Checkatrade Acquires Rated People — Every Lead Now Routes to Checkatrade's Network
What happened
Checkatrade Group has completed the acquisition of selected assets from Rated People, including the brand and website. The deal, confirmed by Lewis Silkin on 24 September, means one of the UK's best-known trade-finding platforms is now folded into Checkatrade's operation.
Every job posted on Rated People is now matched with a tradesperson from Checkatrade's network. Rated People has closed all standalone memberships — tradespeople who were on Rated People must join Checkatrade to continue receiving leads from the platform.
Homeowners can keep posting jobs on Rated People as normal. Behind the scenes, those leads are now answered by Checkatrade members.
What this means for tradespeople
This is the biggest platform consolidation in UK trades for years. If you were paying for both Checkatrade and Rated People, you're now paying for one service that covers both lead sources. If you were on Rated People only, you'll need to move to Checkatrade — or lose access to those leads entirely.
For tradespeople already on Checkatrade, the acquisition means more incoming leads from Rated People's homeowner base at no extra cost. For those who weren't on either platform, it's a reminder that the lead generation market is consolidating fast — and that platform-independent lead sources like Google reviews matter more than ever.
With fewer platforms competing for tradespeople's subscriptions, the platforms that survive have more pricing power. Building your own reputation through Google reviews means you're never locked into one platform's terms.
What to do about it
If you were on Rated People, check your account — Checkatrade offers two options: a fixed lead plan (similar to how Rated People worked) or an Opportunities Board where you browse and pick jobs.
Either way, the smartest move is investing in your Google Business Profile so that you own your lead flow rather than renting it from platforms that can change terms or get acquired overnight.
Source: Lewis Silkin / Rated People