What Does ‘Vetted Contractor’ Mean?
Only what was actually checked. There's no standard definition behind the word, so the useful question is always which checks, how and when.
The short answer
Only what was actually checked. So ask which checks, and when.
"Vetted contractor" means a contractor has been checked by someone before being put forward to you, but there's no legal definition and no standard list of checks behind the word. One company's vetting might be a quick look at reviews; another's might cover insurance, references and previous work. The only way to know what it means in a particular case is to ask what was checked, how it was checked and when.
A business that vets properly will be glad to tell you, because the detail is what makes its checks worth something. A vague answer is itself a useful piece of information. This page explains why the word varies so much, what good vetting tends to include, and the questions that pin it down.
Why the word varies
Directories, networks and schemes all use it differently
You'll see "vetted" on trade directories, on referral services, on contractor networks and in builders' own marketing. Each uses it to mean something slightly different. Some check documents when a business signs up. Some rely on the business declaring things about itself. Some carry on checking over time; others don't.
Official and industry schemes tend to be clearer, because they publish their own standards and let you look up members. Our guide to trade accreditation schemes explains how they work, and directories vs networks vs going direct compares the main routes to a builder.
None of this makes one approach right and another wrong. A light check can still be useful if you know that's what it is. The trouble starts when a light check is described in the same words as a thorough one, and you can't tell the difference from the outside.
What vetting can cover
Checks that sit behind the word, when it's done well
Nobody checks everything. These are the kinds of checks worth asking about.
Insurance
Whether the contractor holds public liability insurance, and whether a certificate was seen rather than just a tick in a box.
Business details
That the business is who it says it is: name, trading status and, for a limited company, its public record.
Reviews and references
Whether reviews were read and references actually contacted, and whether there were enough to mean something.
Previous work
Evidence of experience in the kind of work they'll be doing for you, not just in building generally.
Registrations
Where the law requires it, such as Gas Safe registration for gas work, whether registration was confirmed on the official register.
What happens later
Whether anything is checked again after joining, and what happens to a contractor who falls short.
Questions to ask
Four questions that turn "vetted" into something you can check
Which checks, specifically?
Ask for the list. A good answer names the checks rather than describing them as thorough or rigorous.
Were documents seen, or just declared?
A contractor saying they're insured is different from someone having seen the certificate.
When were the checks done?
At joining only, or since? Insurance renews, businesses change hands and standards slip.
What happens if a contractor falls short?
Ask whether a contractor who lets customers down is removed, and how complaints are handled.
Telling answers apart
What a useful answer sounds like
A vague answer sounds like this: "All our contractors are fully vetted and trusted professionals." It uses the word again without explaining it. A useful answer sounds more like this: "We saw their public liability certificate, read their reviews, spoke to two recent customers and looked at photographs of similar jobs before they joined." You may not need every one of those checks, but you can see exactly what was done.
Once you know what was checked, you can decide what's left for you to check yourself. If insurance was covered, you might simply confirm it's in date for your job. If previous work wasn't, you might ask to see some. Our guide on how to vet a builder sets out the full range of checks, so you can fill any gaps.
Even thorough checks are a snapshot taken at a point in time. Treat "vetted" as a head start on your own checks rather than a replacement for them: still read the quote carefully, confirm the insurance for your job and keep things in writing. Our contractor checking checklist sets out the checks worth doing yourself.
Where Mortaro fits
What vetted means when we say it
We name our checks rather than use the word on its own. Before a contractor in our network is introduced to customers, we check their public liability insurance, their reviews and references, the warranties they provide, their trade experience and prior work history, and their ability to meet our standards.
We don't carry out DBS checks, and we don't claim to verify trade scheme memberships. Contractors who fail to meet our standards are removed from the network. The full picture, including what the checks don't cover, is on our contractor network page.
Straight answers
Questions about vetted contractors
Does vetted mean the contractor is insured?
Only if insurance was one of the checks. Ask, and ask to see the certificate for your job. Our answer on checking a builder's insurance shows what to look for.
Does vetted mean the work will be checked?
Usually not. Vetting is about the contractor before a job starts. Inspecting the work while it happens is a separate thing, and few vetting services do it.
Is a vetted contractor the same as an accredited one?
Not necessarily. Accreditation usually means membership of a named scheme with its own published standards. Vetting can mean almost anything, so ask.
Start here
Tell us about the work you have in mind
We will confirm we cover your postcode, arrange a site visit with a contractor from our network and send you a written quotation. No charge, no obligation.