Information for businesses

Code of practice

Traders shall agree to trade fairly and in accordance with the law and good business practice.

Member traders of the Trusted Trader Scheme shall:

1. Provide the Council with full details of ownership, trading names, premises, staffing levels and trade activities.
2. Inform the Council of any significant changes to the above within 14 working days of the change.
3. Ensure that all employees and subcontractors are made aware of the Trusted Trader Scheme and agree to act in accordance with the member trader’s obligations under the same.
4. Agree to use the Referenceline feedback system and collect feedback by offering questionnaires (including electronic versions) to all customers and actively encourage their use. Member traders without feedback in the previous six months will be contacted and advised appropriately. A further period of three months without feedback may result in membership termination.
5. Agree to abide by the terms and conditions of the Trusted Trader Scheme. Failure to do so will invoke the membership review procedure, appended to these terms and conditions.
6. Pay their annual membership fee within 28 days of the due date (1st April), otherwise membership will be revoked.
7. Adequately train their staff for the work they carry out and keep appropriate training records. These should be available for Council officers to view upon reasonable request being given.
8. Maintain and publicise any registration which is required by law (e.g. Gas Safe Register ).
9. Deal with complaints promptly, effectively and in accordance with the Dispute Resolution Process set out in these terms and conditions.
10. If a business is a member of a trade association which has its own code of practice, the terms of that code and any arbitration processes will be followed at all times.
11. Provide customers, where appropriate, with a written schedule of works and written quotation before any work commences. Any change made to this schedule shall be communicated to the consumer before any further work is carried out. Any call out charges must be notified in advance to the consumer.
12. Give customers an invoice or receipt showing full details of work carried out, itemising where parts have been supplied, materials used, and labour and other costs.
13. Where appropriate, make available any parts that have been replaced for consumers on request. Not use second hand or reconditioned parts unless agreed by the consumer prior to the work commencing.
14. Include VAT in all prices including advertised prices, and where surcharges apply, comply with the relevant consumer protection legislation.
15. Not seek customers by cold calling in person at their homes.
16. Adhere to Telephone Preference Service requirements when cold calling prospective customers by telephone.
17. Have and maintain adequate public liability insurance.
18. Co-operate fully with the Council during the course of the member trader’s activities, and make business records available to the Council for inspection.
19. Failure to comply with any of the above terms may result in an investigation by the Council and potential termination of membership to the Trusted Trader Scheme.