CheckATrade feedback

Leif

Has anyone used trades from CheckATrade, and if so, what did they do, and what was the work like?

There is an old thread here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2791140/checkatrade

But I thought to start a new one as CheckATrade is growing rapidly. If the mods see fit to combine the two, well, so be it.

My own experience has been very poor. I hired cowboys. CheckATrade edited my review, only a bit, but replacing "I have lost £3,000" with "I am financially down" does make a difference. And the reponse from the trade is a series of lies, which I can prove, but CheckATrade do not even reply to my emails such is their contempt for the customers of their members.

I am genuinely interested in other peoples experiences. According to the founder, Kevin Byrne, 99.5% of members are honest trades trying to do their best.

Laurencek

I am a member of check a trade and found it getting a lot more popular all though they do vet trades with insurance qualifications and passed jobs not every one can get 100% of jobs right and jobs do happen.

On the reviews they do have a section asking if you wish them to contact the builder.

I will also post this for you on the private forums which should get read by there admin.

Leif

Laurencek wrote: »

I will also post this for you on the private forums which should get read by there admin.

Any chance you can hold back on that for a while, say a week? The danger is that this thread might attract fake comments from the less scrupulous CAT members wishing to promote the site.

Bodicea

I would never, ever use CheckATrade. My situation is complex as I am part of a Residents Association who ordered a building company found via checkatrade to do some work. The builders have decided that they will only listen to the Company Secretary (even though we're all paying for the work) and that it is ok to be rude and threatening to any other resident. Not only that but their work is shoddy and now they are tipping rubbish onto my garden because I complained? Which brings me back to CheckaTrade. I went to the Checkatrade website - and lo and behold there are no negative comments about the builders listed because, CheckaTrade unanimously do not publish negative comments ANYWHERE about ANYONE!. They only publish recommendations/positive comments (go see) and if you have a complaint, this is a lengthy process where they send you (note - not email - SEND) a form. Any building company can join checkatrade - Check a Trade don't actually CHECK-A-TRADE. If you research check a trade on the web (mumsnet have some great stories) you can see that many - perhaps all - who knows(?) of their listings have a really bad reputation. It's like, all the cowboy companies in the UK can suddenly make themselves seem qualified by joining CheckaTrade. Checkatrade have set themselves up as some trading standards company but clearly they are not - which begs the question - shouldn't there be some law/standard that a company has to follow to set themselves up as a Trading Check company? Because at present, it seems, anyone can do it. CheckaTrade are not like an Amazon review site - they appear to be except they don't allow complaints or poor comments to appear (they actually go to great lengths to change negative points which should cause even the least sceptic to raise an eyebrow) The moral of this tale is don't use Check a Trade and be careful about ANY company which claims it represents the interests of customers, if paid for by the companies it represents

dacouch

I'm setting up a website so you can award stars to tradesmens review sites it's called https://www.mycheckaratedtrustabuilderreview.co.uk

It will allow you to review the review tradesmens' websites and award stars.

Funding for the website will be made by the review sites who the site reviews, as such any bad reviews will be deleted.

Have a nice day y'all

Innys

Bodicea wrote: »

I would never, ever use CheckATrade. My situation is complex as I am part of a Residents Association who ordered a building company found via checkatrade to do some work. The builders have decided that they will only listen to the Company Secretary (even though we're all paying for the work) and that it is ok to be rude and threatening to any other resident. Not only that but their work is shoddy and now they are tipping rubbish onto my garden because I complained? Which brings me back to CheckaTrade. I went to the Checkatrade website - and lo and behold there are no negative comments about the builders listed because, CheckaTrade unanimously do not publish negative comments ANYWHERE about ANYONE!. They only publish recommendations/positive comments (go see) and if you have a complaint, this is a lengthy process where they send you (note - not email - SEND) a form. Any building company can join checkatrade - Check a Trade don't actually CHECK-A-TRADE. If you research check a trade on the web (mumsnet have some great stories) you can see that many - perhaps all - who knows(?) of their listings have a really bad reputation. It's like, all the cowboy companies in the UK can suddenly make themselves seem qualified by joining CheckaTrade. Checkatrade have set themselves up as some trading standards company but clearly they are not - which begs the question - shouldn't there be some law/standard that a company has to follow to set themselves up as a Trading Check company? Because at present, it seems, anyone can do it. CheckaTrade are not like an Amazon review site - they appear to be except they don't allow complaints or poor comments to appear (they actually go to great lengths to change negative points which should cause even the least sceptic to raise an eyebrow) The moral of this tale is don't use Check a Trade and be careful about ANY company which claims it represents the interests of customers, if paid for by the companies it represents

This is old news. You could say the same about virtually of the review sites. You're probably better off selecting a tradesman from the Yelllow Pages - at least the options are likely to be wider.

Instead, stick to the same old method of getting at least three recommendations from family, friends and neighbours.

maninthestreet

Checkatrade is a business that makes it's money by allowing tradesmen to advertise in their directory - they are not indepedent or impartial.

Leif

Bodicea wrote: »

I would never, ever use CheckATrade. My situation is complex as I am part of a Residents Association who ordered a building company found via checkatrade to do some work. The builders have decided that they will only listen to the Company Secretary (even though we're all paying for the work) and that it is ok to be rude and threatening to any other resident. Not only that but their work is shoddy and now they are tipping rubbish onto my garden because I complained? Which brings me back to CheckaTrade. I went to the Checkatrade website - and lo and behold there are no negative comments about the builders listed because, CheckaTrade unanimously do not publish negative comments ANYWHERE about ANYONE!. They only publish recommendations/positive comments (go see) and if you have a complaint, this is a lengthy process where they send you (note - not email - SEND) a form. Any building company can join checkatrade - Check a Trade don't actually CHECK-A-TRADE. If you research check a trade on the web (mumsnet have some great stories) you can see that many - perhaps all - who knows(?) of their listings have a really bad reputation. It's like, all the cowboy companies in the UK can suddenly make themselves seem qualified by joining CheckaTrade. Checkatrade have set themselves up as some trading standards company but clearly they are not - which begs the question - shouldn't there be some law/standard that a company has to follow to set themselves up as a Trading Check company? Because at present, it seems, anyone can do it. CheckaTrade are not like an Amazon review site - they appear to be except they don't allow complaints or poor comments to appear (they actually go to great lengths to change negative points which should cause even the least sceptic to raise an eyebrow) The moral of this tale is don't use Check a Trade and be careful about ANY company which claims it represents the interests of customers, if paid for by the companies it represents

Whilst I despise CheckATrade, some of the above is mistaken.

They do publish negative reviews. I know because I gave a negative review to a trade. However, it is not easy. Mine was pulled for many weeks after briefly appearing. When it reappeared it had been edited. The change was small but significant, from something like "I have lost £3,000" to "I have lost money". It was pulled as the trade said they had suffered a death in the family. Well, quite why that is cause to pull a review is beyond me, and clearly anyone can get a review pulled by blagging, which might have been the case in this instance.

There are good trades on CheckATrade. I need a plumber to service my boiler. I won't use the people from CheckATrade who installed it as I think they were sub-par. MY neighbour recommended a local chap and when I Googled him I found he was on CheckATrade. I know people who have had good work done by CheckATrade members, and I know people who have had bad work done by them.

The problem from my point of view is that I had work done (bathroom refit) that was judged by Trading Standards to be below the legally acceptable standard, and I have now obtained substantial compensation, thanks to Trading Standards. They also did things like seal my garage door without telling me, which prevented me moving things in and out. I assumed it had jammed, until the day I left and I saw them remove screws from the edge of the door. CheckATrade appear to have taken no action, and played absolutely no role in helping me get compensation. In fact they allowed this trade to continue as a member. And CheckATrade published a response from the member which contains false statements that make me look bad. Would you want to employ a trade like this?

So, as I say, I think the post I quote is unjust, but there are serious problems with CheckATrade, and I would never employ anyone from CheckATrade, unless by recommendation from someone I know and trust.

keystone

Leif wrote: »

So, as I say, I think the post I quote is unjust....

I think the old queen just felt like a rant. Must be that time again.

Cheers

NTK

Nothing more than a money making racket at the consumers expense.