What Documents Do I Need to Join?
Evidence of four things: public liability insurance, reviews and references, trade experience and work history, and your workmanship warranty terms.
The short answer
Evidence of four things, matched to the checks we make.
To join the network you need evidence of your public liability insurance, your reviews and references, your trade experience and prior work history, and the workmanship warranty you give customers. Those line up with the checks we complete before introducing you to any customer. The fifth check, whether you can meet our standards, isn't a document. It is a conversation, and then your first few jobs.
The list is short on purpose. We name the checks we actually make rather than asking for a pile of paperwork we don't use.
What we ask for
The five checks, and what each needs
Public liability insurance
Evidence that you hold appropriate public liability cover for the work you do. See what insurance is required?
Reviews and references
Reviews from customers and references we can speak to, sufficient in number and quality to give a fair picture of how you work.
Warranty terms
The workmanship warranty you provide. Every contractor in the network agrees to a minimum of 12 months; on larger works it is typically longer.
Trade experience
Evidence of the trade you work in and how long you have been doing it.
Prior work history
Examples of jobs you have completed that show the kind of work you would be taking on through us.
Ability to meet our standards
Not a document. We talk through response times, site visits and quotes, and your early jobs show the rest.
Why these
What each one tells us
Insurance matters because you are working in someone's home as their main contractor. The cover is yours, and it has to be in place before any customer is introduced.
Reviews and references are the nearest thing to seeing how you treat customers before we send you one. We look for enough of them, and good enough, to be confident.
Warranty terms matter because the workmanship warranty is yours, not ours, and it is confirmed in the customer's quotation. We need to know what you offer so the customer does too. It usually runs from completion.
Trade experience and work history tell us the jobs we offer you will be ones you are well placed to carry out.
The detail of how these checks fit into joining is in contractor onboarding and vetting, and the ongoing expectations in what we need from contractors.
When we ask
Where the documents fit in joining
You enquire
A short note about your business. No documents at this stage. Start with how do I join the network?
We read it
A person reviews your enquiry. If it looks like a fit, we send the full application.
You apply
This is where the evidence above is provided, and where we talk through your areas, rates and our standards.
We complete the checks
All five checks are completed before you are introduced to any customer. What follows is set out in what happens after I apply?
Providing documents and completing the checks costs you nothing. There is no application fee and no joining fee. See do you charge for leads?
Getting ready
Having it to hand makes applying quicker
None of this is unusual paperwork for an established trade business, and most contractors already have it. Before you apply, it helps to have your public liability policy details ready, a few customers who are happy to act as references, and links to where your reviews can be read.
For trade experience and work history, examples of jobs you have completed are the most useful evidence, particularly ones similar to the work you want to take on through us. For warranty terms, the wording you normally give customers is enough.
If something on the list is thin, for instance you are newly trading under your own name, say so when you enquire. A person reads every enquiry, and it is better to talk it through at the start.
Before and after
What we check, and what you carry forward
The checks happen before your first introduction. Some of what they cover is yours to keep in place on every job after that.
Checked before introduction
- Public liability insurance
- Reviews and references
- Warranty terms
- Trade experience and prior work history
- Ability to meet our standards
Yours to keep in place
- Your public liability cover
- Your workmanship warranty to each customer
- The standards on response, visits and quotes
- Professional conduct on site
Straight answers
Document questions
Do I need to send documents with my first enquiry?
No. The enquiry is just about your business. Evidence is provided at the full application stage.
What is the minimum workmanship warranty?
Every contractor in the network agrees to a minimum of 12 months. The terms are yours to set and are confirmed in the customer's quotation. More on the contractor network hub.
Are the checks done before I get any work?
Yes. All five checks are completed before you are introduced to any customer.
For contractors
Tell us about your business
Your trade, the areas you cover and the size of work you take on. A person reads every enquiry, and if it looks like a fit we will send you the full application.