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Consumer Protection

We work with our Scheme Providers and Registered Businesses to improve consumer protection and standards across all sectors

Quality Assurance

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All Registered Businesses are vetted and monitored by our Scheme Providers to ensure they meet high standards of technical competence, customer service and trading practices. Our Scheme Providers carry out these checks so you don’t have to.

TrustMark undertakes ongoing monitoring of Scheme Providers and for works lodged in our Data Warehouse we carry out both desktop monitoring and risk-based inspections on works carried out by Registered Businesses to give even greater assurance that you’re making the right choice.

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Dispute Resolution Process

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Quality assurance and effective consumer protection is at the heart of everything TrustMark aims to deliver.

However, we recognise that occasionally things don’t go as planned and it is important that if this happens consumers can access a clear, user-friendly process. This process ensures that complaints are resolved efficiently and fairly, which is why we’ve made this a requirement for Registered Businesses and Scheme Providers. Most problems can be resolved quickly and easily by contacting the business directly, but if that does not resolve the problem, further help is on hand.

To give consumers an additional layer of protection and to reinforce our commitment to quality and consumer protection, we are members of the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman (DRO).

In the unlikely event that the complaints process of the Registered Business and Scheme Provider is exhausted and the dispute remains unresolved, consumers have the option to raise a dispute with the DRO who independently investigates the complaint to help reach and fair and reasonable outcome.

Our ‘If Things Go Wrong’ page gives more information on what to do in the event of a problem.

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Complaints Process

Trading Standards Approved

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TrustMark offers a national ‘Trading Standards Approved’ option of a membership for its Registered Businesses as an additional level of customer confidence delivered through its primary authority partner, Buckinghamshire & Surrey Trading Standards.

TrustMark actively works with Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards to ensure that our vetting criteria for businesses through our Scheme Providers and the operation of the TrustMark Quality scheme meets and exceeds their minimum standards.

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Our Registered Businesses Financial Protection -

Insurance Against the Tradesperson ceasing to trade

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This can vary between businesses but as a minimum must cover:

2-year post completion of workmanship
Rectification of defects or major damage
Non-compliance with Building Regulations

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Minimum Two-Year Product Warranties & Workmanship Cover

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Registered Businesses are expected to provide a minimum two-year guarantee.

Please ensure you obtain further information from the Registered Business about this before contracting for works.

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Minimum 25-Year Guarantees for Certain Measures

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Minimum 25-year guarantees are mandatory for certain Energy Efficiency Measures under ECO. Including:

External Wall Insulation
Internal Wall Insulation
Cavity Wall Insulation
Hybrid Wall Insulation
Park Home Insulation
Room-In-Roof Insulation
Under Floor Insulation

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Trusted Payments for Homeowners & Registered Businesses

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Registered Businesses trading records and financial positions are checked by Scheme Providers when they are first registered under the TrustMark Scheme. They are also subject to monitoring and audit to ensure they continue to meet TrustMark’s high standards. However, such checks cannot guarantee that a business will never encounter financial difficulties whilst works are being undertaken.

As a consumer, when you engage with a tradesperson, you're taking a leap of faith with a large sum of money, usually by bank transfer, at the exact point you have the least information and the least leverage. Once the money has left the account, it is gone.

Trusted Payments removes that leap of faith. Your money is released to the trade based on milestones, only as you sign off work. The finished work carries a warranty, so if something goes wrong an independent Ombudsman decides the outcome, and if the tradesperson doesn’t put it right the warranty pays for it to be fixed.

They help set expectations, help document the process, and provide a simple process for agreement of any changes.

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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 with an organisation that has been thoroughly vetted to meet required standards and has made a commitment to good customer service.

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