In support of the Government’s Green GB Week, TrustMark, the Government-endorsed quality scheme for tradespeople, announces that it has expanded its remit to include Repair, Maintenance and Improvement (RMI), retrofit and energy efficiency sectors, in order to now cover any work a consumer chooses to have carried out in or around their home.
TrustMark has extended its responsibilities following the industry led Government-commissioned Each Home Counts review in 2016, which identified a requirement for an all-encompassing mark of quality for consumers to recognise and trust. TrustMark was chosen to be the brand that the quality mark has now become with clean growth and energy efficiency being a key focus of the scheme.
TrustMark’s expansion has bought significant changes to the scheme, including:
The Core Criteria document will be replaced by the Framework Operating Requirements (FOR). This will be delivered through the network of Scheme Providers who will vet and 
monitor each business registered within the scheme.
The FOR will be supplemented by additional documents such as the Code of Conduct (setting out requirements to Registered Businesses) and the Customer Charter (outlining the rights and responsibilities of customers), both of which aim to improve clarity of communication for tradespeople and their customers.
New and updated branding, which includes a refreshed logo to reflect the significant incoming changes, whilst celebrating the core values and name that remains at the heart of TrustMark as an organisation.
The TrustMark website has also been updated to display the new branding and features an enhanced consumer search facility. A customer/business portal will also be available over the forthcoming months to handle all aspects of communications between consumers and trade, from quote to payment.
TrustMark’s new independent Chairman, Ranil Jayawardena, says:
“The evolution of TrustMark into the Government Endorsed Quality scheme for any work that a consumer has done to their home is great news. I want to make sure that TrustMark puts consumers first and gives them the best information from which they can make their own decisions. At the same time, I believe this will be good for the industry in the long run, as it should mean that consumer-power drives the industry to be better.”
Simon Ayers, CEO of TrustMark, says:
“These steps only represent the beginning of change at TrustMark and I am delighted with the direction the scheme is going in and believe these improvements will pave the way for positive, far-reaching change for both consumers and businesses. We have significant plans for developing the services to our Scheme Providers, Registered Businesses and the consumers that rely on them and together we can carry on our journey.”
Claire Perry, Minister for Energy and Clean Growth, says:
“The UK has led the world in cutting emissions whilst growing our economy - with clean growth driving incredible innovation and creating hundreds of thousands of high quality jobs. on our successes and explain the huge opportunities for business and young people of a cleaner economy. I’m delighted to see how many more businesses and organisations, such as TrustMark, are seizing this multi-billion pound opportunity to energize their communities to tackle the very serious threat of climate change.”
Since 2005, TrustMark has been a champion of consumer protection and when a consumer sees the TrustMark logo they will know the business they are engaging with is technically competent and has made an additional commitment to customer services and trading practices. This will be the case regardless of the type of work they require on their property.
For further information about TrustMark, visit www.trustmark.org.uk
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