I know many of you are members of Checkatrade so I thought I would relay some of the information they recently put on their website to celebrate their 20th anniversary.

Checkatrade.com was set up in 1998 following the devastation caused by a tornado to the coastal town of Selsey in West Sussex. Over £10 million damage was caused by the storm and many residents were subsequently the victims of rogue traders unscrupulously taking advantage of the disaster.

The company found themselves at the forefront of consumer choice as they stayed true to their core business belief: ‘Checkatrade.com does the checks so you don’t have too’.

The Checkatrade vetting process has proved to be a significant way for consumers to avoid the clutches of the rogue traders. There are 16 considerations, 13 of them actual checks. Some of the most significant with which potential member tradespeople must comply are:

• Interviews – every member is interviewed by a professional.
• ID checks – identification checks are carried out on everyone who applies
• Accreditations & qualifications – the law does not require every trade to obtain accreditation. If you see accreditations or qualifications on a member’s profile then they have been thoroughly checked out.
• References – the feedback of all members is constantly monitored. Potential members are asked to supply names and contact details of at least five customers. These people are then contacted and asked about their experience with the tradesperson concerned.
• County Court Judgements (CCJs) – all new members are checked for CCJs.
• Trading history – the trading history of all new members is thoroughly checked.
• Insurance – all members have Public Liability Insurance to protect their customers and the general public.

Checkatrade are proud to be able to provide the information about tradespeople that allows the public to make reasoned and informed judgements about who they employ and invite into their homes.