CHECKATRADE - is it reliable?

mariemt

Hi,

I wondered if anyone knew how Checkatrade works? I had a builder do some work for me a couple of years ago and I had found him on Checkatrade. We were chatting casually one day and I remember him mentioning that they rarely show bad reviews - and I can't remember exactly why now - but I think he said it was that the companies on Checkatrade submit the reviews themselves, or suggest customers to contact for reviews - that being the case, they'd never suggest anyone who would give a bad review... or they approve all reviews before they are posted. It was something along those lines. It has put me off using Checkatrade as I recall the way he put it made me think it was totally unreliable... but there aren't many good sites out there which can be relied upon to recommend tradespeople, so I wondered if anyone knew what the situation is with Checkatrade - is it unreliable? Maybe it's something for MSE to investigate?
Thanks.

Ectophile

It's worth remembering that it's the tradespeople who pay to be listed on Checkatrade. You pay nothing for the service.

So who do you think are the customers that Checkatrade needs to keep happy?

shaun_from_Africa

Here's a link to a post I made almost 5 years ago
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=47391925&postcount=5
and my opinion hasn't changed at all since then

JuzaMum

In a word - No!

Used them once and not happy

Ectophile

I did find a plasterer on Checkatrade once to fix a collapsing section of a ceiling. Was happy with the work - you could only tell the bit he'd done because it was better than the rest.

Terry98

I have used them a few times and I have not been disappointed.

If the job is more than a couple of hundred pounds I always try to get at least three quotes and that is the hardest part of it. Some of them don't contact you and some of them come round and don't quote.

But every time I have got three good quotes, perhaps it's more luck than judgment, but I have always been happy with the final job.

barnaclebill

Used then four times in the past two years, plumber to install a shower, joiner to fit a kitchen, landscape gardener to remove hedge and a bricky to do some pointing.
All did good jobs and stuck to their estimates, some even did extra unforseen work and did not add to the bill, maybe I have been lucky but if I need a tradesman I will use them again.
The joiner did have a long negative post about him but a lot of good ones also

cyclonebri1

NO, no, it absolutely is not.
It's nothing more than an advertising site for any builder that pays a fee,


Go by personal recommendation every time.

Terry98

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

NO, no, it absolutely is not.

Not what? The OP asked if they were unreliable.

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

It's nothing more than an advertising site for any builder that pays a fee,

Agreed but is all advertising wrong? Most builders don't charge for quotes but will all know it's in the final price somewhere.

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Go by personal recommendation every time.

Agreed but sometimes you need alternatives.

red_imps_2003

Obviously it's best to go with recommendations where possible. However, when we moved to a new area recently I used the Checked and Vetted site (similar to Checkatrade) to find a landscaper to overhaul our garden. I was suspicious of one or two companies that had multiple entries using very similar language and the same stock phrases, but I went with one that had a high number of reviews (thinking that most cowboys probably can't be bothered composing 30+ convincing write-ups), most of which were overwhelmingly positive. I was pleased with the price, the attitude of the workmen involved, and the finished garden. Only time will tell whether their work was durable, but it's looking good after five months.

That's one success story, though, and it felt like a risk. For every one like this there may well be twenty tales of woe.