rated people be warned

Bazza1, i totally agree with everything you say, i've been with ratedpeople for a couple years now and spent large sums of money on good leads , and false leads. Once apon a time i was given maybe 60% of my money back in credits for these false leads or customers that just wanted a quote just in case situations.
But since December 2013 all this has changed, credits have stopped..............
I honestly believe that ratedpeople are either throwing false leads onto there site to make more income or they are getting hit from competition with false customers, ratedpeople know this happening thats the reason for the change in there policy....
i would like to get a petition of tradesmen to voice their complaints because ratedpeople is basically stealing or even criminally knowingly of wrong doing....ratedpeople need to be investigated.

#ratedpeoplecomplaints

 

#ratedpeoplecomplaints

 

#ratedpeoplecomplaints

 

I agree with Sappy - a good idea blown...

I also joined with the hope of finding good tradesmen for jobs I need doing. Some small jobs, and larger if the site worked - unfortunatly my initial experience was poor : "112 tradesmen saw my job", one called me (his feedback was average looking, and I wanted a 2nd quote to ensure his looked ok). I did not know HOW MUCH the tradesmen were paying (which does not explain why the one who quoted never emailed me the quote as he said he would).

I use ebay a lot and their charging seems to work for vendors of all sizes, and feedback seems easier to use (not perfect, but ratedpeople could learn a few things from it).

It strikes me that ratedpeople is currently just a listing site with no added value for customer or tradesmen.

 

Hi Ian,

Pretty much. They throw a load of money at advertising and therefore get a lot of traffic on their site. Once Joe Public has arrived it seems beautiful; they can review the Trades persons feedback and get (i believe) three quotes and make a decision from there.

In my opinion the odds are stacked up against the Trades person who are paying quite a lot from what i understand (and not always judge-able, or relative to the job which is being asked).

I am sure there are people who have done well from it, but the only way to measure it would be to work out how much they have paid versus how much the jobs generated.

Sounds like there is a need for such a service although one which is fairer for both parties.

 

hi bazza,

Glad to hear things have picked up for you and you don't need to use them.

Long that may continue pal!

Cheers
Fats

 

Rated People
Hi Everyone
Am I unlucky spend £137 buying 3 leads,

1st ended up wanting a quote for house they where considering buying £45+vat

2nd customer only wanted a price to make sure his friend a plaster wasn't ripping him of 45+vat

3rd, had no intention of doing any work we had 2 weeks of e-mails. He just wanted ideas. He never answered phone and I never got to view property or price £27.50+ Vat

£137 and £20 Diesel and my time

 

Hi Plasteringman,

Sorry to read of your recent loss of time and money.

The problem as i see it is that there is nothing to stop customers "window shopping" sadly at the tradesmen expense.

Whilst it is true all advertising and leads cost money: the difference with other types of advertising (such as local advertising, leaflet drops, word of mouth etc) is you can screen the lead yourself - normally get a good idea if someone is a time waster after a few questions on the phone.

I guess the only way for you to work out if its worth you using it, is to compare what you have paid them, to what money they have generated for you.

 

Hi Fathands, I count myself as "Joe public" for this, and I also hate to see the trades people stung - I added to this thread in the hope that Rated-people might try and fix things. As a customer I also found Rated-people to be useless - and do not plan in going back there unless they make an effort to fix the fundamental problems they have - as I see the good trades people keeping away from it too, so the whole point of it is lost.
I will stick to local word of mouth...
Cheers, Ian
.

 

Thanks for your comments

I have recently moved to a new area and thought rated people would be a good start. I have only bided for these 3 job as above
I have been put off
I think there is a lot of trades men out there afraid to buy these leads
In the long term rated people may fail, customers will place an get no response and leave.
Some customers place an advert for a job with a value of £4000 and we have to pay £45+vat for the lead, but the job may be only worth £1300!
Most don't know we are been charged or how much.
The information the customer advertises can be very sketchy

I have copied these

Job Description
1: replace external beading and re-render several porches £27.50+vat.
(How many porches?)

2: We need one side of our house re-rendered £27.80+vat
(Hack of also? Scaffold? Materials? What side? Size?)

3: Render new wall and make good work to existing walls £27.80+vat
(No quantities as above) does the wall need 1/2coats, is it 10 square metres or 300 square metres.

RATED PEOPLE should be contacting 90% of customers and getting complete details, photos dates of commencement

I could be doing these jobs

 

Rated people will be and should be put out of business and quick before they rip off anymore tradesmen.
They have changed there policy for one reason, to take as much money as possible then close up shop.
Half of these leads are not even real, some don't even have a legitimate phone number and don't reply to emails, they are probably paid by something to do with rated people to post jobs for them or rated people employees.
It's an absolute RIP OFF and disgrace that we pay for leads without even being able to speak to the applicant about a quote, you may aswell buy a scratch card.
My advice DON'T BUY ANYMORE SO CALLED LEADS they are rubbish !!!!

 

Don't get done get dom
He will chase the thieving bas///ds down

 

Hi JustJ,

So i've been a member for over 2 years, the amount of bad leads hasn't reduced like they said it would, the leads are not cheaper like they say they would be, in fact they are more expensive. Rated People say they can't be held accountable for how the customers behave after the lead has been sold! this is a ridiculous statement as they are taking the money for it, of course they have a responsibility.
I have contacted 'trading standards' this week. They have told me that if its written in their policy that i have agreed too then i don't have any grounds for complaint. I tried to argue that the rules were not always like that and since i have become quite dependant on them to generate income are they allowed to move the goalposts like that? They said "yes"
Morally "rated people" are out of order but in business its ruthless and almost anything goes. That said, I am allowed to create my own website which i have a friend to do for me, i also have another friend who can put it at the top of the 'google' list alongside 'Rated Peoples'
Together they will explain to anyone wanting to use rated people how they operate (rip tradesmen off) they will also explain ways they can use the website for posting leads at minimal expense for the tradesmen. For example: in the description they can write "i know the estimated cost for the work is low, but i heard that the tradesmen will pay less for the lead" explaining the reason for the low budget. Or they can just provide their phone number or email address in the job description so the tradesmen pay nothing. Sooner or later rated people will catch on but at least by then the score will be 1-1.

 

I still say - "Word of mouth" is king...

Word of mouth will kill Rated People - they sell it as a way to find Good Tradesmen, but the way they work results in the exact opposite... and I WILL tell people that...

So what sites would Tradesmen say are good (for you, and hopefully for us too)?

 

I consider myself to be a good tradesman but rated people took me without any checks, I could have been a cowboy,
Although they did check my debit card details where correct for money they demand.

 

An opportunity for Screwfix perhaps?!

@ScrewfixPeter - If you are reading this post what is the likely hood of SF doing a website where consumers can find tradesmen?

They don't want any references, or proof of qualification or trading or anything?

Ratedpeople have a massive viewing - usually 500,000 visitors per month (see here)
Thats a lot of people! The problem is, not all of those people seem to be genuinely intending to have work done. Thing is, the business isn't really concerned with that; as long as people fill in the details form they can sell that information on at a whopping price.

 

I have just signed up using their free "starter" credit and their website needs this: they need a "more info" button to let customers they need to fully explain their requirement(s). As for the refund, I would not purchase a lead if someone else has purchased it. Simple. So that way you are 98% sure you will be the work. My skill area is structured cabling and really more info is needed from the customer.

But to not get a refund is a rip off. But hey, they have changed their policy so like it or not.

 

I think this is how they work, so probably no point signing up!

 

Speedy pro, it's more like 20% change of getting work.
I have never seen more than 1 person bidding for a job yet!
Think its a unwritten rule.
Good luck and my tip go for the cheap priced jobs first !