Cancel Checkatrade the easy way

Service summary

Checkatrade is a UK trade directory that vets tradespeople and publishes customer reviews so homeowners can find local professionals for repairs and home improvement. Checkatrade operates membership plans for tradespeople and a free consumer-facing search platform at checkatrade.com.

Who uses it

Target users are homeowners looking for pre-vetted tradespeople and tradespeople who buy a 12-month membership to appear in the directory and request reviews.

How Checkatrade makes money

Checkatrade sells annual membership plans to tradespeople (prices listed as monthly but billed as a 12-month contract) and optional services such as Checkatrade Pay. Memberships are fixed for 12 months.

Web (delete account)

1. Sign in at https://checkatrade.com/.
2. Open Account settings and choose 'Delete your Account'.
3. Confirm deletion on-screen. The action is immediate and irreversible for customers.
4. Save any confirmation page as proof.

iOS and Android (app)

1. Open the Checkatrade app and sign in.
2. Go to Account > Settings > Delete your Account.
3. Follow prompts to confirm. Deletion is immediate.
4. Take screenshots as proof.

Phone

1. Find the correct renewals/support phone via your membership paperwork or the support pages.
2. Call and state you Cancel membership and give 30 days notice if on a rolling contract (membership terms require no less than 30 days notice by phone).
3. Ask for a written confirmation or reference number.
4. Do not cancel Direct Debit before Checkatrade confirms termination; cancelling payment does not terminate contract and may lead to immediate termination with liability for fees.

Email

1. Compose a clear cancellation request including business name, membership ID and date you want cancellation to take effect.
2. Send from the address registered on the account and keep the sent email as proof.
3. Ask for written confirmation of cancellation and any refund calculation if applicable.

Post (registered letter)

1. Write a signed cancellation letter with business name, membership ID and desired termination date.
2. Send by Royal Mail Registered or Signed For to: Checkatrade, 72 Hammersmith Road, W14 8TH London, United Kingdom.
3. Keep proof of postage and delivery receipt as evidence.

Moving (relocation)

Rule - Checkatrade membership terms do not publish a specific clause limited to relocation as an automatic termination ground. If relocation makes the service unusable, a member may request termination as a legitimate ground; Checkatrade's membership terms state legitimate termination can lead to a refund where the member legitimately terminates under the terms.

Required proof documents - proof of new address (utility bill, tenancy agreement) and request in writing. Applicable law - Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 when contract was concluded off-premises or online if within the 14-day cooling-off period.

Price increase

Rule - Checkatrade does not publish a specific price-change tolerance in the publicly available membership terms referenced. Under UK law, an unfair unilateral price increase may be challengeable under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 if the term is disproportionate or unclear.

Required proof documents - any notification from Checkatrade of the price increase, your current membership agreement, and a written complaint to renewals. Applicable law - Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Death of subscriber

Rule - Checkatrade membership terms do not publish explicit instructions for termination on death. A legal representative should contact Checkatrade to request closure and provide documentation.

Required proof documents - death certificate and proof of authority (executor or administrator). Applicable law - general contract law and the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 where applicable.

Legitimate ground (material breach or service failure)

Rule - Checkatrade's membership terms say that if a member legitimately terminates under the terms, they may be entitled to a refund of membership fees or part of them. If Checkatrade terminates a membership, the member is not entitled to a refund.

Required proof documents - evidence of breach or failure, written complaints, and any responses from Checkatrade. Applicable law - Consumer Rights Act 2015.

End of commitment (12-month fixed membership)

Rule - Paid Approved and Growth memberships are 12-month fixed contracts. To avoid renewal or further billing, members must follow renewal/cancellation instructions and give required notice where contract or renewal terms state it.

Required proof documents - membership invoice and renewal notice. Applicable law - Contract terms governed by the membership agreement.

Cooling-off period (14-day right to cancel)

Rule - For services sold online, over the phone or off-premises, consumers have a 14-day cooling-off period under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. The period starts the day after entering the contract.

Required proof documents - order confirmation, written notice of cancellation within 14 days. If service was requested to begin during the 14 days you must pay for the service up to cancellation. Applicable law - Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.

Before cancelling: negotiate

Retention offers from Checkatrade are not publicly listed in the available membership documentation. There are no published, standard retention discounts in the public pricing documents. To ask for a retention offer, contact renewals via the official renewals/support channel and request a retention quote before you confirm cancellation. Refer to your membership ID and current plan when you ask. See official renewals help at Checkatrade Renewals.

What cancelling saves you

Compute yearly savings based on Checkatrade listed plan rates:

• Approved plan: £30 x 12 = £360 per year (+VAT).
• Growth plan: from £59 x 12 = £708 per year (+VAT).
• Free plan: £0 x 12 = £0 per year.

Example alternatives and cheapest real alternative from the research:

• TradeMatch: £9.99 per month - £9.99 x 12 = £119.88 per year. (Listed competitor price)
• Jobello: £19.99 per month - £19.99 x 12 = £239.88 per year. (Listed competitor price)

If you cancel an Approved membership you save £360 per year (before VAT). If you cancel a Growth membership you save at least £708 per year (before VAT). TradeMatch at £9.99 monthly is the cheapest listed competitor at £119.88 per year.

Key UK consumer laws

The relevant UK statutes are the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) enforces rules on unfair contract terms and unclear auto-renewal practices.

Cooling-off and refunds

If you entered the contract online or off-premises you usually have a 14-day cooling-off period under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. You are entitled to a refund within 14 days of giving notice. If you asked for services to start during the 14 days, the business can charge for the services provided up to the cancellation point. See Citizens Advice - cancelling a service and Which? - Consumer Contracts Regulations.

Escalation steps

1. Complain to the trader (Checkatrade renewals/support) with evidence.

2. If unresolved, seek help from Citizens Advice and the CMA for unfair contract term issues. Use the gov guidance on cancelling services: Gov.uk - cancelling goods or services.

3. For qualifying card payments, consider Section 75 or chargeback via your card issuer for disputes about payment for services not performed.

Confirm termination and final billing

Keep any confirmation from Checkatrade showing the termination date. For rolling contracts cancelled by phone, allow 30 days from the date of notice. If you have an annual membership and legitimately terminate under the membership terms you may be entitled to a refund; Checkatrade will cease taking payments when termination is confirmed.

Direct Debit and card payments

Do not cancel your Direct Debit or revoke card authority before termination is confirmed. Checkatrade's membership terms state that cancelling a Direct Debit instruction or revoking Card Payment Authority does not itself terminate the contract, and Checkatrade may treat that as grounds to terminate membership immediately while remaining liable for fees. After confirmation, you may cancel the Direct Debit if you wish.

Account data and re-activation

If you used the 'Delete your Account' function that action is immediate and irreversible for customers. Tradespeople who hold a paid membership should confirm whether deletion also removes profile data or only suspends membership; request written confirmation if you plan to re-activate later.

Use this checklist to cancel and keep evidence.

• Find your membership ID and original invoice.
• Decide method: Web/App deletion for customers (immediate) or Phone/Post for tradespeople giving 30 days notice.
• If calling, request a written confirmation and note the date and time of the call.
• If sending post, use Registered or Signed For and keep receipt. Send to: Checkatrade, 72 Hammersmith Road, W14 8TH London, United Kingdom.
• Keep screenshots or copies of confirmation pages and all emails.
• Do not cancel Direct Debit or card authority until Checkatrade confirms termination in writing.
• If you believe you have a statutory right to a refund, state this in writing and reference the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 or Consumer Rights Act 2015 as applicable.