Checkatrade,Mybuilder, Myhammer ratedpeople etc etc.. Your views?

[alexg]

Are they amu good as I am thinking if joining and one of their reps is coming next week!!

Keep the cash and have xmas or spend it and have a bonanza Xmas next year?!?!!?

 

[Octopus]

^^ but joe public see the glossy slick adverts .......

 

[Pete999]

^^ but joe public see the glossy slick adverts .......

Waste of space should be outed

 

[Santa]

You all agree that these people are "rip off merchants" but how does an ordinary person find a reputable tradesman? You might suggest this site, but there is no guarantee that anyone on here is 'reputable', any more than a Checkatrade member.

I have used them to find someone to replace a fence and he did an excellent job at a reasonable price. Homeserve do my annual boiler maintenance and as far as I know, the guy who has been doing it is pretty competent.

So what do you suggest?

 

[Dillb]

The problem with these s that they dont allow negative reviews, meaning they claim that everything is all good with those registered with them. Where as in reality they provide a expensive trade directory.

 

[Spoon]

The problem with these s that they dont allow negative reviews, meaning they claim that everything is all good with those registered with them. Where as in reality they provide a expensive trade directory.

The thing with that is that the review system will always be abused. The people on there will get friends to do good posts for them, even thought they have had no work done, and also get friends to do bad reviews for competitors.

 

[Dillb]

The thing with that is that the review system will always be abused. The people on there will get friends to do good posts for them, even thought they have had no work done, and also get friends to do bad reviews for competitors.

Which goes to show it as a expensive trade directory.

 

[Pete999]

You all agree that these people are "rip off merchants" but how does an ordinary person find a reputable tradesman? You might suggest this site, but there is no guarantee that anyone on here is 'reputable', any more than a Checkatrade member.

I have used them to find someone to replace a fence and he did an excellent job at a reasonable price. Homeserve do my annual boiler maintenance and as far as I know, the guy who has been doing it is pretty competent.

So what do you suggest?

Does your area publish a local newspaper? they some timeshave a feature about local trademen, mind you they could have got that list fom "check a Trade" I suppose worth a look, or you could try a local electrical wholesaler

 

[peterhyper]

I agree that any site that relies on customer feedbacks runs the risk of the trade person doing their own feedbacks.

I think the point is that check-a-rip-off have loyal trades people paying them to advertise on their website, and they are frankly shafting them with 100% increases in annual fees just to be listed on an online directory. I hope more trades people leave them and advertise elsewhere as I despise companies that try and shaft their loyal customers (the trades people are their customers).

Ironic that check-a-rip-off was apparently started to avoid Joe public being ripped off by dodgey trade people, and now they are instead ripping of the actual trades people!

 

[Spoon]

Ironic that check-a-rip-off was apparently started to avoid Joe public being ripped off by dodgey trade people, and now they are instead ripping of the actual trades people!

It seems that ripping people off is coming the norm.
It's like the holiday companies doubling the price of their holidays when it's school holidays. Do the government help.... No... They join in the rip-off and fine you for taking the kids out of school....
Anyhow, I'm taking things off subject again....

 

[peterhyper]

Apart from 'check a rip off' stitching their customers up (the tradespeople who pay to advertise with them) by increasing their annual fees by up to 100% (as recently mentioned on here), they also used to require a number of customer recommendations before they would have you on their website (I think it was around 8 to 10 customer reviews they required) they now let tradespeople advertise with just 1 customer review.

I really hope the company that bought them out go bust the greedy baskets!

 

[Spoon]

I see that you love and respect this organisation....

 

[Pete999]

I see that you love and respect this organisation....

I love Checkatrade, like a hole in my head, should spend some of that extra cash they will surely get on a name change "Cheatatrade", "Ripoffatrade" something along those lines.

 

[peterhyper]

I love Checkatrade, like a hole in my head, should spend some of that extra cash they will surely get on a name change "Cheatatrade", "Ripoffatrade" something along those lines.

Cheatatrade is perfect and one I will steal for future use.

 

[Spoon]

The problem is, the principle of it was great... It's a pity that it was run by a bunch of people who didn't care about anything except getting lots of money from whoever they can.

 

[Octopus]

Try getting Checkatrade to act on a complaint against one of their members ......

They won't unless a few people complain.

Imho this rather undermines what they stand for .....

 

[Pete999]

Try getting Checkatrade to act on a complaint against one of their members ......

They won't unless a few people complain.

Imho this rather undermines what they stand for .....

Bit like one of the Scams I could mention.

 

[Octopus]

Bit like one of the Scams I could mention.

Hum ... More than one imho

 

[littlespark]

Checkatrade jingle on the morning weather = William Tell Overture = Lone Ranger Theme Song = Cowboy.

'Nuff said

 

[HandySparks]

Apart from 'check a rip off' stitching their customers up (the tradespeople who pay to advertise with them) by increasing their annual fees by up to 100% (as recently mentioned on here), ...

Are you a member of Checkatrade?

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

well the checkatrade lot were taken over by homeserve the house repair insurance outfit. paid a lot of money for it, they paid £54 million for the 60% they didnt already own!!!and have hiked the annual fees, often doubling them in many cases.
A lot of trades have walked away and no doubt the financial team are getting a bit worried with the loss of revenue as at £1k+ per business all it takes is 1000 members to walk and thats a million no longer coming in, that huge outlay for the business suddenly doesnt look so good to the directors... hence why the membership process is now just one review! fully expect to see a load of promos with cheap initial membership fees and trial periods anytime soon.

 

[Pete999]

well the checkatrade lot were taken over by homeserve the house repair insurance outfit. paid a lot of money for it, they paid £54 million for the 60% they didnt already own!!!and have hiked the annual fees, often doubling them in many cases.
A lot of trades have walked away and no doubt the financial team are getting a bit worried with the loss of revenue as at £1k+ per business all it takes is 1000 members to walk and thats a million no longer coming in, that huge outlay for the business suddenly doesnt look so good to the directors... hence why the membership process is now just one review! fully expect to see a load of promos with cheap initial membership fees and trial periods anytime soon.

Does 2 Cowboy outfits make Wertern

 

[telectrix]

Cheatatrade is perfect and one I will steal for future use.

i came up with the term "cheatatrade" 2 weeks ago. it's now my copyright. see post#9.

Checkatrade now under new ownership and fleecing folk! - https://www.electriciansforums.co.uk/threads/checkatrade-now-under-new-ownership-and-fleecing-folk.150447/

 

[Martyn Fletcher]

Made tentative enquiries with Checkatrade a few weeks back and was told I needed 10 customer reviews because they need to confirm those reviews but only really need 6 for me to go live. I said I'd get back to them but had no intention after seeing how much they charge.
Just last week had call back and was asked if I had my 10 reviewers yet, I had to think quickly and replied "Well yes and no, I have 10 people I have done work for, but as I am subbing they're not really my customers". The reply "That's OK, if you contact them and confirm that it's OK for us to call them we can go with that".

DAMN IT! Have to think of something else now before the next call back.

 

[telectrix]

just tell them that you've seen their reviews on a forum, and they're all negative, so if they want you to join, they pay you.

 

[peterhyper]

Are you a member of Checkatrade?

Okay, I think it's time I came clean. I am the new CEO of Checkatrade and I was gauging feedback from various trades to get a feel how they perceive Checkatrade. I also believe that any feedback is good feedback, so thank you all.

Accepted that we (checkatrade) have doubled our yearly fees to our members, and also accepted if you have just one feedback from anyone with no fixed abode we will take you on and shield you from any poor feedback customers attempt to leave you, but as the CEO I must stress there is a limit to the amount of customer complaints our members receive before they will be removed. Any member that receives over 10 customer complaints within 24 hours will be taken off our website for an entire hour (between 3am - 4am the following day).

For a page on our website we will only charge you £1000 as an introductory offer, and after you have worked you nuts off taking it up the tradesmans building up good feedback (remember we won't publish bad feedback) we will then at least double your next annual fee.

I apologise for pretending to be a spark, as I appreciate many of you have had to train hard for up to 2 weeks on one of those courses that Checkatrade are also considering running to entice new members (with no previous electrical experience) that will allow you to carry out any type of electrical work you want in peoples home and become a real spark.

Now that I have exposed myself (not for the first time) I expect my staff to be inundated with calls from members on this forum, so please mention the code: welovetoshaftyou and you will each receive an extra large luminous sticker to put on your vehicle to let potential customers and other tradesmen know how very special you are having passed the incredibly difficult process of becoming a Checkatrade member.

Thank you

 

[peterhyper]

Apologies I got so excited I clicked twice.

 

[HandySparks]

... they pay you.

Actually, they DO pay me. HomeServe PLC are paying 2%pa dividend and are currently trading at around 20% up on 12 months ago.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Made tentative enquiries with Checkatrade a few weeks back and was told I needed 10 customer reviews because they need to confirm those reviews but only really need 6 for me to go live. I said I'd get back to them but had no intention after seeing how much they charge.
Just last week had call back and was asked if I had my 10 reviewers yet, I had to think quickly and replied "Well yes and no, I have 10 people I have done work for, but as I am subbing they're not really my customers". The reply "That's OK, if you contact them and confirm that it's OK for us to call them we can go with that".

DAMN IT! Have to think of something else now before the next call back.

Tell them you cant give them the phone numbers as the gdpr data protection law kicks in tomorrow and you havent obtained permission to give there numbers out. Or if you have a more twisted sense of humour tell checkatrade you cant give them the details as the customers are in process of taking you to county court for one or two minor misunderstandings!

 

[peterhyper]

One review (even that looks suspect) and on cheatatrade:

 

[littlespark]

how do you get a '9' on reliability and timekeeping? You either turn up when you say, or you don't. Were you 1 minute late?