How to pass a Which? Trusted Trader assessment

Being a Which? Trusted Trader shows you are a reputable business that meets the highest standards. This gives potential customers the confidence to hire you, which helps you grow your business.  

There are other benefits too. You’ll be able to display the Trusted Trader logo on your vehicles, marketing materials and more to stand out from the crowd. Plus, your online profile will feature reviews that potential customers can trust. You’ll also get full access to Which? magazine and the website - worth £99 - when you join the scheme.

To make sure the businesses we endorse are truly worthy of Which? Trusted Trader status, we carry out a rigorous assessment. This includes checking your credit report, examining customer references and visiting you at your premises. During the visit, we’ll assess your business processes, documentation, staff and complaints procedures.

To make the process as quick and easy as possible, it helps to be aware of common issues that can arise during an assessment. Here’s how to prepare.

Common assessment issues   

The most frequent issue our assessors come across is traders not having the correct information on their documentation, such as letters and order forms. 

Limited companies are legally required to include the company’s name, registered number and registered office address. You also need to state where in the UK the company is registered – England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland – and the fact that it’s a limited company. 

If you’re a sole trader or partnership, you need to include your full name (or names if there are other people involved) and the business name you’re trading as. You should also include your trading address.

New rules on the address you can use as your registered office and the company name you choose were introduced in March 2024. There is also additional information you now need to provide to Companies House. Find out more in our guide to Companies House changes. 

Other details our assessors often find missing from quotes and invoices are payment terms and methods. You need to state when you expect the customer to pay and how much they need to pay at different stages, along with how they can pay. Provide bank details if they can pay by bank transfer, for example.

Your insurance policies, such as employers’ and public liability insurance, must be based on accurate information, such as the correct business name and numbers of employees and subcontractors. This is also something that trips traders up during assessments.

How to prepare for an assessment

It’s important to do your homework before you’re assessed. ‘Update your paperwork and read your insurance policy documents to make sure your policy is up to date,’ advises Gareth Jones, quality assurance team leader for Which? Trusted Traders. ‘If you’re unsure, check with your insurer.’ 

It’s also a good idea to check whether your insurance has any endorsements – amendments to your policy that affect what’s covered. ‘A common endorsement is a restriction on working from height, which would obviously be no good for a scaffolder,’ adds Gareth.

Passing future assessments

We regularly reassess Trusted Traders to make sure they still meet our high standards. To ensure you do:

• let us know about any changes to your business
• make sure your paperwork and insurance policies are up to date
• deal with any customer complaints quickly and in a professional and polite manner
• if you end up in a dispute with a customer, communicate clearly with them about what you’re going to do as a result, and when.

If any issues come up during a reassessment or at any other time, you may be assessed further by one of our trading standards professionals. This is to review whether your business is still suitable to remain on the endorsement scheme.

A number of things can trigger a reassessment outside of regular ones. ‘These include a sudden increase in complaints about the trader, the business taking on new sectors of work, or changes to the management or organisation of the company,’ says Gareth.

Where to look for guidance

When you apply for the scheme, you’ll be allocated an endorsement coordinator who will help you complete any actions required to become a Trusted Trader. However, there are a number of sources of information you can use to help you get ready for an assessment and meet as many of our criteria as possible.

Your first ports of call should be the Which? Trusted Traders Code of Conduct and our guide to what we expect of you as a Trusted Trader. It’s also worth referring to the Trading Standards Business Companion website. This gives you a useful overview of the consumer protection laws that apply to traders and the standards you have to meet. There’s a separate website on the law in Northern Ireland. 

With the right preparation, you can breeze through your assessment and get endorsed as a Which? Trusted Trader in no time. For more information about how to apply, the costs of joining the scheme, the assessment process and what you need to know once you’re endorsed, visit our frequently asked questions page.