Blog>Trade>Being a Checkatrade approved and guaranteed member
Last updated: 13 February 2024
Being a Checkatrade approved and guaranteed member
Not just anyone can join Checkatrade. As you know, all members undertake 12 rigorous checks before they get our seal of approval – we still run these checks to make sure only the best tradespeople, like yourself, earn the Checkatrade tick of approval.
Being an approved and guaranteed Checkatrade member comes with a whole host of benefits, but the biggest has to be gaining our seal of approval. You can then demonstrate your great reputation and win more business. That’s because homeowners trust tradespeople with the Checkatrade tick next to their name. It's a sign that you’ve been checked and approved by us.
In fact, 8 out of 10 people would choose a trade endorsed by Checkatrade compared to one that isn’t endorsed.*
Your benefits of being a Checkatrade approved and guaranteed tradesperson
The tick...
Gives you the platform to build your online reputation
Increases your business's trust with homeowners
Gives you our seal of approval
Helps you to win more business
Gives you exclusive access to trade deals
We trust the quality of the work and service that you and all other members are providing so much that we guarantee your work up to the value of £1,000 and up to 12 months (T&Cs apply). We’ve got your back.
Checking in to see if you're still cutting the mustard
If you're a top tradesperson, just keep doing what you're doing. Remaining as one of our approved and guaranteed Checkatrade tradespeople will be easy for you.
We have been and will continue to regularly check in on your reviews to make sure that you're doing a great job, meeting the Checkatrade standards, and that the reviews on your profile are genuine. Authentic reviews are just one of the ways that we build homeowner confidence in choosing reputable tradespeople to work with.
For any members who do not uphold our standards, their membership will be suspended or terminated.
Not every tradesperson can become or stay as a Checkatrade approved and guaranteed member. Checkatrade removed around 1.5k trades from Checkatrade in the past year due to them failing vetting or not meeting our standards.
It’s these careful checks and high standards that make having a Checkatrade membership to your name so valuable.
The 12 Checkatrade checks
Here's a reminder of the 12 checks we do:
Identification. We want a photo ID to verify who someone is
Proof of address. We’ll need to see evidence of a trading address
Qualifications. Tradespeople need to show us proof of any regulated accreditations
Open-source check. We’ll search for any adverse media on the person or their business
Personal CCJ check. We’ll make sure they don’t have any personal county court judgments
Business CCJ check. We’ll make sure their business doesn't have any business county court judgments either
Company history. We’ll ask to see proof of good trading history
Financial checks. We’ll carry out a bankruptcy and insolvency check
Duplicate check. We’ll make sure they don’t match any previously declined, suspended or expelled trades
PLI. They’ll need to show us that you have valid public liability insurance
Director search. We’ll check their company for previous directorships or disqualifications
Customer experience check. We check their reviews on third-party websites
You passed our checks, but we've been watching you... and you're doing a brilliant job meeting our high standards!
Once a tradesperson passes our checks
We vet and monitor all our members on an ongoing basis to make sure that you continue to comply with our standards. That means we’ll need to see ongoing proof of qualifications and PLI. And you'll need to keep us up-to-date if there are any changes to your business – whether that’s a change of address or change of ownership.
We also check all the reviews our members receive to make sure they’re genuine. We do this by asking customers to verify their reviews by SMS or phone call, and then monitor all the reviews with analytics technology.
The Checkatrade Standard
As well as passing our in-depth checks, every member, as you know, needs to agree to uphold the Checkatrade Standard.
The Checkatrade Standard is made up of six commitments that help us make sure our members are a cut above the rest.
1. Deliver a high quality of workmanship
This includes making sure every job meets the pre-agreed specification and that you use materials that will last in line with customers’ expectations.
2. Maintain high standards of personal conduct
For example, we expect Checkatrade members to be polite and courteous, respecting customers’ homes and being considerate of their privacy.
3. Work safely, ethically and within your skill set
In other words, you’ll need to comply with the latest health and safety regulations, work in a way that doesn’t damage the environment and keep customers’ homes safe while each job is being carried out.
4. Communicate clearly and honestly
You’ll need to communicate with customers in a timely and professional manner and provide honest guidance when it comes to details like job lengths, start dates and costs.
5. Agree costs and contract terms upfront
Our members agree to be upfront about the cost of jobs before they take place. We ask you to agree prices in writing and not take final payment until the job is complete.
6. Encourage and welcome customer reviews
We expect our members to ask every customer for a review once a job is complete. However, you should never falsify reviews or pressure customers into leaving them.
*Claims are sourced from a survey conducted by Deep Blue Thinking on a nationally representative UK sample in November 2021.
