Review Policy
Version 0.1-draft · prepared 2026-10-11 · current version
Who can review
After a completed booking the customer can rate the tradesperson, and the tradesperson can rate the customer: 1 to 5 stars and an optional comment. Each person can leave one review per completed booking. Only people who took part in the booking can review it. We do not pay or reward anyone for reviews. DRAFT: not reviewed by a solicitor.
Private or public - the reviewer decides
Before you submit, you choose "Make my review public". It is private unless you choose public.
- Private: visible to you, the person you reviewed and authorised office staff, after release.
- Public: also shown on the reviewed person's public review profile, after release, with your display name only.
- You can make your review private later. The person you reviewed cannot make it public or private, and cannot remove it.
When reviews are released
Neither person sees the other's review until both have submitted, or 14 days after the booking was completed, whichever is first. This is so that neither review is influenced by the other. The same rule applies to both sides and to good and bad reviews alike. Authorised office staff can see submissions for moderation. [DECISION D13 - not yet decided] Legal review must confirm that this hold is acceptable.
Ratings and averages
Only released public reviews count towards the public average on a review profile, and we always show how many ratings it is based on. If there are none it says "Not yet rated". A low rating never suspends or removes anyone automatically.
What we show and never show
Reviews show a display name (first name and an initial). We never show addresses, contact details, dates of birth, booking links or private job details.
Rules for reviews
Reviews must be your own genuine experience of the booking. Do not post fake reviews, reviews for payment or other reward, abuse, discriminatory language, personal data about anyone, or anything unrelated to the service. We do not edit reviews. We only remove or hide a review if it breaks these rules, and we record why.
Reporting, moderation and appeals
Anyone who can see a review can use "Report this review" and give a reason. A member of office staff looks at the report and decides: keep it, or hide it from public view with a recorded reason. We do not remove reviews because they are negative. The review's author or the person reviewed can appeal a decision, and a different decision-maker is asked to look again where possible.
Safety concerns come first
If something was unsafe or unacceptable, use "Report a safety concern" on the booking. It goes straight to the office and does not wait for any review to be released.
Changes
If this policy changes we publish a new version. Earlier versions stay available.
Open decisions for legal review
- D13. Review system compatibility with CMA/DMCC guidance. The CMA's review guidance (Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, in force April 2025) says genuine reviews should not be edited, removed or delayed and reviewed businesses must not be able to block reviews. This design holds reviews until both parties submit or 14 days pass (equal for both sides), lets the AUTHOR choose public/private (private by default), and only counts released public ratings in the public average. Legal review should confirm that the hold, the private default and the public-only average are acceptable, how many reviews/ratings are described, and whether incentives are ever used (none are).