TrustATrader Welcomes Government Crackdown on Cowboy Builders

Online trade directory says the measures will help ensure tradespeople meet the high standards it’s vetted and reviewed members have maintained for more than 20 years.

TrustATrader, the UK's trusted online trade directory, has welcomed today's Government announcement of a new crackdown on cowboy builders, saying it aligns with the mission the company has pursued since 2005, to make sure every homeowner can find a trader they can genuinely put their trust in.

The Government announced a package of measures to close the loopholes that have let unscrupulous traders take money from households, including a new scheme to help people identify and hire trusted traders with confidence from September.

The announcement follows research showing more than one in four UK adults who carried out home improvements in the past 18 months experienced problems, explained by the BBC. It is a problem TrustATrader has worked to solve for more than 20 years.

Every member undergoes a thorough vetting process before being approved. They must provide evidence of relevant qualifications, membership of recognised trade associations, public liability insurance, photographic ID and proof of address dated within the previous three months, all as required by UK law. Where applicable, traders must also submit Companies House and VAT registration documents. These checks are reviewed and updated regularly to ensure consumers have access to accurate and up-to-date information. In addition, traders are required to provide references from previous customers, which TrustATrader independently contacts and verifies.

Once a tradesperson joins TrustATrader, support continues for both the trader and the customer. Reviews are carefully read and vetted by the team, and in the rare event that a problem arises, a dedicated complaints team steps in to help. By speaking to both parties, they work to understand the issue and find a resolution as quickly as possible. This ongoing oversight helps maintain high standards across the platform and ensures that only the best tradespeople remain part of the TrustATrader.

Gary McEwen, Founder and CEO of TrustATrader, said:

"We built TrustATrader because too many people were being let down by bad tradespeople, and that is a problem that still has not gone away in the industry. Our members are checked before they go live and monitored afterwards, because everything we do is about giving people traders they can trust. We welcome the Government's announcement. It is a step in the right direction, and we hope it encourages more people to look for the kind of reassurance our vetted, reviewed members have provided for more than 20 years."