How GoTradesman carries out verification checks on tradespeople

Our approach to verification

GoTradesman is built around a simple idea: you should be able to see, at a glance, whether a tradesperson has taken the right steps to operate responsibly and professionally. To support that, we focus our verification on a set of core areas that matter most to homeowners and businesses:

• Insurance: checking that a tradesperson has provided evidence of public liability cover.
• Company registration: checking company details for limited companies and sole traders.
• Address verification: checking that a real, verifiable address is associated with the trade account.
• Gas Safe: checking Gas Safe registration for relevant trades and engineers.
• Waste Carrier Licence: checking Environment Agency registration where waste handling is involved.
• Pre-onboarding assessment: asking trade-specific questions to understand skills, services, and suitability.

Each of these checks is carried out in a specific way, using documents or official registers. On this page we walk through each area in detail so you can understand exactly what “verified” means in the GoTradesman context.

1. Insurance verification

Public liability insurance is one of the most important protections a tradesperson can have. It is designed to cover certain types of damage or injury that might occur while they are working on your property. While the exact cover and limits vary from policy to policy, the presence of a valid public liability policy is a strong indicator that a tradesperson is taking their responsibilities seriously.

As part of our verification process, we ask tradespeople to upload a Certificate of Insurance or policy schedule document that clearly shows their public liability cover. This document is the basis of our insurance check.

What we look for in the insurance document

When a tradesperson uploads their certificate or policy schedule, we take reasonable steps to verify that it appears to be a genuine and relevant document. In practical terms, that means we look for key details such as:

• Policyholder name: the name on the policy should match the trading name or individual name used on GoTradesman.
• Type of cover: the document should clearly indicate public liability insurance.
• Policy dates: the policy should show a valid period of cover.
• Insurer details: the document should identify the insurer or broker providing the cover.

These checks help us confirm that the tradesperson has provided a document that appears consistent with the details on their GoTradesman profile. We do not rewrite or interpret the policy wording, and we do not provide legal or insurance advice. Our role is to take reasonable steps to verify that a relevant insurance document has been supplied.

What insurance verification means for you

When you see that a tradesperson’s insurance has been verified by GoTradesman, it means that they have uploaded a certificate or policy schedule and that we have checked it for the key details described above. It is still sensible for you to ask the tradesperson for up-to-date proof of insurance before work begins, especially for larger or higher-risk projects, but our verification gives you a clearer starting point than a simple “yes/no” claim.

Insurance status can change over time, so you should always treat verification as a snapshot based on the information provided to us at the time of the check. We encourage tradespeople to keep their documents up to date and to notify us if their cover changes.

2. Company registration checks

Many homeowners want to know whether they are dealing with a properly registered business. GoTradesman supports both limited companies and sole traders, and our verification process reflects that.

When a tradesperson signs up as a business, we ask for details that allow us to check their company registration. We then take reasonable steps to confirm that the information they have provided matches what is held on official records.

Limited companies and sole traders

For both limited companies and sole traders, we focus on a few key elements:

• Director or proprietor name: we check that the director’s name (for a limited company) or the individual’s name (for a sole trader) aligns with the details provided to GoTradesman.
• Company status: for limited companies, we check that the company is shown as active rather than dissolved or closed.
• Trading name: we check that the trading name used on GoTradesman is consistent with the name associated with the business.

These checks help us confirm that the business details presented on a GoTradesman profile are grounded in real, verifiable information. They also help reduce the risk of someone using a misleading or unrelated company identity.

What company checks mean for you

When you see that a company’s registration has been verified, it means we have taken reasonable steps to confirm that the business details provided to us match official records for limited companies or the information supplied by sole traders. This does not guarantee the financial health or long-term stability of the business, but it does give you more confidence that the business exists and is being presented accurately.

You can use this information alongside reviews, photos of previous work, and your own conversations with the tradesperson to decide whether they feel like the right fit for your job.

3. Address verification

A real, verifiable address is an important part of building trust. It helps demonstrate that a tradesperson is not simply operating behind a phone number or email address, and it can be useful if you ever need to contact them outside of a job.

GoTradesman carries out address verification by asking tradespeople to upload documentation that links them to a specific address. This is done through document upload rather than automated lookups, because we want to see evidence that the address is genuinely associated with the person or business.

How we verify addresses

To verify an address, we ask for documents such as:

• Utility bills showing the name and address.
• Bank statements showing the name and address.

We then take reasonable steps to confirm that:

• The name on the document matches the name or business associated with the GoTradesman account.
• The address on the document matches the address provided to us.

This process helps us link the tradesperson or business to a physical location. It does not mean that the address is a showroom, office, or place you can visit without prior arrangement, but it does provide an additional layer of reassurance that the details on the profile are grounded in real-world information.

What address verification means for you

When you see that an address has been verified, it means we have seen documentation that connects the tradesperson or business to that address. It is still sensible to confirm practical details directly with the tradesperson (for example, where they will be travelling from and how far they are willing to work), but address verification gives you more confidence that you are dealing with a genuine, traceable business or individual.

4. Gas Safe registration checks

Gas work is highly regulated for good reason. Only properly registered Gas Safe engineers are legally allowed to carry out certain types of gas work in the UK. If you are hiring someone to work on boilers, gas fires, cookers, or other gas appliances, you should always check their Gas Safe status.

GoTradesman takes reasonable steps to verify Gas Safe registration for relevant trades and individual engineers. This is done using the official Gas Safe website.

How we verify Gas Safe details

When a tradesperson or business claims to be Gas Safe registered, we ask them to provide their Gas Safe registration number. We then use this number to check their details on the Gas Safe website. This applies both to:

• Businesses that are Gas Safe registered.
• Individual engineers who hold Gas Safe registration.

By checking the registration number against the official register, we can confirm whether the registration appears on the Gas Safe system and whether it is associated with the business or engineer in question.

What Gas Safe verification means for you

When you see Gas Safe information on a GoTradesman profile that we have verified, it means we have taken reasonable steps to confirm that the registration number provided appears on the Gas Safe Register for the business or engineer. We always recommend that you also check the Gas Safe Register yourself and ask to see the engineer’s Gas Safe ID card when they arrive at your property, as this will show the specific types of gas work they are qualified to carry out.

Our verification is designed to make it easier for you to identify trades who have taken the right steps to register, but your own checks remain an important part of staying safe.

5. Waste Carrier Licence checks

Many trades, such as landscapers, builders, roofers, and clearance companies, handle waste as part of their work. In many cases, they are required to hold a Waste Carrier Licence to transport and dispose of waste legally. This is an important part of protecting the environment and ensuring that waste is not fly-tipped or handled irresponsibly.

GoTradesman takes reasonable steps to verify Waste Carrier Licence details where they are relevant. We do this by checking licence numbers against the Environment Agency website.

How we verify Waste Carrier Licences

When a tradesperson states that they hold a Waste Carrier Licence, we ask them to provide their licence number. We then use this number to search the Environment Agency’s register and confirm that the licence appears on the system.

We recognise both:

• Upper Tier Waste Carrier Licences.
• Lower Tier Waste Carrier Licences.

By checking the licence number against the official register, we can confirm that the licence exists and is associated with the business or individual who has provided it.

What Waste Carrier verification means for you

When you see that a Waste Carrier Licence has been verified, it means we have taken reasonable steps to confirm that the licence number provided appears on the Environment Agency register and is associated with the tradesperson or business. This helps you choose trades who are more likely to handle waste responsibly and in line with legal requirements.

You can still ask the tradesperson for a copy of their licence or confirmation of how they will dispose of waste from your job. Our verification is there to support your decision-making, not to replace your own questions.

6. Trade and service-specific assessment before onboarding

Documents and registrations are only part of the picture. To understand whether a tradesperson is a good fit for the types of work they want to offer on GoTradesman, we also use a pre-onboarding assessment.

This assessment is not a generic questionnaire. It is a trade and service/skills-specific series of questions that every new trade signup has to complete. The aim is to build a clearer picture of what the tradesperson actually does, how they work, and whether their experience aligns with the services they want to advertise.

How the assessment works

When a new tradesperson signs up, they are guided through a set of questions tailored to their trade and the services they intend to offer. For example, the questions for a heating engineer will differ from those for a decorator or a landscaper. The assessment may explore areas such as:

• The types of jobs they typically undertake.
• The services they are confident to provide.
• The tools, methods, or materials they commonly use.
• Any relevant experience or background in their trade.

The assessment is designed to be practical and focused on real-world work, rather than academic theory. It helps us understand whether the services a tradesperson wants to list on GoTradesman are consistent with the skills and experience they describe.

Pass mark and suitability

The assessment includes a pass mark. This is an internal threshold that a tradesperson must meet in order to be considered suitable for onboarding in the way they have applied. We do not disclose the specific pass mark or scoring details, because the assessment is part of our internal vetting process.

What matters for you as a homeowner is that every new trade signup is required to complete this assessment, and that we use the results to help decide whether and how they appear on the platform. This is another way in which we take reasonable steps to ensure that the trades and services shown on GoTradesman reflect genuine skills and experience.

What our checks do – and do not – mean

It is important to be clear about what GoTradesman’s verification checks represent. We take reasonable steps to verify key pieces of information about tradespeople, using documents and official registers where appropriate. This gives you a more informed starting point than simply taking a claim at face value.

However, no online platform can remove all risk from hiring a tradesperson. Our checks:

• Do help confirm that certain documents and registrations have been provided and checked.
• Do help you compare trades based on verified information, not just self-declared claims.
• Do not guarantee the future behaviour, performance, or financial position of any tradesperson.
• Do not replace your own questions, instincts, and checks when choosing who to hire.

We encourage you to use our verification badges and information as part of your decision-making, alongside reviews, photos of previous work, quotes, and your own conversations with the tradesperson.

How you can use this information when choosing a tradesperson

When you browse GoTradesman, you will see information about a tradesperson’s insurance, company details, address, Gas Safe status, Waste Carrier Licence (where relevant), and the fact that they have completed our trade-specific assessment. Here are some practical ways to use that information:

• Shortlisting: prioritise trades who have completed more of the relevant checks for your type of job.
• Questions to ask: use the verification details as prompts for your own questions (for example, asking to see proof of insurance or Gas Safe ID).
• Comparing quotes: when comparing similar quotes, consider the strength of each tradesperson’s verified information as part of your decision.
• Peace of mind: take reassurance from the fact that trades have gone through a structured onboarding and verification process rather than simply creating a profile.

The goal is not to make your decision for you, but to give you clearer, more reliable information so that your decision feels more confident and informed.

Our commitment to ongoing improvement

Verification is not a one-time task. As regulations, best practices, and homeowner expectations evolve, so too will the way we approach checks on GoTradesman. We are committed to continually reviewing and improving our processes so that they remain relevant, robust, and genuinely useful to you.

That may mean refining our assessments, updating the types of documents we accept, or enhancing the way we display verification information on profiles. Whatever changes we make, the core principle remains the same: to take reasonable steps to verify key information about tradespeople and to present that information clearly so you can make better choices.

In summary

GoTradesman’s verification checks are designed to give you a clearer picture of who you are hiring. We:

• Check public liability insurance using uploaded certificates or policy schedules.
• Check company registration details for limited companies and sole traders, including director names, status, and trading names.
• Verify addresses using uploaded documents such as utility bills and bank statements.
• Verify Gas Safe registration numbers via the official Gas Safe website for businesses and individual engineers.
• Verify Waste Carrier Licence numbers via the Environment Agency website, recognising both Upper and Lower Tiers.
• Require every new trade signup to complete a trade and service-specific assessment with an internal pass mark.

We take reasonable steps to verify this information so that you can see more than just claims on a profile. While no system can remove all risk, these checks are a meaningful way to raise the bar and help you find local tradespeople you can trust with greater confidence.