TradeShield Ltd ("TradeShield", "we", "us", "our") is a company registered in England and Wales. We operate an online marketplace platform at gettradeshield.com that connects homeowners and property owners ("Clients") with independent tradespeople ("Contractors"). TradeShield is a technology platform and facilitator only — we are not a trades business, employer, or labour agency.

All tradespeople using TradeShield are independent self-employed contractors. They are not employees, workers, or agents of TradeShield Ltd under any circumstances.

By registering as a Contractor on TradeShield, you confirm and warrant that:

• You are self-employed and responsible for your own tax affairs, including Income Tax and National Insurance contributions
• You are responsible for registering with HMRC as self-employed if required
• You have the right to substitute another suitably qualified person to carry out work (subject to Client approval)
• You are free to work for other clients, platforms and businesses simultaneously
• You supply your own tools, equipment and materials unless expressly agreed otherwise
• You are not subject to the supervision, direction or control of TradeShield in performing any work
• TradeShield does not provide you with sick pay, holiday pay, pension contributions or any other employment benefits
• You are responsible for your own public liability insurance and professional indemnity insurance

TradeShield does not determine your working hours, how you perform your work, or which jobs you accept. You retain full control over these decisions at all times.

For the avoidance of doubt: the relationship between TradeShield and Contractors is governed by these Terms and is not an employment relationship, a worker relationship, or a relationship of agency. Nothing in these Terms shall be construed to create an employment contract or a relationship of employer and employee between TradeShield and any Contractor.

TradeShield provides the following services:

• Marketplace: Connecting Clients with Contractors for trade services
• Secure Payments: Payment processing via Stripe. Payments are held and released upon Client sign-off
• Digital Contracts: Auto-generated service agreements between Client and Contractor
• Reviews: Verified review system — reviews only publish after payment is completed
• AI Tools: Job scoping, cost estimation, and matching tools (for information only — not professional advice)
• Photo Evidence: GPS-tagged photo record for each job

TradeShield charges a platform fee of 2.5% on each completed transaction. This fee is deducted automatically from the payment before release to the Contractor.

All payments on TradeShield are processed by Stripe, Inc., a regulated payment services provider. By using TradeShield payments, you also agree to Stripe's Terms of Service.

The payment flow is as follows:

1. Client funds are authorised and held securely by Stripe when a job is confirmed
2. Funds are not released to the Contractor until the Client provides digital sign-off
3. The Client must sign off within 7 days of job completion. Failure to do so may result in automatic release after 14 days
4. TradeShield's platform fee (2.5%) is deducted before funds are transferred to the Contractor
5. Stripe's own processing fees (approximately 1.4% + 20p per transaction) are charged to the Client

TradeShield is not a bank, e-money institution, or payment services provider. We do not hold client funds — all funds are held by Stripe. TradeShield makes no representations regarding interest on held funds.

In the event of a dispute between a Client and Contractor, TradeShield will use reasonable endeavours to assist in resolution. However:

• TradeShield is not a party to the contract between Client and Contractor
• TradeShield's dispute process is advisory and non-binding unless both parties agree otherwise
• TradeShield may freeze payment release during an active dispute
• TradeShield reserves the right to release funds if a party fails to respond within 7 days
• Persistent or fraudulent disputes may result in account suspension

TradeShield operates a voluntary Service Guarantee Fund. A contribution of 1.5% of each job value is collected and pooled to fund remedial work in cases of incomplete or abandoned jobs. This is not an insurance product and is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Cover is subject to fund availability and TradeShield's sole discretion. TradeShield makes no guarantee of payment from this fund.

All users must:

• Provide accurate and truthful information
• Not impersonate any person or entity
• Not use the platform for any unlawful purpose
• Not circumvent the platform by arranging payments outside TradeShield
• Maintain the confidentiality of their account credentials

Contractors additionally must:

• Hold all legally required licences and certifications for their trade (e.g. Gas Safe, NICEIC)
• Warrant that all certifications, registration numbers and qualifications provided at signup or on their profile are genuine, current and accurately represented. Providing false or misleading certification information is a serious breach of these Terms, may constitute fraud, and will result in immediate removal from the platform. TradeShield reserves the right to report such cases to the relevant certification scheme authority (e.g. Gas Safe Register, NICEIC) and, where appropriate, to Action Fraud.
• Notify TradeShield immediately if any certification lapses, is revoked or is under investigation
• Maintain adequate public liability insurance
• Complete jobs to a reasonable standard and within agreed timescales
• Not solicit Clients to pay outside the TradeShield platform

To the fullest extent permitted by law:

• TradeShield is not liable for the quality, safety, legality or completion of any work performed by Contractors
• TradeShield is not liable for any loss or damage arising from the actions or omissions of Contractors or Clients
• TradeShield's total liability to any party shall not exceed the platform fees paid by that party in the 12 months preceding the claim
• TradeShield is not liable for any indirect, consequential, or economic loss

Nothing in these Terms limits TradeShield's liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.

TradeShield processes personal data in accordance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. By using TradeShield you consent to the collection and use of your data as described in our Privacy Policy. We use Supabase to store data on EU-based servers. We use Stripe for payment processing. We do not sell your personal data to third parties.

TradeShield reserves the right to suspend or terminate any account at any time for breach of these Terms, fraudulent activity, or conduct detrimental to the platform or its users. Contractors may close their account at any time by contacting us, subject to the completion of any active jobs and payment obligations.

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

TradeShield Ltd · Registered in England and Wales
For legal enquiries: [email protected]
For support: [email protected]

TradeShield is a UK trades marketplace operated by Fraser Russell. Contact: [email protected]. Registering with the ICO — number published on completion.

Account: Name, email, hashed password, phone, postcode.
Jobs: Descriptions, photos, contracts, messages, payment amounts.
Payments: Via Stripe only — we never store card numbers.

To run the platform, process payments, prevent fraud, comply with UK law, and improve the service.

Stripe (payments), Supabase (database, EU/UK servers), Anthropic (AI queries only). We never sell your data.

Account and payment records: 6 years. Messages and photos: 2 years after completion.

Access, correct, delete, or export your data. Email [email protected] — we respond within 30 days.

Encrypted servers, hashed passwords, HTTPS. Stripe handles all card data. Essential cookies only.

[email protected] · ICO: 0303 123 1113 · ico.org.uk