TrustMark - latest key facts
18 Jun 2012
- TrustMark is the Government endorsed not-for-profit quality mark for tradesmen. It is an independent scheme owned and operated under licence from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and is a registered social enterprise.
- Launched in 2006, TrustMark is the only scheme supported by Government, industry and consumer protection groups covering the whole of the UK.
- It has the largest database of accredited tradesmen in the UK, providing national coverage with over 20,000 licenced trades searchable on its database. Over 90% of the TrustMark registered firms are SMEs, but it also includes some much larger national firms.
- TrustMark provides a free and easy service to householders to select a tradesman with confidence, knowing the firms' competence and fair trading practices have been independently checked.
- Firms are vetted and then registered with TrustMark via Scheme Operators. They sign up to a carefully-monitored and audited code of practice that includes insurance, good health and safety practices and customer care.
- TrustMark is the only scheme that requires on-site inspections to check workmanship and trading practices - and these checks must be carried out by independent, qualified inspectors.
- TrustMark firms work to Government endorsed standards and are able to offer insurance backed warranties and deposit protection, as well as operating a user-friendly complaints procedure. The insurance covers deposits, pre-payments and work in progress should the firm cease trading. It also covers, as a minimum, two years warranty on materials, designs and workmanship.
- TrustMark standards are developed by a range of consumer and industry interests in order to achieve the right balance between consumer protection, industry practicalities and costs.
- In 2011 TrustMark tradesmens' details were viewed more than 3.2 million times. There are about 300,000 viewings of firms' details every month on www.trustmark.org.uk.
- Numbers of complaints regarding TrustMark and the compliance of Scheme Operators are very
low for the RMI sector. Latest figures suggest a ratio of one complaint per 9,500 jobs done.
For further information about TrustMark visit www.trustmark.org.uk
or contact Georgina Watkins, Tel: 07595 158460, Email: georgina@georginawatkins.com