Rated People Platform Terms of Use

Effective from: 17 September 2026

How Rated People works

Rated People helps you find and connect with tradespeople.

If you submit details of work through Rated People, we’ll only share or match those details with Checkatrade Group tradespeople, who can choose whether to respond.

If you hire a tradesperson, your contract for the work is with that tradesperson, not Rated People or Checkatrade.

Quick Summary

Here are the key things to know about using the Platform:

• Finding a tradesperson: You can search for or message tradespeople, or submit details of work you need. Work submitted through the Platform will only be shared with or matched to our tradespeople.
• Checkatrade tradespeople: A tradesperson has passed Checkatrade’s up to 12 checks and can be contacted through the Platform. Free-profile tradespeople haven’t been through Checkatrade’s checks and can’t be contacted through the Platform.
• Who provides the work: We help customers and tradespeople connect, but we don’t provide the trade services. If you hire a tradesperson, your contract for the work is with them.
• Checkatrade Guarantee: Eligible work arranged on the Platform by a Checkatrade tradesperson may be covered by the Checkatrade Guarantee, please check the Guarantee Terms.
• Platform fees: Some Platform features or services may have a fee. If a fee applies, we’ll show you the amount and what it’s for before you incur it.

This Quick Summary highlights some of the key points only. Please read the full Platform Terms below.

These Platform Terms explain how you can use the Rated People Platform, including how customers find Checkatrade tradespeople, how reviews and payments work, and the rules that apply when using the Platform.

1. About Rated People

The Platform is operated by Averton Ltd (trading as Rated People). Averton Ltd is part of the Checkatrade Group and may operate or provide parts of the Platform with other members of the Checkatrade Group.

When we say Checkatrade Group, we mean Checkatrade Group Holdings Limited, its subsidiaries, and other entities directly or indirectly under common ownership or control with it.

Entities of the Checkatrade Group may own, operate or provide websites, apps, platforms, products and services under different brands and trading names, including Checkatrade and Rated People.

2. These Platform Terms

These Platform Terms are between you and Averton Ltd. Its registered office is Level 2 Citypoint, 1 Ropemaker Street, London, United Kingdom, EC2Y 9SS and its company number is 17439358.

When we say we, us or our in these Platform Terms, we mean Averton Ltd, unless we expressly say otherwise.

The Platform means ratedpeople.com, our apps and the other websites, digital services, tools, features and content we make available through them.

If you’re a tradesperson, separate terms may also apply to your membership, products or services.

If you don’t agree to these Platform Terms, you should stop using the Platform.

3. How does the Platform work?

We operate the Platform to help customers find and connect with Checkatrade tradespeople.

A Checkatrade tradesperson is a tradesperson who has passed Checkatrade’s up to 12 checks and can be contacted through the Checkatrade Platform.

Customers may be able to search for or message Checkatrade tradespeople, or submit details of work they need through the Platform. When you submit details of work, they will only be shared with or matched to Checkatrade tradespeople, who can choose whether to respond.

You may also see free tradesperson profiles on Checkatrade. These tradespeople haven’t been through Checkatrade’s checks and can’t be contacted through the Platform.

We act as an intermediary. We don’t provide the trade services advertised or arranged through the Platform.

If a customer hires a Checkatrade tradesperson, the contract for the work is between the customer and that tradesperson. We aren’t a party to that contract and we aren’t responsible for providing or completing the work.

This doesn’t affect any responsibility we have for the Platform or other services we provide directly to you.

4. What other terms and policies apply?

Other terms and policies may apply depending on how you use the Platform, including our:

• Privacy Notice;
• Trade Privacy Notice;
• Cookie Policy;
• Acceptable Use Policy; and
• Checkatrade Guarantee Terms, where applicable.

If you’re a Checkatrade tradesperson, your Confirmation Email, Product Terms, Master Service Terms and applicable trade policies may also apply to your membership and services.

5. Who can use the Platform?

The Platform is intended for use in the United Kingdom. You must be at least 18 to use it and must use it lawfully and in line with these Platform Terms.

You may need an account to use certain features.

We may ask you for information or evidence to confirm your identity, age or other relevant details where we reasonably need this to prevent or investigate fraud or unlawful activity, protect users or the Platform, or meet our legal or regulatory obligations.

You must provide information we reasonably request. We’ll handle personal information in line with the relevant Privacy Notice.

You’re responsible for keeping your account secure. If you believe someone has accessed your account without permission or is impersonating you or your business, please contact us promptly and take appropriate steps to secure your account.

6. How do customers find and choose a Checkatrade tradesperson?

We use technology to decide which Checkatrade tradespeople to show or match to customers. The main factors we take into account include:

• how relevant the Checkatrade tradesperson is to what the customer is looking for;
• reviews;
• the availability of Checkatrade tradespeople;
• location; and
• relevant market conditions.

The factors we use and their importance may vary depending on the search, the customer and how the Platform develops, so search and matching results may vary.

A Checkatrade tradesperson can choose whether to respond and may provide a quote through the Platform. The quote and price come from the tradesperson, not us and, unless we expressly tell you otherwise, we don’t set, approve or underwrite the price.

It’s up to the customer to decide whether a Checkatrade tradesperson is suitable and whether to accept their quote. We recommend agreeing important details in writing, including the work, price, timing and materials.

If you hire a Checkatrade tradesperson, your contract for the work is with that tradesperson. We aren’t a party to it.

7. What happens if there’s a problem with the work?

If a dispute arises between a customer and a Checkatrade tradesperson about the work or their contract, they are responsible for resolving it between themselves.

We aren’t a party to their contract and aren’t responsible for loss or damage caused by the acts or omissions of the customer or Checkatrade tradesperson under that contract.

This doesn’t prevent us from investigating a complaint or taking action where information provided to us may show that a Checkatrade tradesperson or another user has breached our terms, policies or standards.

It also doesn’t exclude or limit any responsibility we have for our own breach of these Platform Terms or where liability can’t legally be excluded.

8. What is the Checkatrade Guarantee?

Eligible work completed by a Checkatrade tradesperson may be covered by the Checkatrade Guarantee, subject to its eligibility requirements and exclusions.

You can find full details in the Checkatrade Guarantee Terms.

9. What can you upload to the Platform?

You may be able to upload or share text, photographs, images, videos, reviews, information and other materials through the Platform. We call this Your Content.

You keep ownership of Your Content, but you’re responsible for it. You must make sure that:

• it’s accurate, genuine and not misleading;
• you own it or have all the rights and permissions needed to share it with us;
• it doesn’t infringe anyone else’s rights; and
• it complies with the law, these Platform Terms and our Acceptable Use Policy.

How can we use Your Content?

When you provide Your Content to us, you give us a worldwide, perpetual, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable and sublicensable licence to use, copy, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, distribute, display, perform and otherwise exploit Your Content in any media.

This includes the right to use Your Content to operate, develop, improve, market and promote our Platform, brands and services, and to license, sublicense or otherwise make Your Content available to third parties, without payment to you.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, you waive your moral rights in Your Content and agree not to assert those rights against us or anyone we authorise to use Your Content.

How do we manage Content?

We may monitor or review content to protect users, enforce our terms and policies, and manage illegal or harmful content. We may use automated systems or AI to help us do this.

We may edit, restrict or remove content where appropriate under these Platform Terms or our policies. We may also make limited edits for spelling, grammar, punctuation, length or clarity.

Where legally permitted, we may disclose information about you to someone who claims that Your Content infringes their intellectual property, privacy or other legal rights.

10. How do reviews work?

Customers may be able to leave reviews about services provided by Checkatrade tradespeople. If you leave a review, you must follow our Consumer Review Guidelines.

If you’re a Checkatrade tradesperson, our Trade Review Guidelines explain the rules that apply to reviews, including how you can respond to or raise concerns about them.

Reviews must reflect the customer’s genuine experience, be accurate and not misleading, and must not infringe anyone else’s rights. You must not create, commission or help arrange fake or misleading reviews.

We may check, investigate, reject, edit or remove reviews where appropriate under our review guidelines and policies. We may also share reviews and related information as explained in our Privacy Notice.

11. How do payments and Platform fees work?

We may allow customers to pay Checkatrade tradespeople through the Platform using a third-party payment provider.

The payment provider is responsible for processing the payment. We may provide related Platform features, payment information, reminders and support.

The Checkatrade tradesperson remains responsible for the amount they charge for their trade services.

Some Platform features or services may have a fee, including payment or booking features. If a fee applies, we’ll clearly show you the amount and what it’s for before you incur it.

12. How do we use your personal information?

We use personal information in line with our Privacy Notice and Trade Privacy Notice, as applicable.

Our Cookie Policy explains how we use cookies and similar technologies.

13. Will the Platform always be available?

We don’t guarantee that the Platform or every feature will always be available, uninterrupted or error-free. It may sometimes be unavailable because of maintenance, updates, technical or security issues, or circumstances outside our reasonable control.

We may update the Platform and add, change or remove features from time to time.

Where another contract with you requires us to provide a particular service or feature, the terms of that contract will also apply.

14. Who owns the Platform and its content?

We and our licensors own the intellectual property rights in the Platform and the content we provide through it, including its design, text, graphics, images, logos, software, audio, video, data and source code.

We give you a personal, revocable, non-exclusive and non-transferable licence to use the Platform for its intended purpose and in line with these Platform Terms. If you’re a customer, this licence is for personal, non-commercial use.

You must not copy, reproduce, modify, commercially exploit, reverse-engineer or make the Platform or its source code available to another person.

Our names, logos, branding and other marks are owned by us or our licensors. These Platform Terms don’t give you permission to use them other than as necessary for normal use of the Platform.

If you use our intellectual property without permission, we may take action under these Platform Terms and any other rights available to us.

15. Does Rated People use artificial intelligence?

We may use artificial intelligence and other automated technologies (AI) to operate, support, develop and improve the Platform and our services, including technology provided by other members of the Checkatrade Group or third parties.

AI-generated information may not always be accurate or complete, so you should check important information before relying on it.

16. What about third-party websites and services?

The Platform and communications we send may contain links to websites, apps or services operated by third parties.

Those services are controlled by the relevant third party, not us. You should check their terms and privacy information before using them.

A link from us doesn’t, by itself, mean that we endorse the third party or accept responsibility for its products or services.

17. When can we restrict or suspend an account?

We may restrict or suspend your account or access to all or part of the Platform if we reasonably believe this is necessary to:

• protect you, other users, us or the Platform;
• prevent or investigate fraud, unlawful activity, security issues or misuse of the Platform;
• investigate or respond to content or behaviour that may breach these Platform Terms or our other applicable policies;
• comply with a legal or regulatory requirement; or
• enforce these Platform Terms.

Depending on the circumstances, we may restrict features, remove content, suspend your account or close it.

If you’re a Checkatrade tradesperson, your separate trade terms and Deactivation and Sanctions Policy may contain additional provisions about suspension, deactivation and termination of your services.

18. What are we responsible for, and not?

The Platform

We’ll use reasonable care and skill in providing the Platform where the law requires us to do so.

However, we don’t guarantee that the Platform will always be uninterrupted or error-free, that user-generated information will always be accurate or current, or that the Platform will be free from every technical or security problem.

Checkatrade tradespeople and their work

We aren’t responsible for providing or carrying out the services a customer buys from a Checkatrade tradesperson, or for losses caused by the acts or omissions of the customer or tradesperson under their separate contract.

If you’re a tradesperson

If you’re a tradesperson, we won’t be liable for indirect or consequential loss or damage arising from your use of the Platform, including loss of business, opportunity, data, profits or revenue.

Your separate trade agreement may contain additional provisions governing our liability to you.

Our £50 liability cap

Subject to the section below, our total liability to you for any claim or series of related claims arising from these Platform Terms is limited to £50.

Liability we don’t exclude

Nothing in these Platform Terms excludes or limits our liability for:

• death or personal injury caused by our negligence;
• fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation;
• statutory rights that can’t lawfully be excluded or limited; or
• any other liability that the law doesn’t allow us to exclude or limit.

If you’re a customer, you have legal rights when using the Platform. Nothing in these Platform Terms affects rights that can’t legally be excluded.

19. How can you close your account?

Customers can stop using the Platform at any time and, where the functionality is available, delete their account using the account deletion feature.

We may retain information after an account is deleted where explained in our Privacy Notice or where we have another lawful reason to keep it. Once an account has been deleted, it may not be possible to recover it.

If you’re a Checkatrade tradesperson, your separate trade terms govern suspension or termination of your membership and services.

20. Can we change these Platform Terms?

We may update these Platform Terms from time to time, including because of changes to the Platform, our services, legal or regulatory requirements, security requirements or third-party arrangements.

Where a change is material, we’ll provide appropriate notice unless it needs to take effect urgently for legal, regulatory or security reasons.

Updated Platform Terms will be made available through the Platform and changes will apply from the date stated in them.

If you don’t agree to an updated version, you should stop using the Platform.

If you’re a Checkatrade tradesperson, your separate trade terms may contain additional provisions about changes affecting your services.

21. Other legal terms

If a court or other competent authority decides that part of these Platform Terms can’t be enforced, the rest will continue to apply.

We may assign our rights and transfer, delegate or subcontract our obligations under these Platform Terms. Where required, we’ll give you appropriate notice.

Unless these Platform Terms expressly say otherwise, nobody other than you and us has a right to enforce them.

Which law applies?

These Platform Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

If you’re a tradesperson, the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction over disputes relating to these Platform Terms, subject to any different provision in your trade agreement.

If you’re a customer, you can bring a claim against us in the courts of England and Wales. If you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you can also bring a claim in the courts of the country where you live.

We can bring a claim against you in the courts of the country where you live.

22. How to contact Rated People

You can find answers to common questions in our Support Centre.

For questions, complaints or concerns about these Platform Terms or the Platform, please use our Contact Us page or contact us at contact@checkatrade.com.

Version: 17 September 2026