Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.
01
Evaluation factor
Hands-on competence
35% weight
Check hands-on range: soldered and press-fit copper, MDPE and push-fit, soil stack work, unvented cylinder installs, combi swaps, power flushing, and bathroom first and second fix.
Evidence to listen for
Names the equipment, materials, and tolerances they work to
Can describe a job start to finish without hand-waving the hard parts
Holds the tickets, licences, or certifications the work requires, and they are current
Knows what they are not qualified to touch
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Cannot describe the work concretely; lacks required tickets or licences.
2
Needs Improvement
Basic familiarity; needs supervision on routine tasks.
3
Satisfactory
Competent on standard work; slower or unsure on unfamiliar jobs.
4
Very Good
Skilled and independent across the normal range of the role.
5
Excellent
Names specific installs (unvented G3, S-plan wiring, macerator runs) and describes pipe sizing and pressure testing without prompting.
02
Evaluation factor
Safety discipline
30% weight
Probe certification currency: Gas Safe registration and ACS categories, G3 unvented ticket, WRAS and Part L knowledge, plus practice on isolation, hot works permits, and asbestos awareness.
Evidence to listen for
Treats procedure as protection rather than paperwork
Can describe a time they stopped work and why
Knows the specific hazards of this trade and the controls for each
Reports near misses instead of hiding them
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Casual about safety; describes shortcuts with pride.
2
Needs Improvement
Follows procedure when watched; cannot name the hazards that matter.
3
Satisfactory
Sound safety habits; less certain on unfamiliar hazards.
4
Very Good
Safety is instinctive; can describe stopping work over a real concern.
5
Excellent
Cites live registration numbers and ACS modules, and describes refusing or capping an unsafe appliance with an ID or AR warning notice.
03
Evaluation factor
Fault finding
20% weight
Test diagnostic method on no hot water, intermittent boiler lockout, low mains pressure, recurring leaks, and airlocks; listen for how they isolate cause before replacing parts.
Evidence to listen for
Has a method for narrowing a fault rather than swapping parts
Reads schematics, manuals, or error codes and acts on them
Knows when to escalate rather than guess
Can describe a fault that took real work to find
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Parts-swapper; no diagnostic method.
2
Needs Improvement
Fixes symptoms; cannot explain how they found the cause.
3
Satisfactory
Solid on familiar faults; less structured on new ones.
4
Very Good
Clear systematic method with a real hard-fault story.
5
Excellent
Walks a logical sequence (pressure gauge, flow test, manometer readings, fault codes) and cites a fault others had misdiagnosed and replaced wrongly.
04
Evaluation factor
Reliability and conduct
15% weight
Assess van stock discipline, punctuality on booked slots, making good after chasing floors or walls, clear pricing before work, and handling a callback on their own install.
Evidence to listen for
Turns up, on time, prepared
Handles shift work, callouts, or travel as the role requires
Documents work so the next person can pick it up
Deals with customers or site staff professionally
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Unreliable attendance; unprofessional on site.
2
Needs Improvement
Inconsistent; documentation is an afterthought.
3
Satisfactory
Dependable; paperwork is adequate.
4
Very Good
Consistently reliable, documents well, professional with customers.
5
Excellent
Gives evidence of low callback rates, tidy handovers with commissioning paperwork, and returning to fix their own defect at no charge.
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