Trustatrader.com

Only the general comment that ISTM its business model - like other such sites - is to make money from charging traders for a listing. So traders are their customers - not you and others looking for traders. Just ask yourself: how likely are they to "de-list" paying traders who get bad reviews from non-paying users like you?

I tried "RatedPeople" - got a really shot roofer from there.

Mysteriously, "RatedPeople" doesn't allow direct mug^H^H^H feedback.

Then was told "Checkatrade" is the business, so got another s*it roofer from there.

Guess what ?

This really is a case of seeing the work being done locally, and actually taking the details where it looks decent.

Agreed, but I have to arrange this from afar. Maybe a day driving around the area is indicated, and taking notes and photos if possible.

Only thing I'd say is to watch for reviews on several site which seem to be almost identical from people with different names. Result skewing on these sort of sites is being peddled and its only policing is the site owner and as these get bigger and bigger it takes more time and is less viable. Add to that that many of these sites seem now to run a kind of reverse system for traders to register themselves for money so they can display the motiff on their paperwork and vans. I feel this is dangerous. Check a trade does this I think. Brian

Is there a local forum/Facebook group/whatever you can ask for recommendations?

Theo

Streetwise?

Or Streetlife is another one (in my area at any rate) which often has people asking for recommendations for various trades - plumbing, gardening, fencing, etc. You have to watch the replies though, because some come from people offering their *own* services - and they may not be 100% unbiased!

I don't believe it!

We have a local Facebook group for events, local issues, etc. but people post and answer such questions.

the one that I have most successfully used is

they don't charge either party any fees so have no vested interest in fiddling references

OTOH, god knows how they make any money so don't expect it to last

tim

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. I am meeting two contractors on Tuesday, one of them being the Emergency Plumber who came out Tuesday night. His employer also does ceiling repairs, and he impressed us as a worker who knows what he's doing. The other is a local trader, whose name I got from BT's online 'phone book. I left messages with three people, he was the only one who bothered to respond. The insurance only need one quote, they will get two estimates.