How can I tell if a roofer is legitimate?
Check the contractor's real trading identity, contact details, insurance, reviews and previous work independently rather than relying only on what you are shown. Be particularly cautious about unsolicited doorstep approaches, pressure to decide immediately or requests for unusually large cash payments.
Checks you can make yourself
Look for a verifiable business: a trading address, a company number where the business is a limited company, a landline or consistent contact details, and a record of previous work you can actually look at.
Ask for evidence of public liability insurance and check the cover is current rather than taking a document at face value.
Judging the conversation
A legitimate roofer will explain what they found and why they recommend a particular fix, and will normally be willing to show you photographs of the problem.
Doorstep approaches following bad weather, urgency without explanation and prices that change once work starts are the classic warning signs.