack furniture assembly is one of the most common handyman jobs in both residential and commercial settings. For offices, it includes desks, shelving units, storage systems, and reception furniture. For residential properties, it covers beds, wardrobes, kitchen units, and anything else that arrives in a box.
Beyond assembly, a handyman will fix furniture to walls where stability or safety requires it, replace damaged hinges or drawer runners, and reattach fittings that have worked loose over time.
Picture hanging, mirror mounting, TV wall brackets, curtain poles, blind fitting, shelving, and wall-mounted storage all fall within standard handyman work. The job involves selecting the right fixings for the wall type, ensuring the fitting is level and secure, and making good any marks or minor damage in the process.
For commercial properties, this extends to signage installation, noticeboard mounting, and wall-fixed equipment that does not require specialist trade certification.
Doors that stick, drop, fail to latch, or have damaged frames are among the most frequent maintenance requests in both residential and commercial properties. A handyman can plane a sticking door, adjust hinges, replace a latch or handle, realign a door frame, and reattach weatherstripping.
Window repairs within a handyman's scope include replacing broken sash cords, adjusting window restrictors, fitting window locks, and repairing minor frame damage. Anything involving sealed double-glazing units, structural frame replacement, or specialist glazing falls to a dedicated tradesman.
A handyman can replace a tap, swap a showerhead, install a new toilet seat, fit a new bathroom cabinet, seal around a bath or basin with silicone, and address minor leaks at accessible fittings. They cannot carry out work on gas systems, connect to the soil stack, or work on hidden or pressurised pipework without appropriate qualifications. For anything beyond accessible fixture replacement, a qualified plumber is the correct appointment.
Filling cracks and holes, sanding, priming, and applying paint to walls, ceilings, and woodwork are standard handyman tasks. For small areas, touch-ups, and between-tenancy repaints, a handyman is a cost-effective option. For full property redecorations, specialist decorators who work at scale will usually deliver better results faster.
This is the category that defines handyman work most accurately.
Replacing a damaged tile (non-structural), fixing a fence panel, installing a letterbox, adjusting a stair banister, replacing a door threshold strip, installing hooks or towel rails, siliconing around a kitchen worktop. These are the jobs that accumulate on every property maintenance list and that a handyman can clear in a single visit.
Understanding the limits of handyman work is as important as knowing what it covers. The boundaries exist for legal and safety reasons, not convention.
Any work on gas appliances, boilers, pipework, or fittings must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. This is a legal requirement under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. A handyman cannot legally carry out gas work regardless of their experience.
Notifiable electrical work under Part P of the Building Regulations (new circuits, consumer unit work, work in bathrooms or kitchens near water) must be carried out by a qualified electrician registered with a competent person scheme such as NICEIC or NAPIT. A handyman can change a light fitting on an existing circuit or replace a like-for-like socket in a dry room, but anything beyond that requires a certified electrician.
Removing walls, altering load-bearing structures, or carrying out work that requires building control approval falls outside handyman scope entirely.
Replacing a few loose tiles accessible from a low roof edge is a borderline case. Any pitched roof work above single-storey level requires appropriate access equipment and training, as set out in the Health and Safety Executive's working at height guidance. For anything beyond the most accessible flat roof maintenance, a qualified roofer is the right appointment.
For landlords managing residential properties, handyman work covers most of the between-tenancy maintenance that a property needs before a new let: touching up paintwork, fixing minor damage, replacing fittings, adjusting doors, and addressing the list of small items that accumulate during a tenancy.
Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, landlords are responsible for keeping the structure and exterior of a property in repair, including installations for water, gas, electricity, and sanitation. Many of the repairs that fall under this obligation, such as dripping taps, stiff doors, and broken window fittings, sit comfortably within handyman scope.
For commercial property managers overseeing multiple sites, a handyman on a rolling maintenance agreement is one of the most cost-effective ways to keep properties in good condition between major refurbishments.
Snag lists, minor repairs, and tenant requests that do not justify a specialist trade call-out can be batched and addressed in single visits, reducing both cost and disruption.
For larger portfolios, this kind of planned maintenance approach, where minor repairs are scheduled and batched rather than handled reactively, consistently produces lower overall maintenance spend than addressing each job as it arises.
In practice, the most effective maintenance setups use both. A handyman handles the ongoing list of minor repairs and installations. Specialist trades handle anything that requires certification, significant scale, or specialist equipment.
Handyman rates in London typically run between £40 and £70 per hour, with most contractors applying a minimum charge of one to two hours regardless of the time spent on site. Day rates for full-day bookings usually sit between £200 and £350.
For specific jobs, fixed pricing is common:
London rates are higher than the national average for the same reasons as any other trade: operating costs, travel time, parking, and congestion charges all feed into what a contractor needs to charge to run a viable business in the city.
Grouping multiple jobs into a single visit is the most effective way to reduce cost per item. A handyman who travels to a property for a single shelf installation will apply a minimum charge regardless. The same handyman doing the shelf, two door adjustments, a blind fitting, and a TV bracket spreads that fixed overhead across everything, reducing what each job effectively costs.
A handyman covers the practical maintenance and minor repair work that every property generates but that rarely justifies a specialist trade. For landlords, property managers, and commercial operators, having a reliable handyman as part of a maintenance setup removes the accumulation of small jobs that gradually degrade the condition and usability of a property.
The key is knowing where the boundary sits. Gas work, notifiable electrical work, and structural alterations need qualified specialists. Everything else (the doors, the shelves, the furniture, the fittings, the touch-ups) is exactly what a handyman is built for.
If you manage property in London or the South East and need handyman support as part of a wider maintenance programme, get in touch with FS Group or call us on 0800 689 3497.
What does a handyman do?
A handyman carries out general maintenance and minor repair work across a property: furniture assembly, door and window repairs, hanging and mounting, minor plumbing fixture replacement, painting and decorating, and a wide range of practical odd jobs. They work across multiple tasks in a single visit rather than specialising in one trade.
What is the difference between a handyman and a tradesman?
A tradesman holds a specific qualification for a regulated trade (gas engineer, electrician, plumber) and carries out work that requires certification. A handyman handles practical maintenance and repair jobs that do not require a regulated qualification. Many maintenance setups use both, with a handyman covering the ongoing list and tradesmen handling anything that requires certification or significant specialist expertise.
Can a handyman do electrical work?
A handyman can carry out minor like-for-like electrical tasks such as replacing a light fitting on an existing circuit or swapping a socket in a dry room. Notifiable electrical work (new circuits, consumer unit work, bathroom or kitchen electrical installations) must be carried out by a qualified electrician registered with a competent person scheme such as NICEIC or NAPIT.
Can a handyman do plumbing?
A handyman can replace accessible fixtures such as taps, showerheads, and toilet seats, and carry out minor repairs at visible fittings. They cannot work on gas systems, connect to the soil stack, or carry out work on hidden or pressurised pipework. A qualified plumber is required for anything beyond straightforward fixture replacement.
How much does a handyman cost in London?
Hourly rates in London typically run between £40 and £70, with a minimum charge of one to two hours. Day rates for full-day bookings usually sit between £200 and £350. Grouping multiple jobs into a single visit is the most effective way to reduce cost per item.
When should I hire a handyman rather than a specialist?
When the job does not require a regulated qualification, when multiple small tasks need doing in the same visit, or when the work is maintenance rather than installation of a new system. A handyman is the cost-effective choice for practical repairs and installations that do not reach the scale or complexity where a specialist trade would deliver meaningfully better results.
How do I know if my job needs a handyman or a specialist?
If the work involves gas, notifiable electrical work, structural alterations, or anything that requires building control approval, a specialist is required regardless. If the job is practical maintenance or minor repair work that does not require a legal qualification, a handyman is likely the right appointment. When in doubt, a handyman will tell you if the job falls outside their scope.
