Book and Pay – Consumer Terms
Effective 3rd November 2025
These Terms explain how Book and Pay works and what to expect when You use it through the Checkatrade platform. QUICK SUMMARY:
Book and Pay lets you book and pay a Checkatrade tradesperson securely through our platform.
Your contract is directly with the tradesperson.
Payments are handled by a regulated payment provider - not Checkatrade.
You’ll always see what you’re paying and when, before confirming a booking.
These terms explain how it works and what to expect.
What is Book and Pay
Book and Pay helps You book and pay a Tradesperson – all in one place. It’s here to save You time, keep payments secure, and take the hassle out of getting jobs done.
Your contract for the work is between You and the Tradesperson. Book and Pay simply makes it easier to arrange and pay for the work.
Checkatrade doesn’t carry out, manage or assure the quality of the work. Every Tradesperson is responsible for doing the job safely, lawfully, and to a reasonable standard.
The Tradespeople available to book through Book and Pay have all passed our checks and meet our ongoing standards.
Search results are based on things like location, availability and reviews. Paid promotion or sponsorship never affects search results unless clearly shown.
2. Who are We and how do these terms work
a. Book and Pay is a service provided by Checkatrade, a trading name of Vetted Limited (company number 04285394). Our registered office is CityPoint, 1 Ropemaker Street, London EC2Y 9SS.
b. These terms explain how You can use Book and Pay. When You make a Booking, You agree to follow them. If You have any questions about Book and Pay or these terms, please contact us here.
c. Your use of Book and Pay also means You accept our Platform Terms of Use, which are incorporated into these Book and Pay terms as a whole and apply to everyone using the Checkatrade Website or app. If these terms ever conflict with the Platform Terms, these Book and Pay terms take priority to the extent of the conflict.
3. Meaning of Terms
Here’s what We mean when We use certain capitalised words in these Terms:
Booking Request: Your request sent through Checkatrade for a Tradesperson to carry out Trade Services.
Booking: a contract for Trade Services between you and a Tradesperson pursuant to a Booking Request that has been accepted and confirmed by both You and the Tradesperson on the Checkatrade platform.
Checkatrade Pay: our secure online payment processing service provided through our payment partner.
Job Price: the total amount agreed with the Tradesperson for the work under a Booking, including any deposit or cost of materials.
Tradesperson: a Checkatrade member who meets our membership standards. You can read about our checks here.
Trade Services: the work, services and/or materials the Tradesperson has agreed to provide pursuant to a Booking or as otherwise agreed between You both.
Deposit: an upfront payment taken through Checkatrade Pay to secure a Booking and/or cover materials.
Offline Payment: when You pay the Tradesperson directly for Trade Services rather than through Checkatrade Pay.
Authorised Payment: the amount placed on hold on Your payment card by the payment provider when You confirm a Booking through Checkatrade Pay.
Any other capitalised Terms shall have the same meaning as set out in the Platform Terms of Use.
4. Booking Requests
a. When You send a Booking Request, the Tradesperson will review it and may:
accept the Booking,
ask for more details and/or revise the Job Price, or
decline the Booking Request.
b. If they accept, You’ll receive a summary showing:
the total Job Price,
the details of the Tradesperson,
how payment will be handled, and
Your right to cancel if payment is made through Book and Pay (see our Cancellation Policy)
c. Once You’ve confirmed it, within the platform, Your Booking is made. Your personal details aren’t shared with the Tradesperson until You confirm the Booking on the Checkatrade platform.
d. Booking Requests are shared with Tradespeople for a limited period to allow them to respond. If the Tradesperson You selected does not respond within that time, Your Booking Request may be shared with other eligible local Tradespeople to help You receive responses more quickly.
e. You may receive responses from Tradespeople other than Your original choice. You are not required to proceed with any Tradesperson unless and until You choose to confirm a Booking through the platform.
5. How payments work
a. The Tradesperson chooses how payment will be made, either through Checkatrade Pay or by Offline Payment. You’ll always see which option applies and whether a Deposit is payable before You confirm Your Booking.
b. Checkatrade Pay is a secure payment service managed by a regulated payment provider. We don’t come into possession, hold or control any money ourselves.
Deposits
c. A Tradesperson may ask for a Deposit through Checkatrade Pay – for example, to secure the Booking and/or to cover materials .
d. Any Deposit will be shown clearly before You confirm Your Booking and will be taken immediately upon confirmation.
e. You will need to pay the remaining Job Price as explained in the Checkatrade Pay and Offline Payment sections below.
Checkatrade Pay:
PAYMENTS THROUGH CHECKATRADE PAY ARE PROCESSED BY ADYEN N.V AN AUTHORISED PAYMENT INSTITUTION REGULATED BY THE FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY. CHECKATRADE DOES NOT ACT AS YOUR OR THE TRADESPERSON’S AGENT FOR RECEIVING OR HOLDING MONEY.
f. If Your Booking uses Checkatrade Pay, an Authorised Payment for the total Job Price will be placed on Your card by the payment provider (not Checkatrade) when You confirm the Booking.
g. Your bank or card issuer marks the amount of the Authorised Payment as pending but doesn’t transfer it yet.
h. The Authorised Payment stays pending until it’s released to the Tradesperson by the payment provider once you confirm the relevant Trade Services are complete, or after 48 hours from the Tradesperson flagging the Booking as "completed" if you don't confirm, as explained later in these terms.
i. If the scope of the Trade Services changes and the Job Price is reduced, the Tradesperson will contact Checkatrade to update the Authorised Payment. If the Job Price increases, the Tradesperson will send a new Checkatrade Pay request for the updated amount.
Offline Payment
j. If Your Booking uses Offline Payment, You’ll pay the Tradesperson directly, following whatever payment terms You agree with them.
k. You may still be asked to provide payment card details when you confirm your Booking.
l. That pre-authorised amount will be for £0, and no money will be taken unless You later switch to Checkatrade Pay or a Service Fee is chargeable.
6. Service Fee
a. We may charge a Service Fee for using Book and Pay. If a Service Fee applies, it will be shown clearly before You confirm Your Booking.
b. The Service Fee will be authorised when You confirm Your Booking, even if Your Booking uses Offline Payment. It will be charged immediately and is non-refundable, except where the law requires.
7. Cancellations
a. If Your Booking is paid through Checkatrade Pay, cancellations are handled under the applicable Cancellation Policy, which forms part of these terms.
b. The Cancellation Policy explains when and how You can cancel, any fees or refunds, and what happens to Authorised Payments or Deposits. It does not cover chargebacks. Information about chargebacks can be found here. You can also read our Cancellation Policy.
c. If Your Booking uses Offline Payment, cancellation is handled directly between You and the Tradesperson.
8. When the job’s done
a. When the Tradesperson marks the Trade Services as complete on the platform, You’ll get a notification through Checkatrade. You’ll have 48 hours to confirm the work’s been done or to raise any concerns.
b. If You are unhappy with the Trade Services, You can raise this through the platform within that 48-hour period. The payment provider may then hold the authorised funds while You and the Tradesperson try to resolve the issue under the Tradesperson's own terms.
c. If You don’t respond within 48 hours, We’ll treat the Booking as complete, and where Checkatrade Pay was used, the Authorised Payment will be released by the payment provider to the Tradesperson.
9. If there’s a problem
a. You can find more information about what to do if You’re unhappy with the Trade Services, including dispute options, in our Disputes FAQ here.
b. Your contract for the work remains between You and the Tradesperson. We don’t get involved in individual disputes or handle refunds directly, but We may take action against a Tradesperson under our membership rules where appropriate.
c. You may also be eligible for support under the Checkatrade Guarantee, which is separate from Your contract with the Tradesperson. See details and eligibility here. These terms do not affect your statutory rights.
10. What we ask of You
a. When You use Book and Pay, You agree to:
provide accurate and complete information when making a Booking Request;
manage Your Booking through the Checkatrade platform, including confirming, updating or cancelling as needed;
follow all Checkatrade policies that apply to Book and Pay, including the Cancellation Policy and the Fair Use Policy; and
use Book and Pay only for genuine Bookings.
b. You’re responsible for any separate arrangements You make directly with a Tradesperson.
11. Changes we may make
a. We may update these terms or make changes to Book and Pay from time to time, for example, to meet legal requirements or improve how the service works.
b. If We make a material change, We’ll give You reasonable notice through Your Checkatrade account or by email.
c. If You don’t agree with an update, You can stop using Book and Pay at any time before the change takes effect. Any Bookings made before that date will continue under the terms that applied at the time the Booking was made.
d. If Trade Services are in progress, You will remain responsible for the Job Price due for work already completed or costs reasonably incurred by the tradesperson up to the point of cancellation.
12. Governing law and jurisdiction
a. These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.
b. Any dispute arising from them will be dealt with by the courts of England and Wales, with proceedings taking place in London.