Millions of people trust Which? – when they see our endorsement logo on products and services they use it to make better buying decisions. Same with you – when they see you displaying our logo they’ll know you’re a trader they can choose with confidence.
Traders! You know you’re good at what you do.
You put in the hours and you go above and beyond for your customers.
But how do you PROVE that? How do you stand out from the cowboys and rogue salesmen?
Well, only the most reputable traders get the Which? Trusted Trader endorsement.
So when people see the Which? logo on your van, it’s a sure sign of trust and they know you’ll get the job done.
To become a Which Trusted Trader, businesses go through hours of vetting from our trading standards qualified team.
And, like an MOT, we’ll give you action points, designed to raise industry standards.
Millions of people trust Which? because we’re the UK’s consumer champion, and passing our rigorous assessment shows everyone you mean business.
Once you're endorsed, you'll be added to the Which? Trusted Traders website with your own profile page to show off what you do and the customer's that love you.
You’ll also get access to an expert account manager who can help you keep your business booming.
And you can also use the Independent Dispute Resolution Service in the unlikely event that a client isn't happy.
Most importantly, you’ll be able to wear the Which? Trusted Trader badge with pride everywhere: on your uniform, your website, your socials, business cards - well maybe not everywhere.
So apply to become a Which Trusted Trader today. Get endorsed. Stand out. Mean business.
The cost depends on the size of your business, which includes employees and subcontractors. We have an initial one-off payment which goes towards the cost of your assessment - we cover the rest. It’s non-refundable, so if you don’t pass or you decide not to join, we can’t give you the money back. The endorsement fees can be paid monthly or annually.
Additional discount may be available if a member of a trade body - see list of partners here.
Number of employees/subcontractors | Assessment fee (Non-refundable incl. VAT) |
Pay monthly (Direct Debit - incl. VAT) |
Pay annually (Direct Debit - incl. VAT) |
---|---|---|---|
0-3 |
£248
|
£66 | £797 |
4-9 | £86 | £1,029 | |
10-19 | £114 | £1,363 | |
20 and over | A higher rate applies, please call 029 2267 0040 |
Do a quick check to see if you can apply.
If you meet our eligibility criteria, apply and pay the assessment fee.
Check to see which documents we’ll need from you.
Pass our financial health and credit checks, trading history checks and other background checks and we’ll book your assessment.
One of our trading standards professionals will start assessing your business, either face-to-face or remotely, within 14 working days of your application. They’ll need several recent customer references from you, plus your permission to contact those customers.
You’ll receive an assessor report that outlines actions to complete before we can endorse you. We’ll also check your customer references. Once we’re satisfied all our conditions are met, a senior member of our team will endorse you as a Which? Trusted Trader.
Your account manager will help you make the most out of your endorsement, and our welcome pack contains everything you need to show customers you’re a Which? Trusted Trader. You’ll then be able to begin building a strong online profile on our website.
To be able to apply, you’ll need to:
You can’t apply if:
Our code of conduct sets out what we expect from the traders we endorse, and helps to protect consumers. All the traders on the scheme sign up to our code of conduct. You can read it here.
Our standard assessment process includes a credit report, customer reference checks and a visit from a Which? Trusted Traders trading standards professional. The assessor will come to your premises to interview you. It usually takes about 90 minutes. During the visit, you’ll be assessed on your business processes, documents, staff, and complaints procedures. Your assessor will make sure you understand and commit to our code of conduct. We will also seek feedback from a selection of your most recent customers, from whom you will need to gain permission.
Your assessor will usually give you some actions, which you’ll need to complete before you join the scheme. This might include things like amending your paperwork, adding our complaints procedure to your website, and sending us any subcontractor information.
We regularly monitor our traders to ensure they continue to meet the requirements and high standards of the scheme.
One of our assessors may need to re-visit your premises. If we need to do so (other than as part of our regular re-assessment process) for reasons such as a failure to continue to comply with the requirements of the scheme, including the Code of Conduct; changes to your business including a change to or expansion of your services or a change of ownership; or you are not replying to our correspondence, we may charge you a fee for such visit. The current fee for such visits is set out under the costs section of these FAQs.
Once you’ve applied and paid the assessment fee, within 48 hours you’ll need to send us:
NOTE - A DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check, was previously known as the CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check.
Once we’ve got these, we’ll set up a date and time for your business assessment. The type of assessment you’ll get depends on the size and type of your business. The target deadline from application to endorsement is 30 working days.
We aim to get you endorsed within 30 days of applying to join the scheme. But this depends on how quickly you can send us the documents we need, and the dates you’re available for our assessor to visit you.