FairTrades

What FairTrades does

FairTrades Ltd. is a privately held UK trade association founded in 1983, headquartered in Guildford, Surrey, operating a web-based directory and vetting platform that connects vetted tradesmen (glaziers, builders, roofers, and adjacent home-improvement contractors) with UK homeowners. The company's core product is the 'Find a Tradesman' directory, which lists approximately 2,564 vetted member tradesmen searchable by location or name, supported by a customer review system that has accumulated 780,931-785,315+ homeowner reviews averaging 9.51-9.61 out of 10. FairTrades performs manual vetting including trading history verification, legal and financial checks, reference checks from homeowners, address verification, and a signed Members Charter before approving any member.

The platform is tightly integrated with regulated and partner infrastructure. FairTrades is the longest-standing TrustMark Scheme Provider, giving members access to the government-endorsed TrustMark quality mark with work inspections by the British Board of Agrement. Through its closely associated HomePro operation, FairTrades issues Insurance Backed Guarantees (IBGs) underwritten by Red Sands Insurance Company (Europe) Limited and Accelerant Insurance UK Limited, with 1,188,403 IBGs underwriting £4.313 billion of home improvements cumulatively. An automated IBG issuance process integrates with FENSA, CERTASS, and ASSURE Competent Person Schemes for double glazing. Additional member benefits include a TradePoint discount card (10% off materials at 500+ B&Q outlets), Travis Perkins tool hire discounts, Shermin Finance customer financing accreditation, fuel card savings, and dedicated account management.

FairTrades monetises through two primary streams: (1) annual membership subscriptions from tradesmen at a marketed rate of less than £2.33 per day, and (2) per-job IBG fees of approximately £20-22.97 including IPT, depending on contract value and trade type. The company operates as a B2B2C marketplace: tradesmen are recruited through direct sales and dedicated account managers, while homeowners are acquired organically through the website, TrustMark's national directory (which displays approximately 750,000 contractor details monthly), social media, and word of mouth. Annual member renewal rate exceeds 92%, and 81% of members would recommend FairTrades to other tradesmen, indicating a stable, high-retention recurring revenue model concentrated in the UK home improvement vertical.

Name

FairTrades

Legal name

FairTrades Ltd.

Website

https://fairtrades.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FairTrades is a UK trade association founded in 1983 that operates a vetted tradesmen directory and Insurance Backed Guarantee platform, connecting approximately 2,564 member glaziers, builders, roofers, and home-improvement contractors with UK homeowners through an online search and review platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Guildford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Member Subscriptions: Tradesmen pay an annual membership fee to join FairTrades, gaining access to the directory listing, TrustMark accreditation, IBG offerings, and member benefits. The membership costs less than £2.33 per day according to marketing materials.
2. Insurance Backed Guarantees (IBG): FairTrades charges tradesmen to register Insurance Backed Guarantees for their customers. IBGs underwrite contractor warranties, protecting homeowners if the contractor ceases to trade. Pricing starts from approximately £20-£22.97 per job including IPT.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

FairTrades is a UK trade association founded in 1983 that operates a directory and membership platform connecting vetted home improvement tradesmen (glaziers, builders, roofers) with homeowners. Tradesmen pay an annual membership subscription (less than £2.33 per day) to gain access to TrustMark government-endorsed accreditation, member profile pages, business benefits (TradePoint card, fuel card, tool hire discounts), and the ability to offer HomePro-issued Insurance Backed Guarantees. Homeowners use the Find a Tradesman directory to search, review, and request quotes from 2,564 vetted members who average 9.61/10 ratings across 785,315+ reviews.

Product overview

FairTrades is a UK trade association founded in 1983, offering a platform-and-membership model centred on a Find a Tradesman directory. The core offering combines a vetted tradesperson directory (Find a Tradesman) with a customer review/rating system (Member Reviews), Insurance Backed Guarantees issued via HomePro, and TrustMark government-endorsed accreditation. Members receive a suite of business support tools including a TradePoint discount card, member profile pages, Shermin Finance accreditation for customer payment plans, dedicated account management, and fuel card savings. The IBG Auto-Issue Process automates guarantee issuance for double glazing contractors registered with Competent Person Schemes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Find a Tradesman Directory A nationwide online directory of 2,564 vetted UK tradesmen (glaziers, builders, roofers, bathroom fitters) that homeowners can search by trade, location, or member name. Each member has a profile page with reviews, and homeowners can request job quotes directly through the platform.
• Insurance Backed Guarantees (IBG) HomePro-issued Insurance Backed Guarantees that protect homeowners if a contractor ceases to trade, covering deposits and warranty periods for home improvement work. Underwritten by regulated insurance companies (Red Sands Insurance Company Europe Limited and Accelerant Insurance UK Limited). Pricing starts from approximately £20-£22.97 per job including IPT, varying by contract value and trade type. Over 1.18 million IBGs have been issued, underwriting £4.313 billion of home improvements.
• TrustMark Membership Government-endorsed quality mark accreditation providing FairTrades members with TrustMark status, enabling use of the TrustMark logo on vehicles, letterhead, business cards, and websites. Members' work is independently inspected by the British Board of Agrement (BBA). FairTrades is the longest-standing TrustMark Scheme Provider.
• TradePoint Card A discount card (in partnership with TradePoint, part of B&Q) providing FairTrades members with 10% off materials across 60,000+ products, free delivery on orders over £350, and access to 500+ outlets across the UK. No minimum spend requirement. Members save on average £146 annually, with one member saving £1,246 in a single year.
• Shermin Finance Accreditation Finance accreditation that enables FairTrades members to offer customers interest-free and 3-year payment plans for home improvement work. Members earn commission on accepted customer finance applications.
• Fuel Card Program Discount fuel card program through The Fuel Card People offering up to 10p per litre savings at 7,000 UK filling stations with no minimum spend requirement and fixed weekly prices.
• TradePoint Trade Services Additional TradePoint member services including 15 free timber cuts, brick matching, roof truss design, the TradePoint Spaces design tool, estimate software, and trade insurance products.

Quantifiable outcome

• 32% increase in sales using trusted independent logos
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TrustMarkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFairTrades is the longest-standing TrustMark Scheme Provider. FairTrades members receive TrustMark accreditation, allowing them to use the government-endorsed TrustMark logo on vehicles, letterhead, business cards, and website. Their work is inspected by the British Board of Agrement (BBA). TrustMark displays approximately 750,000 contractor details monthly.
• TradePointcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFairTrades has partnered with TradePoint (part of B&Q) to provide members with exclusive TradePoint Card benefits including 10% discount with no minimum spend, free delivery over £350, and access to 500+ outlets across the UK. Members save on average £146 annually, with one member saving £1246 in one year.
• Travis PerkinsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFairTrades members receive up to 55% off tool hire from Travis Perkins as a member benefit.
• Best Van DealsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFairTrades members receive van purchase/leasing discounts through Best Van Deals as a member benefit.
• The Fuel Card PeopleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFairTrades members can obtain a fuel discount card from The Fuel Card People with no minimum spend, fixed weekly prices, and access to 7,000 filling stations across the UK.
• Shermin FinanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFairTrades members can become accredited to offer finance options to customers through Shermin Finance, including interest-free and 3-year payment plans. Members earn commission on accepted finance applications.
• Red Sands Insurance Company (Europe) LimitedcoreOthersUnderwriter of HomePro Insurance Backed Guarantees. Registered in Gibraltar, licensed and regulated by Gibraltar Financial Services Commission. Member of UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme and Association of British Insurers.
• Accelerant Insurance UK LimitedcoreOthersUnderwriter of HomePro Insurance Backed Guarantees. Registered in England (Company 03326800), authorised and regulated by Prudential Regulation Authority and Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 207658). Member of Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
• FENSAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompetent Person Scheme for double glazing. FairTrades/ HomePro can auto-issue IBGs for members registered with FENSA, simplifying compliance with IBG requirements for self-certifying double glazing work.
• CERTASSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompetent Person Scheme for double glazing. Similar to FENSA integration, allowing auto-issue of IBGs for CERTASS-registered members.
• ASSUREminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompetent Person Scheme for double glazing. Allows auto-issue of IBGs for ASSURE-registered members.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rated People: UK home-services marketplace that connects tradespeople with homeowners via posted jobs and quote requests. Comparable two-sided marketplace model targeting similar trades and homeowners, though more focused on lead-gen than vetting/IBG.
• Checkatrade: UK's largest vetted-tradesmen directory with subscription membership, public reviews, and lead generation for homeowners. Direct competitor to FairTrades across glaziers, builders, and roofers, with overlapping TrustMark integration and a substantially larger marketing footprint.
• Bark: Online marketplace connecting UK consumers with local professionals across hundreds of service categories including home improvement trades. Comparable marketplace/search business model with subscription and pay-per-lead components.
• MyBuilder: UK marketplace where tradespeople quote on homeowner-posted jobs. Direct competitor in lead generation and tradesman acquisition for the same trades FairTrades serves.
• Which? Trusted Traders: Endorsement scheme from consumer body Which? that vets and endorses UK tradespeople. Comparable trust-and-vetting membership model for tradesmen, with a strong consumer-facing brand, serving an overlapping audience with FairTrades members.
• TrustATrader: UK tradesmen directory offering vetted membership, customer reviews, and homeowner search by location/trade. Closely comparable model to FairTrades, serving similar SMB contractor segments (builders, roofers, glaziers) with subscription and value-added benefits.

Broad incumbents

• Houzz Pro: Global platform for home renovation professionals combining directory, project management, leads, and reviews. International incumbent in the home-improvement trades marketplace space, with a more software-led business model than FairTrades.
• Federation of Master Builders (FMB): Largest UK trade association for the building industry, offering vetted membership, Find a Builder service, and Master Build Assurance warranty. Broader trade membership organisation with similar accreditation and warranty offerings relevant to FairTrades' builder audience.

Regional players

• Buy With Confidence (Trading Standards): UK Trading Standards-backed directory of vetted traders, primarily operating at local authority level. Comparable trust-and-vetting concept but as a public-sector alternative rather than subscription-led competitor.

Others

• HomePro (Insurance Backed Guarantee provider): Insurance Backed Guarantee issuer underwritten by Red Sands and Accelerant, operating closely with FairTrades. Functions as FairTrades' warranty product infrastructure and shares address, customer service number and customer testimonials.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TrustedBuilders
• Facebookfacebook.com/HomeProFairTrades
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1638859/admin/dashboard

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FairTrades