Before you hand over thousands, a quick verification saves grief. Here’s a 10-minute check routine.
Why verify at all
A care home spends serious money on kit, and a bad supplier can leave you with a dead oven and no recourse. Ten minutes of checking protects a five-figure purchase.
Verification isn’t suspicion — it’s due diligence. Any reputable supplier expects and welcomes it; only the shaky ones push back.
Check the basics
- Registered company (Companies House)
- Real business address, not a PO box only
- VAT number that checks out
Thirty seconds on Companies House tells you if they’re a real, established entity or a pop-up. Established beats unknown every time for a five-year asset.
Check the reputation
- Reviews on independent sites, not just their own
- Ask for two care-home references and actually call them
- How long have they traded?
Calling one reference is the step most buyers skip and the one that matters most. A supplier confident in their work will happily give you two.
Check the small print
- Warranty length and what it excludes
- Who pays freight both ways on a fault
- Delivery and install included or extra
The small print is where ‘cheap’ hides its costs. Freight both ways on a faulty unit, or install as an extra, can erase the saving.
Trust your gut
If they dodge a straight question, that’s your answer. Buy elsewhere.
Evasive on warranty or references? That hesitation is data. Confident suppliers answer straight; reluctant ones are telling you something.
Need Cover While You Upgrade?
New kit is one thing — keeping meals running while you switch it out is another. KitchenFlow provides DBS-checked, care-experienced chefs and kitchen assistants for sickness, holidays and emergency gaps across South Wales. Book cover or talk to us.
