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Jobs from companies —
free for you.
Companies pay to post their jobs — you reply free and get their contact details. Plus homeowner jobs near you, where you pay only if you're chosen.
CREATE MY FREE PROFILE →
Some of our latest jobs
A few examples of real jobs from our clients. New ones are sent straight to members — join free so you don't miss them.
Experienced Groundworker
See job details
What you need
- Experience operating a 7.5-tonne excavator
- Experience installing drainage pipes and ACO drains
- Experience installing attenuation crates
Be one of the first 200 tradespeople — free lead on us
Founding Members keep their badge for good and get 1 free homeowner lead once their profile is approved.
Free company jobs. Paid only when chosen.
Jobs from companies & contractors
- ✓On-site work near you — day rate, contract or price work.
- ✓Reply free — no credits, no card. The company pays.
- ✓Deal direct — no agency, 100% of your rate.
Homeowner jobs near you
- ✓"I'm interested" is free
- ✓Pay only if chosen — fixed fee, shown first.
- ✓Max 3 tradespeople per job.
Set up your trade leads profile
Free to join — about 3 minutes. You only pay for a homeowner lead once you are chosen.
Free tools for tradespeople
Looking for permanent employment instead?
If you'd rather have one employer, a regular income and a single start date, register as a Candidate instead of a Trade.
FAQ
Do I pay anything for jobs from companies and contractors?
No — never. A company or contractor pays to post the job. You reply for free, and if they choose you, you get their contact details at no cost. You don't need lead credit or a card for company jobs. Only homeowner projects have a lead fee, and only once the homeowner has picked you.
How is this different from the regular Candidate profile?
The Candidate profile is for people looking to be hired as a worker by an employer (day rate, PAYE/CIS, CSCS card, a single start date). This Trade Leads profile is for people running their own trade business who want direct project leads from local homeowners — no employer involved, fixed fee per lead instead.
I already have a Candidate profile — do I need to register again?
Yes, this is a separate, shorter sign-up with different questions relevant to homeowner work. It only takes a minute.
How does it actually work — do I pay to see a lead?
No — responding is completely free. When a project matches your trade and area, you get an email with a link to view it (description, photos, budget). Clicking "I'm interested" costs nothing. The homeowner then reviews everyone interested and chooses who they'd like to hear from — only if you're chosen do you pay a fixed fee to unlock their contact details.
What if I express interest and the homeowner picks someone else?
You pay nothing — expressing interest never costs anything regardless of the outcome. You'll get a short email letting you know they went with someone else, and more matching projects will keep coming your way.
What if the homeowner never responds after I say I'm interested?
To keep this fair, if a homeowner hasn't chosen or declined you within 7 days of you expressing interest, it's automatically marked as "not selected this time" — you'll get the same polite notice, no charge either way, and you're free to focus on other leads.
What if I don't respond to a lead at all?
If you don't say "I'm interested" within 3 days of being matched, that slot is automatically released so a new tradesperson can be matched to the project instead — no penalty, but the lead itself moves on and can't be un-passed. Responding promptly (even just to say you're interested, which costs nothing) is the best way to keep leads coming your way.
How much does a lead cost, and when do I pay?
For homeowner jobs: a fixed, upfront fee shown on the project page — it varies by project category and job type, and you'll see it clearly once you've been selected. Recurring bookings (weekly, fortnightly or monthly) cost more to unlock than a standard one-off job — but you never pay just for expressing interest, only once the homeowner has specifically chosen you. Fees are shown before VAT and VAT is added when you pay. Bigger jobs cost more to unlock, and so do jobs in central London (tube Zone 1). If you like, you can top up lead credit in advance and get a bonus (see the lead credit question below). Jobs posted by companies and contractors are completely free for you: the company pays for the post.
What is lead credit, and how does it work?
Lead credit is an optional prepaid balance for homeowner leads — £53 gets you £62 of credit; £107 gets you £134 of credit; £206 gets you £260 of credit (prices before VAT; VAT is added when you pay). When you unlock a lead it is paid from your balance automatically, with no card step; a lead costs the same amount of credit as its price before VAT. If your balance does not cover a whole lead, the balance is used first and only the rest (plus VAT on that rest) is charged to your card. Credit never expires. Buy it on your “Manage your profile” page. The bonus part is not refundable; what you paid for and have not used can be refunded on request.
Can I get a discount if I use the platform a lot?
Yes — unlock 5 or more leads in a rolling 30-day period and you automatically get a loyalty discount (shown on the unlock button before you pay), rising further at higher activity levels. No sign-up needed, it applies automatically.
How many other tradespeople see the same project?
Up to the number the homeowner chose when posting (often up to 3) — and if someone declines or is passed over, that slot can open up for another tradesperson, so the number actively responding can change over time.
Who can see my profile and photos?
Only homeowners whose project you respond to, so they can choose. It's not public. They see your first name, trade, photos of your work, qualifications, rate and rating; your surname, business name, phone and email stay private until you're chosen.
Can I put my phone number, website or business name in my description?
No — the description and qualifications boxes block phone numbers, email addresses, websites, social media names and company names (including your own). Your business name goes in its own optional box, and it's only shown to a homeowner once they've chosen you. We pass your contact details on ourselves, at the right moment.
How are leads matched to me?
By your trades — you're only sent the kinds of work those trades normally do, so a plumber gets plumbing and heating jobs, not roofing — and by how far you've said you'll travel. Being marked as "not currently accepting work" pauses new leads without deleting your profile.
Can I choose which jobs I'm sent?
Your trades decide it, so tick the ones you really do. You'll only be sent jobs that those trades normally take on — for example a plumber gets plumbing and heating jobs, not roofing. If you also do something else (say a pet taxi next to private hire), tick that trade too.
How many trades can I choose?
As many as you actually do, from up to 3 different categories — for example Cleaning, Gardening and Removals & Transport. There's no limit on how many trades you pick inside those categories, so tick everything you really do and nothing you don't — that keeps your leads relevant. A few trades that fit two categories (like Pet Taxi / Transport) are listed under both, so you can combine them with either group. You can change your trades any time from your profile page.
Is there a subscription or membership fee?
No, not unless you want one. Registration is free, and you only ever pay the fixed fee (plus VAT) for a homeowner lead you've actually been chosen for — company jobs cost you nothing. Trade Pro is an optional monthly membership for people who want more jobs (see below). Prepaid lead credit is optional and never expires.
What is Trade Pro?
An optional membership for £35 + VAT a month. You get: new homeowner jobs in your trades and area sent to you first; 1 free homeowner lead every calendar month (you choose which one); the ✓ Verified check included, so you don't pay for it separately; and a ★ PRO badge next to your name when customers see you. You join from your profile and pay by card through Stripe.
What does "sent new jobs first" mean?
Each homeowner job is sent to a few tradespeople (usually 3). Trade Pro members are picked first, then Verified tradespeople, then everyone else. Pro members never take every place — at least one always stays open for the others. The customer still chooses who to work with, so Trade Pro does not guarantee jobs; it puts you at the front when they are shared.
How does the free Trade Pro lead work?
Once a month, when a homeowner chooses you, you can press "Use my free Trade Pro lead" instead of paying. You decide which lead to use it on. It doesn't carry over: an unused free lead ends on the last day of the month, and a new one starts on the 1st. Company jobs are free for everyone anyway.
Is the ✓ Verified badge really included in Trade Pro?
Yes — the yearly Verified fee is £0 for Trade Pro members. You still upload your documents and our team checks them; a badge can never be bought without a check. A Verified badge that came with Trade Pro ends when the membership ends; one you paid for separately keeps its own 12 months.
Can I cancel Trade Pro?
Yes, any time, from your profile — no minimum term and no cancellation fee. Nothing more is charged, and Trade Pro keeps working until the end of the month you've already paid for. If a monthly payment fails, the Pro benefits pause until the card payment goes through.
How is my profile approved?
Our team reviews every new sign-up before it goes live — checking the details are complete and consistent. You'll get an email as soon as you're approved, usually within one business day.
Can homeowners leave reviews about me?
Yes — after you've unlocked a lead, the homeowner may be asked for a quick rating automatically, or you can request one yourself as soon as the job's done from your lead page — no waiting needed. Good reviews help you stand out, and you can reply to any review left about you.
Can I send my client an invoice through The Trades Guild?
Yes — once you've unlocked a lead, a free invoice generator appears right there on the project page. Enter the amount, a description and (optionally) your own invoice number, and it creates a proper PDF with your business details, the client's address and payment details, ready to download and send. It's completely separate from anything we charge you — purely a convenience tool.
Do I need insurance, Gas Safe registration or a DBS check to register?
They're optional — just choose "Yes" or "No". Customers see them labelled "self-declared". If you send us the documents, we check them and your profile gets the green ✓ Verified badge. False claims may lead to removal. You can change your answers any time from your profile.
What is the ✓ Verified badge?
An optional yearly check. From your profile you upload your insurance certificate and any cards you have (CSCS, Gas Safe, DBS, qualifications) and pay a small yearly fee, shown before you pay. Our team checks them, usually within 1 working day. Verified tradespeople show a green badge on every job they reply to and are sent new jobs before free members (Trade Pro members come first). It is included free with Trade Pro. If we can't verify you, you can upload again for free or ask for a refund.
What if I can't reach the customer after I've paid?
From 2 days after unlocking (and up to 14 days), use the link on the lead page to ask for a credit. We ask the customer whether you were in touch: if they say no, or don't answer within 3 days, a credit of the same value is added and covers your next lead. Up to 2 requests in 30 days.
Can I rate the companies I work for?
Yes. A week after you get a company's details we ask you three quick questions — did they pay on time, was the job clear, would you work for them again. Other tradespeople see the result on that company's next jobs. Your name isn't shown.
Can I set an hourly rate?
Yes, it's optional and shown to homeowners alongside your profile when they're deciding who to choose — particularly useful for Cleaning and Pet Care, which are usually priced by the hour.
What does "Available today or in the next 24 hours" do?
Urgent jobs — customers who need someone within 24 hours — are sent first to tradespeople with this switched on, so you hear about them before anyone else. It automatically turns itself back off after 24 hours, so you're never left flagged as free just because you forgot to switch it off.
Can I edit my trades, rate or portfolio after registering?
Yes — your "Manage your profile" link (in every email) lets you update your trades, hourly rate, description, qualifications and portfolio photos any time, no login needed.
Terms & Conditions
Last updated: 30 October 2026
These Terms & Conditions govern your use of The Trades Guild, operated by:
33 Bold Hire Ltd
167-169 Great Portland Street, London, England, W1W 5PF
company no. 14009719
By using this website you agree to these terms. If you do not agree, please do not use it.
1. What The Trades Guild is
The Trades Guild is an online platform that introduces people who need work done, or want to hire, to the people who do it. It includes a directory of candidates looking for permanent work; projects posted by homeowners, employers and contractors, which tradespeople can respond to; and local leads for tradespeople.
We only make introductions. We are not an employment agency or employment business, we are not a party to any agreement between users, and we do not employ, engage, supervise or insure anyone who uses the platform.
2. Your account
You must be 18 or over and give accurate, up-to-date information. There are no passwords: you sign in with a one-time code or personal link sent to your email, so you are responsible for keeping your email account secure and for everything done through it.
3. Candidates
Listing a candidate profile is free. Profiles are reviewed before they go live and may be rejected, paused or removed if information appears false, incomplete or in breach of these terms. You can delete your personal details at any time from your profile page.
4. Homeowners posting projects
Posting a home project is free and carries no obligation. Tradespeople whose trade and area match can say they are interested; you decide whether to choose anyone, and how many (up to the limit shown on the form). Your contact details are only passed to tradespeople you choose, once they have unlocked them.
Interest you do not act on within the time shown on your project page is declined automatically, and a selected tradesperson who does not unlock your details in time is released, so that others can be matched.
You must describe your project honestly and only upload photos you have the right to share. You can close your project, or delete your personal data from it, at any time.
Home projects are only for work at a private home that you own, rent or manage for yourself. Work for a company, a client, a landlord or letting business, a site or a commercial property must be posted as a business job post (section 5). If a home project turns out to be business work, we may convert it to a business job post and ask for the posting fee, or close it; tradespeople who already received it then pay nothing for it.
5. Business job posts (companies and contractors)
Companies, contractors and anyone posting work for a business pay a one-off posting fee: a fixed price set by the kind of work and the team size (1 person, 2–5 or 6–10 people), for a post visible for 7, 14 or 30 days. The fee includes contact details for up to that number of people (1, 5 or 10); more tradespeople may respond, but no more than that number can be chosen from one post. A permanent job post is sent to candidates looking for a permanent job instead of tradespeople; it is priced per role by the kind of work, is visible for 30 days and includes the contact details of up to 3 candidates the company chooses. Candidates apply free of charge. The fee, the number of contacts included and the maximum number of tradespeople who can respond are shown in a summary before you pay. The post is published after payment and a check by our team. Tradespeople reply free of charge. The details of the post, including how long the work lasts, must be accurate; if they are clearly not, we may ask for the difference in price or remove the post without a refund. Jobs in central London (tube Zone 1) cost 30% more.
Please check your post carefully before paying: a paid post cannot be changed afterwards. If something is wrong, contact us through the "Need help?" button.
Your post stays open for 30 days, or until the maximum number of responses is reached. If no tradesperson replies within 14 days of payment, we close the post and you choose: re-post the same job once free of charge, or receive the full posting fee as account credit, which is used automatically on your next job post and does not expire. If you do not choose within 14 days, or the free re-post also gets no replies, we add the credit automatically. If you would rather have the money back to the card you paid with, tell us and we will refund it to that card instead, less the card processing fee charged on your payment (see section 9). If at least one tradesperson replies, the fee is not refundable. We do not guarantee how many tradespeople will reply.
You can add the Urgent option for an extra fee shown before you pay. An urgent post is published straight after payment and sent first to tradespeople who say they are free today or in the next 24 hours. If no tradesperson replies within 24 hours of payment, we automatically give the urgent fee back to you as account credit for your next post (it is not refunded to your card); the post stays live and the rest of the fee is covered by the 14-day guarantee above.
Business job posts are a service for businesses. We may refuse or remove a post that breaks these terms; if we do so before anyone has replied, we refund the fee.
6. Tradespeople
Registering and responding to projects is free. For home projects, you pay a fixed fee, shown before you pay, only when the homeowner has chosen you and you decide to unlock their contact details. Business job posts are free for you: the company pays for the post. Volume discounts and referral credits apply where we offer them and are shown before you pay. Leads for jobs in central London (tube Zone 1) cost 30% more than the same job elsewhere.
You are an independent business, responsible for your own insurance, qualifications, permits, tax and compliance. Insurance, Gas Safe and DBS status are shown to homeowners as declared by you ("self-declared"); false claims may lead to removal.
Verified badge: you can ask us to check your documents (insurance, CSCS, Gas Safe, DBS or qualifications) for a yearly fee shown before you pay. If we accept them, your profile shows a ✓ Verified badge for 12 months. We check that documents look genuine, are in your name and are in date when we check them; we are not your insurer and do not guarantee your work. We may remove the badge, without a refund, if a document turns out to be false, expires or is cancelled. If we cannot verify you, you can send new documents free of charge, or receive the fee back as lead credit (or to your card if you ask).
Prepaid lead credit: you can top up your account by card (the price includes VAT) and receive credit worth the amount shown at purchase, which may include a bonus. The credit pays for homeowner leads you unlock, automatically, until it is used up. It does not expire. The bonus part is not refundable; the part you actually paid for and have not used can be refunded on request. If a lead was paid from credit and you could not reach the customer, the lead credit rule below applies as normal.
Lead credit: if you paid for a homeowner lead and could not reach the customer, you can ask for a credit between 2 and 14 days after unlocking. We ask the customer first; if they say you were not in touch, or do not answer within 3 days, a credit of the same value is added and covers a later lead up to that value. Up to 2 requests in 30 days and one per lead; we may refuse requests that look misused. Credits have no cash value.
Ratings: customers can rate tradespeople, and tradespeople can rate companies they worked for (paid on time, clear job, would work for them again). Ratings must be honest and based on a real job; we may hide ratings that are unfair, abusive or include personal details.
Homeowners may leave a rating and comment about you. We may moderate reviews, and you can reply to any review about you.
7. Employers searching for staff
Employers may request a candidate's contact details for a one-off fee, shown before any payment is made. Candidate contact details are released only after payment has been confirmed.
"Guild Recruit" is an optional recruitment service on request: you tell us who you need, and we reply with a written quote. Its price and terms are agreed with you in that quote before any work starts, and nothing is payable unless you accept it. Requests paid for under the earlier "We choose workers for you" service keep the terms that applied when they were paid.
Contact packs are no longer sold. A pack bought earlier keeps working on the terms that applied when it was bought, until it is cancelled; you can cancel at any time from your account page, with no cancellation fee.
If a candidate has not replied within 72 hours of your payment, you can ask for a credit towards your next contact using the link in your confirmation email, within 30 days of payment. We first check with the candidate: if they do not confirm within 3 days that they replied, the credit is added to your account and can be used for 60 days. You can ask for up to 2 credits in 30 days, and only once per candidate; a repeat request is reviewed by our team. Credits have no cash value. If the contact was unlocked with a contact pack, the same check applies and the contact is put back in your pack instead (or, if the pack period has ended, you get a credit for one contact).
8. Fees and payment
Fees are shown as net prices, with VAT added where applicable. Payments are processed securely by Stripe, and an invoice is issued once payment is confirmed. The fee you see before you pay is the fee you are charged.
9. Refunds
Because contact details are released as soon as payment is confirmed, contact fees and lead fees cannot be refunded once the details have been released; employers may instead ask for a credit as described in section 7. Business job posts are covered by the no-reply guarantee in section 5. Where we give money back under a guarantee, we do it as account credit by default; if you would rather have it back to your card, tell us and we will refund it to that card instead, less the card processing fee our payment provider charged on your payment (for UK cards usually 1.5% + 20p; we tell you the exact amount). Nothing is deducted when the refund is because of a mistake on our side. If something goes wrong on our side — a duplicate charge, a technical error or incorrect contact details — contact us and we will investigate and put it right where the fault is ours. This does not affect your statutory rights.
10. Acceptable use
You agree not to: give false or misleading information; try to avoid paying fees due under these terms; copy or scrape the site; send spam; harass or discriminate against anyone; or use contact details from the platform for anything other than the hiring or project they were released for.
Once you receive someone's contact details you are responsible for handling them lawfully under UK data protection law.
11. Content you provide
You keep ownership of what you post (profiles, project descriptions, photos, reviews). You give us a non-exclusive licence to store and display it on the platform as described in our Privacy Policy, and you confirm you have the right to share it. We may remove content that breaks these terms.
12. No guarantee, and dealings between users
We do not guarantee that anyone will respond, be available, be qualified or insured, or that any job or hire will go well. Profiles and declared details come from the people who post them and are not checked against documents unless we say so. Any agreement is strictly between the people involved: please agree prices, scope and timing in writing, and check insurance, qualifications and references yourself before work starts.
13. Our liability
Nothing in these terms limits liability that cannot legally be limited, including for death or personal injury caused by negligence, or for fraud. Otherwise, we are not liable for loss arising from dealings between users, missed opportunities, loss of profit, or reliance on information in a profile. Our total liability to you for any claim is limited to the fees you paid us in the 12 months before it arose.
14. Suspension and ending
We may suspend or remove any profile, project, review or account that breaks these terms. You can stop using the site, or delete your personal data, at any time.
15. Changes to these terms
We may update these terms from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top shows the latest version, and continuing to use the site after changes are posted means you accept them.
16. Language
These terms are written in English. Translations are provided for convenience; if there is any difference, the English version applies.
17. Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute — except that, if you are a consumer living elsewhere in the UK, you keep any right to bring a claim in your local courts.
18. Contact
Questions about these terms? Use the "Need help?" button on this website, or reply to any email we have sent you.
Privacy Policy
Last updated: 30 October 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how The Trades Guild collects, uses and protects personal data when you use this website — as an employer or contractor, a candidate looking for permanent work, a homeowner posting a project, or a tradesperson looking for leads.
1. Who we are
The Trades Guild is operated by:
33 Bold Hire Ltd
167-169 Great Portland Street, London, England, W1W 5PF
company no. 14009719
We are the data controller for the personal data described in this policy.
To ask us anything about your data, use the "Need help?" button on this website, reply to any email we have sent you, or write to us at the address above.
2. What we collect
Candidates looking for permanent work
Name, email, phone number, trade or category, location and postcode, rate, availability date, travel radius, experience, and — if you choose to give them — CSCS card, driving licence and right-to-work details, and a photo.
Employers and contractors
Company name, contact name, email, phone number, billing address and VAT number where applicable, details of the projects or contracts you post, and your contact requests and payments.
Homeowners
Name, email, phone number, address and postcode, a description of your project, any photos you upload, your budget and timing, and which tradespeople you choose.
Tradespeople
Name, business name and address, email, phone number, trades and areas covered, hourly rate, description, qualifications, photos of your work, whether you declare insurance, Gas Safe or DBS status (and any proof you upload), the payment details you choose to put on invoices, and reviews you receive.
If you ask for the ✓ Verified badge, we also keep the documents you upload (insurance, CSCS, Gas Safe, DBS or qualification certificates) in a private folder that only our team can open. They are never shown to customers, and we delete them 30 days after the badge ends, is refused or refunded, or straight away if you delete your data.
When a tradesperson asks for a lead credit, we e-mail the customer once (with one reminder) to ask whether the tradesperson was in touch. Tradespeople can rate companies they worked for; ratings are shown to other tradespeople without the rater's name.
Free reminders and tools
If you sign up for free email reminders (document expiry or home maintenance), we keep your email address, what each reminder is for and its date, until you stop the reminders or they end. Sign-ups that are never confirmed are deleted after 30 days. The CIS invoice tool keeps what you type only in your own browser — it is not sent to us.
Phone app and notifications
If you add The Trades Guild to your phone's home screen, nothing extra is collected. If you turn on notifications, we keep the notification address your browser gives us (a technical link to your device, not your phone number) and your login e-mail, only to send you the job alerts and updates you asked for. You can turn them off at any time in your phone or browser settings; addresses that stop working are deleted automatically.
Logging in with fingerprint or Face ID
If you choose to log in with your fingerprint or Face ID (a passkey), your fingerprint or face never leaves your device and we never see it. We keep only a public key for your device, its name and the date you added it, linked to your login e-mail, so we can check it is really you. You can remove a device at any time when you are logged in.
Messages sent through the "Need help?" button
Your name, email address and message, the page you were on and your language. We also keep a scrambled (hashed) version of your IP address, only to block spam and abuse.
Payments
Payments are processed by Stripe. We receive confirmation of payment, the amount and an order reference. We never see or store your full card details.
Technical data
Like any website, our hosting servers log technical data such as IP address and browser type. We also use a few cookies and similar technologies — see our Cookie Policy.
3. Why we use your data
- To run the service: creating and approving profiles and projects, matching homeowners with tradespeople and employers with candidates, and releasing contact details when the right conditions are met (to perform our contract with you).
- To take payments, issue invoices and keep financial records (contract and legal obligation).
- To send you service emails: login codes, confirmations, matching and lead notifications, availability check-ins and review requests (contract and legitimate interests).
- To send the free reminders you asked for (consent — you can stop them with the link in every reminder).
- To keep the platform safe and fair: checking sign-ups, preventing misuse and spam, and stopping free lead credits from being claimed more than once (legitimate interests).
- To meet our legal, tax and accounting obligations (legal obligation).
4. Who sees your data
Candidates: employers can see your first name, your photo (if you add one), trade, location, rate, experience and the short text you write about yourself, but your surname, phone number and email are only released to an employer after they pay the contact fee for your profile, or use an active contact pack.
Homeowners: tradespeople whose trade and area match can see your project description, photos and budget, so they can say they're interested. Your name, phone number, email and address stay hidden until you have chosen a tradesperson and they have unlocked your contact details.
Tradespeople: your profile (shown under your first name only), photos of your work and declared insurance status are only shown to homeowners whose project you have responded to; they are not public. Your full name, business name, phone number and email are shared with a homeowner once they have chosen you.
Employers and contractors: when you post a project, tradespeople can see the project itself; your contact details go only to those you choose.
We also share data with service providers who help us run the site, only as needed: Stripe (payments), our web hosting and email delivery providers, and postcodes.io (we send a postcode to turn it into a map location — nothing else).
We do not sell personal data. We may disclose data if the law requires it, or to protect our rights, for example to deal with fraud or a dispute.
If a provider handles data outside the UK, we make sure appropriate safeguards are in place.
5. How long we keep it
- Candidate and tradesperson profiles: for as long as the profile is active. You can delete your personal details yourself at any time with the "Delete my data" button on your profile page.
- Homeowner projects: until you delete your data with the "Delete my data" button on your project page, or ask us to. This removes your name, email, phone, address and photos from every project you have posted, and closes them.
- Payment and invoice records: for as long as UK tax law requires (normally 6 years), even if you delete your profile.
- Messages from the "Need help?" button: we delete them automatically after a limited period.
6. Your rights
Under UK data protection law you can ask to see the data we hold about you, correct it, delete it, restrict or object to how we use it, receive a copy in a portable format, and withdraw consent at any time where we rely on it. Several of these you can do yourself from your profile or project page; for anything else, contact us as described in section 1.
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk. We would like the chance to put things right first, but you do not have to contact us before complaining to the ICO.
7. Security
There are no passwords on this site: you sign in with a one-time code or a personal link sent to your email, so please keep your email account secure. We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data, but no online service can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
Photos you upload are stored on our web server. Anyone who has a photo's direct web address can open it, so avoid uploading photos that show anything you would not want seen, such as documents, house numbers or other people's faces. A candidate profile photo is shown to employers on your profile card, so only add one you are happy for them to see.
8. Children
This site is for adults. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 18.
9. Cookies
We use only the cookies strictly necessary for the site to work. We do not use advertising or marketing cookies.
10. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top shows when it last changed.
Cookie Policy
Last updated: 30 October 2026
This Cookie Policy explains which cookies and similar technologies The Trades Guild uses on this website, and why. It should be read together with our Privacy Policy.
1. What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. Similar technologies, such as your browser's local storage, work in much the same way. They can make a site work, remember your choices, or track activity across sites.
2. What we use
| Cookie or storage item | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| wl_auth | Keeps you signed in after you enter your login code | Up to 30 days |
| wl_employer_auth | Keeps an employer signed in after email verification | Up to 30 days |
| wlh_cookie_consent | Remembers that you have seen the cookie notice | 6 months |
| wl_lang | Remembers the language you chose, so messages and pages appear in it | 1 year |
| wl_lang (local storage) | Remembers the language you chose | Until you clear your browser data |
| wlho_draft_home, wlho_draft_biz, wl_draft_cand, wl_draft_tp (local storage) | Keeps the answers of a form you started but did not finish (never photos, e-mail or phone), so you can continue later | 7 days, or until you send the form or press Start again |
| wl_resume_hide, wlchat_nudged (session storage) | Remembers that you closed the "finish your form" reminder, or that the help bubble was already shown | Until you close the browser tab |
| wlt_cis_invoice_v1 (local storage) | Keeps the days and invoice details you type into the CIS invoice tool on your own device | Until you clear your browser data |
| wl_employer_details, wl_shortlist (local storage) | Keeps details you typed into a contact request, and candidates you shortlisted, on your own device so you do not have to enter them again | Until you clear your browser data |
| wlchat_t (local storage) | Lets the "Need help?" button recognise your conversation | Until you clear your browser data |
| Stripe checkout cookies | Set by Stripe when you pay, to process your payment securely | Set and controlled by Stripe |
3. Cookies we do not use
We do not use advertising or marketing cookies, or cookies that build a profile of you for marketing purposes.
4. Fonts and images
Fonts are served from this website, not from Google.
5. Managing cookies
The cookies that make sign-in and checkout work are strictly necessary, so there is no on/off switch for them here. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings at any time, but sign-in and checkout may stop working if you do.
6. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy if the cookies we use change. The "Last updated" date at the top shows the most recent revision.
