Why you cant trustatrader.com

MoneyLeaks

Have had a building project this year where the builder's website proudly claims a "4.95 rating on TrustATrader". Yet, near the end of the project, they've stopped turning up or responding to any form of communication, we're finding more and more things wrong with what they've done so far, and we're having to explore legal avenues to try and get any of our money back to rectify the work.

Now, from reading this thread, it seems that even if I leave a negative review (and I've found two other victims of the same builder who also wish to leave negative reviews) they might not even be published!

grayme-m

MoneyLeaks wrote: »

Have had a building project this year where the builder's website proudly claims a "4.95 rating on TrustATrader". Yet, near the end of the project, they've stopped turning up or responding to any form of communication, we're finding more and more things wrong with what they've done so far, and we're having to explore legal avenues to try and get any of our money back to rectify the work.

Now, from reading this thread, it seems that even if I leave a negative review (and I've found two other victims of the same builder who also wish to leave negative reviews) they might not even be published!

How big is the project and how much have you paid them?

Immediately I'm wondering why you've paid out on an incomplete job, but I don't know how practical that thought is.

MoneyLeaks

grayme-m wrote: »

How big is the project and how much have you paid them?

Immediately I'm wondering why you've paid out on an incomplete job, but I don't know how practical that thought is.

Big project: three extra rooms upstairs in house (building on top of pre-existing ground floor extension), plus full re-roofing, plus downstairs reconfiguration work to make the layout work - originally quoted at ~£67K VATIN. The money has been paid in stages, but despite assurances from the builder about how they'll definitely complete the job, we're now at the stage that although not ALL the money has been paid to him, more work definitely appears to be left to do than the remaining money yet-to-be-paid can possibly cover (this theory has now also been confirmed by other builders that we've had in to look at the job during the interregnum of the original builders vanishing - if we pay someone else to finish up, it'll cost us at least an extra £5K (at the bare minimum) over what we still "owe" the original builder... and that's without resolving any of the extensive snagging list).

We're not wildly concerned that we have no hope of rectification, as the original builder lives relatively locally and has clearly not done a total runner, and we have enough written contracts and photo/video evidence during the build to beat him in small claims court several times over... although given that he's broken off all comms for over a month, whether he'd even turn up at court or respect any judgment therein for refunding us the difference...

Anyway, diverting from the point of this thread, which is that ratings on TrustATrader are not worth the data bandwidth used to display them on my monitor; we'd like other people not to make the same mistake that we did, but how can we if negative ratings are suppressed?! :mad:

malc_b

ASA (advertising standards) covers web sites as well as TV and newspapers. For example is a web site promises 10yr warranty then won't honour that they are clearly telling lies on their web site and ASA can prosecute them. Seems to me that TrustATrader are telling lies on their web site if they won't publish true reviews which happen to be unfavourable. Hence I would have thought it worth a complaint to ASA (by all those who can't get negative reviews published).

scd3scd4

“ I've used tradesmen from Trustatrader, and had no problems at all. As for the traders having to pay, why shouldn't they be expected to pay for the use of the site, as it's bringing them in work, it's a business, not a charity.

I've also looked up the reviews that the top poster has said, and although I've seen the 'DO NOT USE! review, and can understand his frustration, have a couple of questions myself. If your first impression was so poor, why did you bother to use him and not look elsewhere? You also got your money back, and your review saying exactly not to use, so what if your own words didn't make it up there? That 'do not use' is probably more effective than any vitriolic ramblings about some bloke whose work hasn't come up to your expectations. You said first impression was poor and yet you stil used him, so can only guess it's because he was the cheapest. You pay peanuts, you get monkeys. At least you had your peanuts thrown back.

Listen to this monkey...........

redout007

Thanks, I wont be using or recommending Trustatrader.com , and now thinking about it I'd rather find locally by recommendation word of mouth and not use any websites that the company pay to be top of the list

garrysibbald

Word of mouth is great if you can find someone that comes by "word of mouth" (although it isn't always a guarantee of a good job as posts across this website will confirm) but I suspect that people using website's such as trustatrader do so because they can't find someone by word of mouth. And because of this I think that they provide a valuable service for consumers and are good for businesses too.

We've never been a member of trustatrader but are members of other websites and pretty much every trade I know who offers their services on these sites sets out to do a good job and is very protective of their reputation. Negative feedback can cause lasting financial damage to a business and we all dread an unreasonable and spiteful customer.

My experience is that the majority of reviews are genuine and I get frustrated when I hear comments across this website about them "not being worth the paper they are written on".
However, I would suggest that before you hire someone from one of these sites you show due diligence and request to talk to a selection of the people who left reviews. This "word of mouth" method will reassure you that the feedback is genuine and increase your confidence that you are making a good choice.

As far as I'm aware all of the find a tradesman websites screen negative feedback and try to get a satisfactory conclusion to a problem for the customer before publishing their negative review.
This seems a reasonable approach as problem-solving the issue should be the first avenue to a happy resolution for the customer. And it is only when this fails that you will then see a negative review.

Gregory_Baginski

I had a similar experience with Chekatrade. I was badly taken advantage by a builder. I wanted to submit a review on him and I followed the procedure which involves Chekatrade contacting the tradesman and mediating in case the complaint could be resolved. They said that, in case it not settled, they would publish my review which never happened. There was no response to my emails and obviously my review was not there. Would anybody know what is the best way or the best site to submit a review about having a bad experience with a tradesman?

Would anybody know if Checketrade is a reliable?

hollydays

Gregory_Baginski wrote: »

I had a similar experience with Chekatrade. I was badly taken advantage by a builder. I wanted to submit a review on him and I followed the procedure which involves Chekatrade contacting the tradesman and mediating in case the complaint could be resolved. They said that, in case it not settled, they would publish my review which never happened. There was no response to my emails and obviously my review was not there. Would anybody know what is the best way or the best site to submit a review about having a bad experience with a tradesman?

Would anybody know if Checketrade is a reliable?

Post your experiences on this site. You can name the company. expect to be asked questions!
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2103883/bad-builder-forum&highlight=cowboy+builders

dacouch

Gregory_Baginski wrote: »

I had a similar experience with Chekatrade. I was badly taken advantage by a builder. I wanted to submit a review on him and I followed the procedure which involves Chekatrade contacting the tradesman and mediating in case the complaint could be resolved. They said that, in case it not settled, they would publish my review which never happened. There was no response to my emails and obviously my review was not there. Would anybody know what is the best way or the best site to submit a review about having a bad experience with a tradesman?

Would anybody know if Checketrade is a reliable?

Try google reviews