12 July 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
UK's top anti-rogue trader business expands into Hertfordshire
Checkatrade grants first license.
SUMMARY
The Uk's first and leading vetting company for tradespeople and service providers today officially expands into Hertfordshire.
PRESS RELEASE
Since 1998 Checkatrade has been helping the British public avoid rogue traders and cowboy builders by providing a free, transparent and impartial directory of over 6000 vetted tradespeople and service providers across the UK. Now Gordon Bundy, who was born and bred in Welwyn Garden City, is returning to offer the Checkatrade standard to a wide range of local trades, from builders and plumbers to tree surgeons and landscape gardeners.
Gordon has been granted the first Checkatrade licence, which will see him build membership across the county and foster relationships within local communities. Over the next few weeks trades will be invited to register for approval to join, while customers will be able to access the member directory online at www.checkatrade.com to find a reliable, genuine tradesperson or service.
The move into Hertfordshire marks the first expansion for the business outside the South, although the company has ambitions to take the service nationwide. Kevin Byrne founded Checkatrade in 1998 after a tornado hit the small West Sussex town of Selsey and rogue traders from the length and breadth of the country descended on the town’s vulnerable.
In 2007 Gordon Bunday joined Checkatrade and quickly discovered this would be a life-time career and, after serving as an employee for 18 months, was given the go ahead to work as a self-employed agent offering the services of Checkatrade. This proved so successful Checkatrade decided to licence its business, with Gordon heading the very first one.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
Checkatrade helps combat the UK's rogue trader problem by continuously vetting and monitoring local traders such as builders, plumbers and electricians. The idea was born in 1998 after a tornado hit the small West Sussex town of Selsey. Traders poured in from as far away as Liverpool and Manchester. Unfortunately, some ripped off the inhabitants of the town. Local businessman, Kevin Byrne, realised there was nowhere to check out the traders’ credentials and the company that became Checkatrade was formed.
Since then, Checkatrade has grown to include over 6,300 genuine trade members, growing by an average 120 new members every month, and, via the Royal Mail, distributes 5.9 million directories a year into communities throughout Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Dorset and Berkshire, while the website includes traders from across the UK.
CONTACT INFORMATION
PR / Marketing, Checkatrade
5 - 6 Sherrington Mews, Ellis Square, Selsey, West Sussex, PO20 0FJ
Tel: 01243 601234
Fax: 01243 601246
info@checkatrade.com
