The Checkatrade Guarantee

The Checkatrade Guarantee is a free, discretionary guarantee provided by Checkatrade. It is designed to help you, if work carried out by a Checkatrade tradesperson doesn’t meet industry standards.

If you can’t resolve the issue directly with the Tradesperson, the Checkatrade Guarantee may contribute towards the cost of putting things right — up to £1,000 — subject to the Terms & Conditions.

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Eligibility

You may be eligible for the Checkatrade Guarantee if:

• the work was done by a Checkatrade Tradesperson;

• you contacted the Tradesperson through us (by phone, quote form or message), or you paid using Checkatrade Pay;

• the issue is about Sub-Standard Work (meaning the workmanship falls below industry standards or what was agreed); and

• you contact us within 6 months of the work being completed.

If we consider it appropriate, we may use an independent expert to help assess the workmanship.

Please note:

• the maximum payment per approved claim is £1,000;

• the Guarantee is discretionary and we will decide whether to offer support after reviewing the issue; and

• the Guarantee does not cover every problem or cost, and it does not replace your rights with the Tradesperson or under your insurance.

What the Guarantee doesn’t cover

This isn’t a full list, but here are some examples of what we don’t cover under the Guarantee — mainly things that aren’t related to workmanship, or costs that go beyond the work itself.

• Things that aren’t about workmanship — wear and tear, cosmetic issues, or disagreements about style or design.

• Costs and losses — knock-on losses, VAT or call-out fees, materials you supplied yourself, or sentimental value.

• Things outside our control — damage caused by someone else, pre-existing issues, or things covered by insurance or another guarantee.

How to make a claim

We recommend speaking to the Tradesperson first, as many issues can be resolved quickly that way — but you don’t have to.

You can contact Checkatrade at any time through our complaints process to tell us what’s gone wrong. We’ll review the information you share and check whether the Checkatrade Guarantee might apply.

If it looks like the Guarantee could apply, we will submit a claim on your behalf under the Checkatrade Guarantee. Each claim is reviewed individually and assessed in line with the Terms & Conditions.

When the Guarantee may be considered

The Checkatrade Guarantee may be considered once you have told us what has gone wrong through our complaints process and we have reviewed the information available.

Where the issue appears to relate to Sub-Standard Work and the eligibility criteria are met, we may submit a claim on your behalf under the Checkatrade Guarantee.

Any support offered under the Checkatrade Guarantee is discretionary, subject to the Terms & Conditions, and limited to a maximum of £1,000 per approved claim.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Guarantee apply if I didn't book or pay through Checkatrade?

Not automatically. One of the eligibility conditions is that you either contacted the tradesperson through Checkatrade, or paid using Checkatrade Pay. If you found the trade independently and paid them directly — by bank transfer or cash, for example — the work generally won't be eligible for the Guarantee, even if the trade is a Checkatrade member.

How do I make a Guarantee claim — and how's that different from a complaint?

Submit a complaint via the form listed above and choose the option “Poor Quality Work.” There isn't a separate form for Guarantee claims. You raise it the same way as any other complaint, and we'll check whether it looks eligible for the Guarantee as part of reviewing it. If it does, we'll take it forward as a Guarantee claim and assess it against the terms and conditions — you don't need to ask for this separately.

I disagree with the outcome of my Guarantee claim — what can I do?

Guarantee decisions are made after significant evidence review and eligibility checks. We use a specialist independent Third Party to help make decisions on Guarantee payouts. If you have new information that might change the outcome, you can contact the Third Party Administrator with the details and this can be reviewed.

Terms and Conditions

For details of our terms and conditions, please refer here