Specialist terms | Vetted North

This is a draft and is being reviewed before launch. It should be checked by a solicitor before any specialist signs up.

These terms apply to businesses ("you") that receive introductions to homeowners through Vetted North ("we", "us"). Our terms of use for homeowners and our privacy notice explain how the service works from the homeowner's side.

1. Joining

We only work with registered companies that pass our current checks. Once you pass, we email you a link to accept these terms online, and we keep a record of who accepted them, when, and which version. We don't send introductions until they've been accepted. We reconfirm your checks at least every 12 months. You must tell us promptly if anything changes that affects them, for example your insurance-backed guarantee provider or your scheme registration.

2. How introductions work

A homeowner tells us about their project and chooses to hear from one, two or three specialists. We never introduce more specialists than they choose.
We only introduce homeowners who own the property, alone or jointly, and who have agreed to be contacted.
Where you work is set by your base postcode and a travel distance of up to 30 miles, measured in a straight line from your base. You can also list postcode areas or districts within that distance that you don't cover. You can change these at any time by contacting us. We may decline a base or distance that doesn't reflect where you really work.
When more specialists cover an area than the homeowner asked for, we choose between eligible specialists at random, so introductions are shared fairly.
We don't guarantee a number of introductions. How many you receive depends on how many homeowners in your area ask for your service.

3. Prepaid credits

You pay for introductions in advance by buying credits. One credit is worth £1. For now, you top up by bank transfer and we add the credits when the money arrives. We'll tell you before we add other ways to pay.
Bonus credits. Larger top-ups come with extra credits: 4% extra on a top-up of £250 or more, 10% on £500 or more, and 15% on £1,000 or more, rounded down to whole credits. For example, a £500 top-up gives you 550 credits. We'll give you at least 30 days' notice before we reduce these bonuses.
Bonus credits can be used for introductions in the same way as other credits, but they are never paid out as cash.
Free credits. We may add free credits to your account, for example founding credits for specialists who join before we start advertising to homeowners. Free credits are used for introductions before credits you've bought. They have no cash value, are never paid out, can't be transferred, and end if you leave or we stop introducing you.
Credits can only be used to pay for introductions. They aren't a deposit, don't earn interest and can't be transferred to another business.
Our current prices are set out in your price list, in credits with their pound value. Each introduction is charged at the price in force when it's sent. We'll give you at least 30 days' notice of any price increase.

4. Prices

Shared introductions, where the homeowner asked to hear from two or three specialists, are charged at the standard price for the service.
Exclusive introductions, where the homeowner asked to hear from one specialist only, cost more.
Non-urgent introductions, where the homeowner plans the work in 3 to 6 months, are discounted, rounded down to whole credits. You can opt out of non-urgent introductions for any service; you'll then only receive homeowners who want the work done within 3 months.
Homeowners who are only researching are never introduced.
We're not currently VAT registered, so no VAT is charged. If we register, we'll add VAT to top-ups from then on and tell you at least 30 days beforehand. Credits you've already bought won't be affected.

5. When you're charged

Free introductions while we onboard specialists. Our website is live, but we haven't yet started advertising to homeowners. Until we do, you may still receive some introductions. These are free: each is recorded on your account and statement, but nothing is taken from your balance, including your free credits. We'll email you at least 14 days before introductions start to be charged.
You're only charged when an introduction is sent to you, and the price is taken from your balance at that moment. You don't receive the homeowner's details unless your balance covers the price.
If your balance doesn't cover an introduction, it goes to another eligible specialist, and we'll let you know you missed it.
If your balance falls below the price of your cheapest introduction, your listing is paused automatically: you won't be considered for introductions. We'll email you when this happens, and your listing switches back on as soon as your balance covers an introduction again.
We may also pause your listing by hand, for example while we reconfirm your checks or look into a complaint. We'll tell you when we do and why.
If an introduction can't be delivered to you, or the homeowner's own confirmation can't be sent, we refund it to your balance automatically.

6. Disputes

If an introduction isn't genuine, tell us within 7 days of receiving it, with your reasons. Examples include contact details that are clearly wrong, a duplicate of an introduction you already received in the last 30 days, a property outside your area, or someone who doesn't own the property. If we agree, we refund the credits to your balance. Refunds are made as credits, not cash.

An introduction isn't a guarantee of work. A homeowner deciding not to go ahead, or choosing another specialist, isn't grounds for a refund.

7. Reports and records

We keep a permanent record of every top-up, bonus, introduction, refund and adjustment on your account, in credits, with the money you paid for each top-up. We email you a summary every week, and you can ask for a full statement at any time.

8. Leaving, and unused credits

If you choose to leave, we'll hold your unused credits for 6 months. If you rejoin within that time, they're restored to your account. After 6 months, any unused credits are forfeited and won't be refunded.
If we stop introducing you because you no longer meet our checks, or because we stop providing the service in your area, we'll refund your unused credits in cash within 30 days.
If we stop introducing you because of a serious breach of these terms, for example misusing homeowners' details, we'll refund your unused credits in cash less any amount you owe us.
How a cash refund is worked out. Unused credits are refunded at the average price you paid per credit, counting bonus credits. For example, if you paid £500 for 550 credits and have 275 left, we refund £250. This is how bonus credits are never paid out as cash. A refund is never more than you paid us, less anything already refunded, and credits we added free of charge (for example as a goodwill adjustment) have no cash value.

9. Homeowners' details

When we introduce a homeowner, you become responsible for their details under UK data protection law, as a separate controller.
Use their details only to discuss and quote for the project they asked about. Don't sell or share them, or add them to marketing lists without their separate consent.
Contact them within 3 days of receiving the introduction, by phone or email. We tell homeowners to expect to hear from you within that time. If you often don't, we may pause your listing.
Treat them fairly. Never pressure them to sign on the spot. If they tell you they no longer want to be contacted, stop.

10. Our responsibility

We check businesses before introducing them and we pass on enquiries accurately, but any quote, contract and work is between you and the homeowner. Our total liability to you under these terms is limited to the amount you've paid us in the 12 months before the claim. Nothing in these terms limits liability that can't be limited by law.

11. Changes and law

We may update these terms with at least 30 days' notice by email. These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales.