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Customer due diligence is essential before any work or payment

NI Trades is an introduction service. The checks described on this page are carried out at application stage only. They are not ongoing or real-time. Insurance, credentials and business status can lapse, be revoked, or be cancelled at any time after our check without our knowledge. Before any work begins and before any money is paid, the customer must satisfy themselves directly with the tradesperson as to current insurance cover, current statutory credentials, identity, references, written quote and scope of work. NI Trades does not supervise, inspect, warrant or guarantee any work and accepts no responsibility for the conduct of any tradesperson introduced through the platform.

The six checks

What we check at application

Every tradesperson goes through all six before their profile is visible to homeowners. No exceptions.

Photo ID checked

Every applicant submits a current government-issued photo ID (passport or driving licence) at application. An NI Trades administrator reviews it before the profile goes live. ID images are stored in an access-restricted location and used only for identity verification at application stage.

Insurance evidenced

Applicants must evidence a current public liability insurance policy of at least £1,000,000 cover at application. We confirm the policy is in force on the date we review it, nothing more. We do not run ongoing re-checks. Customers must ask the tradesperson for proof of current insurance immediately before any work or any payment.

References contacted

Each applicant supplies two contactable references and we contact them by email or phone. References are nominated by the tradesperson and we do not visit sites, inspect completed work, or independently verify the relationship. References are an indicative check at application stage only.

Credentials verified

If a tradesperson claims a statutory or industry credential (Gas Safe, NICEIC, NAPIT, CSCS, FENSA, Certass etc.), we require evidence at application and check the registration number against the relevant public register on the day. Credentials can be revoked or lapse after our check. Customers should re-check before any legally regulated work.

Closed review system

Only homeowners who posted a job through NI Trades and recorded a hire can leave a review for that tradesperson. We do not allow open public review submissions, which makes review-bombing and fake-positive review campaigns considerably harder to execute.

Warnings and suspensions

Substantiated complaints verified by our trust and safety team can result in formal warnings on the account. Repeated warnings can trigger suspension and manual review. Suspended accounts are hidden from homeowners and cannot accept new work. The warning system addresses platform behaviour only, not your legal remedies.

The limits

What our vetting does not cover

Being explicit here matters. Vetting is a snapshot, not a guarantee. Here is exactly what it does and does not do.

Our checks are carried out at application stage only. We do not run continuous, scheduled or real-time monitoring of insurance, credentials, identity, or business status after a profile goes live.
A "Verified" badge or displayed credential confirms only that we received and reviewed a document at application stage on a specific date. It is not an endorsement, certification, accreditation or guarantee of competence, work quality, conduct, or current status.
Insurance can lapse at any time after our application check (non-payment, mid-term cancellation, refusal to renew or the tradesperson letting cover expire). We are not notified when this happens. Customers must always request and review proof of current public liability insurance directly from the tradesperson immediately before any work or any payment.
References are nominated by the tradesperson and contacted by NI Trades only by email or phone. We do not visit sites, inspect completed work, photograph work, or independently verify the identity of references or the nature or quality of the work they describe.
Trade credentials (Gas Safe, NICEIC, NAPIT, FENSA, etc.) are checked against the relevant public register on the day of application only. They can be revoked, suspended or lapsed afterwards without our knowledge. Always re-check on the relevant public register before commissioning legally regulated work.
Reviews reflect individual customer experience and are not a quality guarantee of future work.
NI Trades is an introduction service only. We are not a party to any contract for work between a homeowner and a tradesperson, we do not supervise or inspect any work, and we do not warrant the work itself, its workmanship, or its compliance with any building regulation, statute, or contract term.
Customer due diligence is mandatory. Before any work begins and before any money changes hands the customer must satisfy themselves as to the tradesperson's identity, current insurance cover, current statutory credentials, business status, references, written quote, scope of work, payment terms, and dispute resolution. NI Trades has no part in that decision and accepts no responsibility for it.

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