Frequently Asked Questions

TrustMark is the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme that covers work a consumer chooses to have carried out in or around their home

When a consumer chooses a TrustMark Registered Business, they are engaging a business that has been thoroughly vetted to meet required standards, and has made a commitment to good customer service.

There should be no premium for using a TrustMark Registered Business.  These businesses range from sole-traders to household names.

We would always suggest you get a minimum of three quotes for any work you are planning to get done.  You can search for a Registered Business in your area using the Online Directory and can then email or call the business to request a quote or make further enquiries.  

Not all non-TrustMark businesses are rogue traders!

However, using a TrustMark firm gives you additional confidence and peace-of-mind.

TrustMark Scheme Providers conduct a thorough vetting process to ensure all the right checks have been carried out and, should things go wrong, there are processes in place to help make sure you always end up with what you paid for.

All TrustMark Registered Businesses commit to working to the required standards of the Government Endorsed Quality scheme, as laid out in the TrustMark Code of Conduct.

These businesses are monitored and checked by their Scheme Providers, all of which work to the stringent Framework Operating Requirements document as stipulated by TrustMark.

TrustMark requires Registered Businesses to have an inspection no less than every three years by a qualified independent inspector.  The frequency of these inspections will vary between Scheme Providers and many will be visited more frequently than this.  

Additionally, all Registered Businesses must have their insurances and similar documents checked each year by their Scheme Provider.

A Scheme Provider is an organisation working to TrustMark's Framework Operating Requirements to ensure the businesses that join the Government Endorsed Quality scheme through them adhere to required standards.  

Scheme Providers are quality-minded organisations and leaders within their sectors.  They may be trade associations, Competent Person Schemes, governing bodies or certification bodies.  In becoming a TrustMark Scheme Provider an organisation has made a commitment to raising standards within their industry, particularly in relation to; quality of workmanship & service, customer care and commitment to tackling areas of customer detriment or undesirable trading practices.

TrustMark audits the Scheme Providers every year to ensure continued compliance with the Framework Operating Requirements and to assess the frequency and success of the on-site inspections to Registered Businesses.

TrustMark operates under licence from the Government’s Department for Business & Trade. It is overseen by an independent Board ensuring adequate representation of all the industry sectors that TrustMark works with.  This Board will be supplemented by experts from a wide range of industries, applying fresh insight and knowledge to the general running of TrustMark and specific projects and problem-solving.

The Board will be supported by Councils that will provide a robust structure, allowing each sector to feedback directly into the Board and ensure proper engagement with the strategic direction of TrustMark as an organisation.  

TrustMark is a not-for-profit social enterprise.  TrustMark receives a small fee from our Scheme Providers for each Registered Firm that joins the scheme.  It is the choice of each Scheme Provider choice if or how these fees are applied to the Registered Businesses.  However, we expect that in most cases any administration fees for TrustMark membership will be small.

An escrow agreement allows consumers and tradespeople to place agreed funds in a holding account until the contracted works are completed.

This gives consumers the peace-of-mind that their money is protected until agreed works are completed to their satisfaction.  Similarly, tradespeople can be sure that when their job is completed, they will be paid.

The TrustMark escrow option allows you to protect your investment for as little as £6 per party.

For further information click here.

TrustMark has the right to suspend or remove Registered Businesses from the scheme.  The appropriate Scheme Provider must also proactively use information from monitoring processes, complaints and other sources to identify problem organisations that may need disciplinary action or investigation.

The financial track record and credit rating of businesses are checked and monitored by Scheme Providers. However, occasionally businesses do cease to trade.

The following websites provide additional information:  

• The Companies House website: if they’re a limited company (with the letters ‘Ltd’ or ‘Plc’ after their name)
• The Insolvency Register: if they’re an individual (a sole trader) or a partnership - search both the name of the person and their trading name

Get details of the administrator or receiver - the person who is dealing with settling the trader’s debts.

The names of those administrators will usually be on the website of the company that’s no longer solvent. You’ll need this information if you need to make a claim.

It is a requirement of the TrustMark Scheme for businesses to provide financial protection on completed work in the event that they cease to trade and are unable to rectify issues and you should be given a copy of the policy or document.

• Financial Protection

You should contact the guarantee provider to make them aware of the issue and they can advise you on next steps.

The financial track record and credit rating of businesses are checked and monitored by Scheme Providers. However, occasionally businesses do cease to trade.

The following websites provide additional information:

• The Companies House website: if they’re a limited company (with the letters ‘Ltd’ or ‘Plc’ after their name)
• The Insolvency Register: if they’re an individual (a sole trader) or a partnership - search both the name of the person and their trading name

Get details of the administrator or receiver - the person who is dealing with settling the trader’s debts.

The names of those administrators will usually be on the website of the company that’s no longer solvent. You’ll need this information if you need to make a claim.

It is a requirement of the TrustMark Scheme for businesses to provide financial protection on completed work in the event that they cease to trade and are unable to rectify issues and you should be given a copy of the policy or document.

• Financial Protection

You should contact the guarantee provider to make them aware of the issue and they can advise you on next steps.

The Registered Business should have provided you with a copy of your guarantee at the time of completion or shortly after and may be amongst the documents you received when the works were completed. If you cannot find a copy, please contact the Registered Business and ask them to provide it to you.

If they cannot provide it to you, it would be worth asking their Scheme Provider if they can help with identifying the guarantee provider from their monitoring of the business.

If you are unable to obtain a copy of a guarantee having taken the above steps, please contact us at info@trustmark.org.uk and we will provide you with a copy of the guarantee information provided to us by the Registered Business.