TrustATrader Welcomes Government Crackdown on Cowboy Builders

Online trade directory supports new government measures to ensure tradespeople meet the highest standards.

Stevenage, UK, September 9, 2026 -- TrustATrader, one of the UK’s most reliable online trade directories, has today welcomed the Government's announcement proclaiming a crackdown on cowboy builders. The online trade directory says that the new plans align with the company’s core mission statement: to make sure every homeowner can find a trader they genuinely put their trust in.

The Government announced a package of measures to close the loopholes that have allowed unscrupulous traders to take money from households, including a new scheme to help identify and hire trusted traders with confidence from September. It is a problem that TrustATrader has worked to solve for over 20 years, with its Founder and CEO, Gary McEwan, commenting that:

"We built TrustATrader because too many people were being let down by bad tradespeople, and that is a problem that still has not gone away in the industry. Our members are checked before they go live and monitored afterwards, because everything we do is about giving people traders they can trust. We welcome the Government's announcement. It is a step in the right direction, and we hope it encourages more people to look for the kind of reassurance our vetted, reviewed members have provided for more than 20 years."

TrustATrader works by vetting tradespeople before they’re added to its system. To become a member, a trader must provide evidence of relevant qualifications, membership of any recognised trade associations, public liability insurance, photo ID and proof of address dated within the last three months, all as required by UK law. These checks undergo regular reviews to ensure that all TrustATrader members continue to meet the high standards; traders must also provide references from previous customers that TrustATrader will contact and verify independently.

It is hoped that the new Government proposals will force traders to behave more professionally and maintain their own high standards. TrustATrader believes it can work well alongside these new rules to build an even bigger database of tradespeople for homeowners across the UK to search.

About TrustATrader

Established in 2005, TrustATrader is a leading online trade directory that helps people find approved businesses to conduct work on their homes. Traders become members by passing all of the necessary eligibility checks, which have been designed to ensure that each trader is trustworthy and reliable. The TrustATrader sticker has now become a source of authenticity for tradespeople across the UK, and it helps homeowners easily identify trustworthy traders.

Contact Info:
Name: Cai Simpson
Email: Send Email
Organization: TrustATrader
Address: TrustATrader, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2EF
Phone: 07728722679
Website: https://www.trustatrader.com/

Release ID: 89202866

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