TrustMark is the UK’s only government- endorsed quality scheme for work carried out in or around the home, whether that’s installing energy efficiency measures or landscaping a garden.
Since we started in 2005, we have been working to help drive up standards across the industry, and improve the protection offered to homeowners when having work done.
As a scheme provider of TrustMark, OFTEC continues to be a great supporter and has a growing membership of installers who are TrustMark registered.
Who is TrustMark?
TrustMark is a not-for-profit business, focused on customers – tradespeople and homeowners – and not on shareholders. We continually reinvest into the scheme to enhance the support we provide to our registered businesses and scheme providers.
We help homeowners find a tradesperson who is skilled, trained and competent to carry out the work they need through our online search facility, ‘Find a Trader’. If you’re a heating engineer (liquid fuel), or working with electrical, heat pumps, biomass or solar thermal, you can apply to join our other 17,000+ registered businesses.
Our ever- expanding online directory helps homeowners to find reliable, quality tradespeople who are all working to the highest professional standard in their local areas.
Licence to operate
TrustMark operates under a master licence agreement, issued by the Government’s Department for Business and Trade. This agreement sets out what we do and how we do it.
We licence and work with a network of 38 scheme providers – of which OFTEC is one – and they are all committed to meeting the requirements of our quality scheme. In turn, our scheme providers licence and work with their TrustMark registered businesses to ensure they commit to and maintain the required standards of technical competence, trading practices and customer service.
These encompass over 130 different service types from plumbers, electricians and builders to carpet cleaners and pest controllers.
Why join TrustMark?
Adding TrustMark to your OFTEC registration, you will have access to the following benefits:
Access to new work
- We work with third parties to identify and create new work opportunities across all our trades.
- We provide access to exclusive finance and cashback options for your customers from leading financial institutions.
- We are recommended by lenders, local authorities and well-known brands and services.
Build your business
- Customers can easily find you using TrustMark’s ‘Find a Trader’ online directory.
- Your unique TrustMark profile, which you can link to your website, will let you manage customer enquiries, track progress, manage your business presence and build positive feedback.
- Display the TrustMark logo on your letterheads, marketing material, website and vehicles to provide additional assurance to potential customers that you are a quality business.
- Benefit from our marketing initiatives aimed at driving customers to the TrustMark website and gain more exposure for your business.
Making your life easier
- 24/7 access to our business portal. Promote your business with a personalised profile page to showcase your work, collect reviews and build your reputation.
- Access to advice, guidance and template contracts all based around the TrustMark code of conduct, providing clear legislative support in partnership with Trading Standards.
Protecting you and your customers
- We provide guidance on managing and resolving customer complaints, including access to the independent Dispute Resolution Ombudsman (DRO) service, giving businesses and customers the tools to handle complaints in a smooth and professional manner.
Working with key partners
At TrustMark, we work closely with a number of different partner organisations which share our mission to raise trading standards and improve consumer protection. By working together, we can enhance the work our registered businesses carry out at their customer’s home and offer advice and support, ranging from safety online to energy advice.
Our partners span many sectors and range from finance, government, accommodation and charities to consumer protection professionals and energy efficiency, such as Age UK, Airbnb, Citizens Advice Bureau, Energy Saving Trust and Grand Designs.
We have also teamed up with several industry-leading organisations to offer a whole range of exclusive offers and discounts tailored to our registered businesses.
These include: AA, ARMD, easyToolhire, Europcar, Fergus, Fuel Card Services, Mellor Financial Training, My Staff Shop, Octopus Electric Vehicles and Wickes TradePro.Grabd Designs,
Want to know more?
For further information about TrustMark, and what the quality mark can provide for your registered businesses, visit http://www.oftec.org/technicians/areas-of-registration/trustmark-registration
Image credit: OFTEC
