What Scotland Trusted Trader does

Scotland Trusted Trader is a Council-backed directory platform that connects householders in Scotland with local tradespeople who have been vetted by Trading Standards. The scheme is operated by Trusted Directory Services Ltd (TDS) under licence from the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland (SCOTSS), and is supported by Police Scotland and consumeradvice.scot. It currently hosts 16 Council-operated local schemes, including Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Angus, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, Edinburgh, Fife, Highland, Moray, Renfrewshire, Scottish Borders, South Ayrshire, West Dunbartonshire, and the cross-council SCOTSS Approved Trader scheme, with each scheme conforming to a unified Code of Practice.

The underlying product is a web-based directory (trustedtrader.scot) with trader profiles, a verified customer review system, a formal trading-standards-led vetting process, and a structured complaint and dispute resolution (ADR) pathway. The technology stack is a conventional hosted web/directory platform managed by TDS; no proprietary AI, apps, or disclosed SDKs are indicated. The platform consists of a core product (the national directory), per-council scheme add-ons (each with its own brand front-end), sub-products (vetting, reviews, dispute resolution), and a national SCOTSS overlay. Distribution is primarily self-serve through the website, supplemented by local Council Trading Standards offices as scheme operators and by organic social presence on Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

The business model is a subscription/membership style scheme in which individual tradespeople pay to join Council schemes and receive a directory listing, a verification badge, and access to consumer leads. Pricing for traders is not publicly disclosed; consumer use of the directory is free. The operating company, Trusted Directory Services Ltd, is a private UK entity with a headcount of around 5 employees, no outside investment, and no parent company. There is no publicly disclosed revenue, ARR, or funding history.

Name

Scotland Trusted Trader

Legal name

Trusted Directory Services Ltd

Website

https://trustedtrader.scot

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Scotland Trusted Trader is a Council-backed, Trading Standards-vetted trader directory operated by Trusted Directory Services Ltd under licence from SCOTSS, serving Scottish householders and 16 local councils with verified trader listings, reviews, and dispute resolution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ayr

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Trader Membership/Subscription: Traders pay to join the Trusted Trader scheme, gaining access to the directory listing, verification badge, and ability to receive consumer leads through the platform. Each council operates their own scheme with member traders.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Scotland Trusted Trader operates a web-based directory platform that connects Scottish household consumers with local traders who have been vetted by Trading Standards. The platform hosts multiple council-operated Trusted Trader schemes across 16 Scottish local authorities, providing trader search by trade type or location, verified customer reviews, and a formal dispute resolution process. Traders pay membership fees to be listed, while consumers use the directory free of charge to find vetted tradespeople for home improvements and repairs.

Product overview

Scotland Trusted Trader is a directory platform for Trading Standards vetted local traders across Scotland, operated by Trusted Directory Services Ltd (TDS) under licence from SCOTSS. The platform consists of a core directory with trader search and review functionality, overlaid with multiple council-operated regional schemes (Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Highland, Moray, Fife, and 12+ others) that all conform to the same Code of Practice. Supporting services include trader vetting/verification, a verified customer review system, and formal complaint/dispute resolution processes. The platform enables consumers to find vetted traders by trade type or location, read verified reviews, and access resolution services if disputes arise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scotland Trusted Trader Directory Platform A web-based directory platform for Trading Standards vetted traders across Scotland, providing verified customer reviews, trader search functionality, and complaint resolution services. The platform hosts multiple council-operated schemes including Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Highland, Moray, Fife, and others.
• SCOTSS Approved Trader Scheme A standalone Trusted Trader scheme operated under the licence of The Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland (SCOTSS), providing national-level coverage beyond individual council schemes and conforming to the same Code of Practice standards.
• Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) A third-party Alternative Dispute Resolution service for unresolved consumer complaints involving Trusted Traders, providing an additional formal escalation channel beyond the council-operated complaint handling process.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Trusted Directory Services Ltd (TDS)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTDS operates and manages the Trusted Trader scheme website. It hosts multiple council-operated schemes on the trustedtrader.scot platform and provides operational support for the scheme.
• Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland (SCOTSS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCOTSS is the licensing body for the Trusted Trader scheme. The scheme operates under licence from SCOTSS and conforms to the same standard Code of Practice across all participating councils.
• Police ScotlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolice Scotland provides support and endorsement to the Trusted Trader scheme, contributing to consumer confidence in the vetting process.
• consumeradvice.scotminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsumer advice service that supports the Trusted Trader scheme by providing additional consumer protection resources and referral services.
• Aberdeen City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates Aberdeen Trusted Trader scheme, hosting traders vetted by Trading Standards in the Aberdeen area.
• Aberdeenshire CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates Aberdeenshire Trusted Trader scheme, hosting traders vetted by Trading Standards in the Aberdeenshire area.
• Angus CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates Angus Trusted Trader scheme, hosting traders vetted by Trading Standards in the Angus area.
• The City of Edinburgh CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates Edinburgh Trusted Trader scheme, hosting traders vetted by Trading Standards in the Edinburgh area.
• Fife CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates Fife Trusted Trader scheme, hosting traders vetted by Trading Standards in the Fife area.
• Highland CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates Highland Trusted Trader scheme, hosting traders vetted by Trading Standards in the Highland area.
• Moray CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates Moray Trusted Trader scheme, hosting traders vetted by Trading Standards in the Moray area.
• South Ayrshire CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates South Ayrshire Trusted Trader scheme, hosting traders vetted by Trading Standards in the South Ayrshire area.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Checkatrade: UK's leading consumer-facing directory of vetted tradespeople with verified reviews. Closest commercial analogue to Scotland Trusted Trader's marketplace model — same target customer (householders), same trader monetisation, same review/dispute mechanism.
• Bark.com: Global online services marketplace connecting consumers with local professionals. Comparable marketplace/directory model serving the same home-improvement and home-services demand.
• TrustATrader: UK directory of background-checked tradespeople, founded on consumer trust in vetted local trades. Directly comparable in product (vetted directory), target market (UK householders), and revenue model (trader memberships).
• MyBuilder: UK online marketplace matching homeowners with tradespeople via posted jobs and reviews. Closely comparable marketplace mechanics and customer segment.
• Rated People: UK marketplace where consumers post jobs and matched tradespeople reply. Direct peer in home-services lead-generation, serving the same Scottish consumer base.
• Which? Trusted Traders: Consumer-organisation-endorsed UK directory of vetted tradespeople. Most direct comparator to Scotland Trusted Trader's regulatory-trust positioning — both rely on a non-commercial authority brand to differentiate from commercial directories.

Regional players

• Local Heroes: British Gas-owned home-services marketplace operating in the UK with vetted engineers. Comparable UK home-services marketplace, but backed by a large corporate parent rather than a regulator.

Broad incumbents

• TrustMark: UK Government-endorsed quality scheme covering tradespeople across many sectors. Comparable in being a regulator-backed trust mark, but operates as a wider quality standard rather than a consumer-facing directory.
• HomeAdvisor: US home-services marketplace connecting consumers with prescreened local pros. Comparable marketplace model and monetisation approach (paid trader leads/listings), though US-focused.
• Angi (formerly Angie's List): Large US-listed home-services marketplace combining directory, reviews, and paid lead generation. Relevant incumbent comparable on business model mechanics, though operating in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ScottishTraders
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCA3yIYI2cuwFucSlyHfQerA
• Facebookfacebook.com/trustedtrader.scot
• Instagraminstagram.com/trustedtrader.scot
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scotland-trusted-trader

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 Scotland Trusted Trader