Checkatrade

Innys

Well, based on the feedback, it is highly unlikely I will be using a Checkatrade builder.

Instead, one of my neighbours has had work done and has told me that they are more than happy with the service they received. I will be using that builder, if I possibly can, and the Checkatrade quotes I have already requested will be binned.

Whether or not you, experttrader wish to remain on Checkatrade is up to you. But for me, the fact that negative feedback is actively discouraged is the killer. The site then loses all credibility and, I believe, is worthless.

mahoney

Experttrader, I'm sure there are a lot of great builders on there, but personally I would just use it like a phone book to find a builder - ie just for the numbers, taking no notice of the reviews.
A builders equivalent of Trip Advisor is a great idea. Shame the cowboys!

mahoney

Thinking of the work the painter and decorater did on my house, I can only think that the reviews on there were written by his mum / best friend. No way could anyone write a glowing report about his work or general attitude.

experttrader

Whether or not I stay with Checkatrade will very much depend on local opinion and opinions expressed on the net. I left Yellow Pages because they had a bad reputation and if needed will do the same in this situation.

Totally agree, a system like trip advisor would be good, the only problem would be how would one deal with malicious comments left by rogue competition and liers who have never used the trader?

itisme

Hello There

I always go here if I can't get a tradesman recommended by friend
or family.
This site is being updated regularly.

http://www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk/

Sartcott

experttrader wrote: »

I am a member of Checkatrade and reading these reviews are making for shocking reading. The main concern now is; am I paying a fortune to associate myself with an organisation that the public are rapidly losing or have already lost faith in. I do not want to be a part of Checkatrade if it is going to damage our reputation which has taken over 20 years to build up.

Why don't the trading standards improve their non profit making "buy with confidence" system, then profit making businesses would not get a look in.

Don't worry, if you are good - you are good and the customers you serve will go back to you time and time again.

The problem with Checkatrade is for the customer. We must not just expect every trader to be honest or professional on Checkatrade. The good traders I have found on there will be who I recommend to my friends and family and I will use again.

The thing that makes me mad is that the bad ones I found, I cannot let other customers know from my experience via a review. So rogue traders get business time and time again from Checkatrade.

Maybe the Traders should take this up with Checkatrade as they are paying for the service.

If you do find a complaint from a customer on their web site you will see that the reply from the trader always puts the customer at fault and they make them seem not quite right in the head and totally unreasonable. If a customer has a strong complaint Checkatrade gives a straight 'No you cannot put that complaint on your review'.

Bad for the good Traders and customers and great for the rogue traders.

I have had long phone calls with Checkatrade about this but it's all about the traders fees to them - customers at the bottom of the pile.

experttrader

Beleive me many members have said name and shame them but Checkatrade just strike them off, leaving no trail of information for the customers to investigate, thats why there is no bad reviews on there. The fear a lot of customers feel when wishing to leave negative feedback only leads one has to ask is the system worth its weight in gold.

There was also a big debate with the electricians and plumbers on Checkatrade. The apprentice time served electricians' and plumbers' are having their trade swamped with "fast track chancers" as they call them. Customers are unknowingly appointing someone they believe to be a fully qualified electrician or plumber and some of these have had only 5 days training on an intensive course. Check a trade closed the debate down in the end, but they allow these people to still be members. They said they were going to seperate them but they have not yet done so.

I am a landscape gardener so it does not affect my category :-)

Sartcott

I would hope for seriously dangerous traders that the customers take their complaint to Trading Standards.

It's the little problems like I experienced that need to be on the site. Esp the ones trying it on with charges that are just wrong. My last review for an excellent boiler repair man I stated that I had 2 other traders from Checkatrade before him who wanted to charge me £80 for telling me to get a new boiler when the good trader said great boiler and repaired it. He also told me that it had a lot of life left in it.

The other two just wanted a big job of replacing instead of repair. More money to be made from the customer.

Checkatrade edited my review and said "other businesses" had tried to cheat me removing the word that they were from "Checkatrade". Hiding the fact that Checkatrade had 2 bad boiler repair men on their web site. I did not mention them by name so there was no need to edit my review.

As a customer I am not afraid to put the problems on my review - it's not a review if it is not honest. I know all my friends feel the same way and would not be afraid. As a customer if anything is bad you want to warn others as you are warned on reviews. When you are buying anything today there are reviews online be they good or bad, for you to look through so you can make up your mind with more knowledge.

It is Checkatrade that blocks the bad reviews, they and they alone and not the customers that don't want to or are too afraid to. It's not terrible things that are wrong just small things that any customer would like to know before making a choice. Then the Trader will know not to do it again as it will come up time and time again and put off new customers.

ormus

as i said before. you may as well stick a pin in the yellow pages.

avantra

I agree that this model is flawed and open to abuse, however it is swings and roundabouts.

In our case we needed a carpenter to fit 9 doors so the usual method for us is to ask around and also ask in our local hardware shop.

A couple of neighbours recommended a local guy so we contacted him, he cam straight away(he lives two streets away) and gave us a quote.

From the moment we agreed about the job he completely ignored us.
Said carpenter was suppose to do the job on a Tuesday, so I took a day off and waited for him just for him to call after 14.30 to say he will not be able to come, he said he will come Sunday morning following week, we waited but no cigar, not even a phone call.


Left a voice mail twice on his mobile, carpenter called a week later said he went to to his holiday home in the Algarve and ask if he can come Wednesday, I told him to stuff it.


Logged into the Rated people site and got a 4 quotes in one day, called a local young carpenter who did a great job, came on time and charged us 25% less. This carpenter is going to fit our new kitchen next week.