How we vet vendors
A logo on a website is not proof of certification. Before a vendor can quote, our team checks who they are, that they are insured, and that they hold the certification for each service they offer.
Five checks before the first quote
Vendors can create an account and browse jobs straight away, but they can’t quote until every check is complete.
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01
Company and identity
We confirm the business is registered at Companies House, or check the photo ID and trading address of sole traders. Directors are checked against the disqualified directors register.
- Registered office and trading address confirmed
- A named contact who is responsible for the account
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02
Insurance
Public liability cover of at least £2 million, and professional indemnity of at least £1 million for assessors and consultants. We record the expiry date and pause quoting if cover lapses.
- Certificate uploaded, with the insurer and expiry date recorded
- Cover amounts shown on the vendor’s public profile
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03
Third-party certification
Each service a vendor quotes for must be backed by a relevant scheme, such as BAFE, FIRAS, NSI, LPCB or BM TRADA. We check the certificate number with the scheme, not just the logo on a website.
- The scope of each certificate matched to the services offered
- An expiry date recorded for every certificate
- Only verified, in-date certificates are shown as verified on profiles and quotes
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04
Assessor competence
Fire risk assessments are carried out by a named assessor on a recognised professional register (IFE, IFSM or FRACS), or by a BAFE SP205 certified company.
- The assessor is named on every fire risk assessment report, as the law has required since October 2023
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05
Reviews from real jobs
Only a customer who awarded a vendor a job through FireBid can review them, and only once the work is marked complete.
- One review per job
- We may remove a review that breaks our terms, but we never edit one
We keep checking
Verification isn’t a one-off. Insurance and certificates expire, and a vendor’s status reflects where they stand today.
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Expiry dates tracked
We record the expiry date of every insurance policy and certificate a vendor gives us.
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Quoting paused on a lapse
If insurance expires, the vendor cannot quote until we have checked the renewal. Expired certificates are no longer shown as verified.
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Complaints investigated
We look into every complaint about a vendor. We can ask for more evidence, remove a service from their profile, or suspend them.
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Suspension
A suspended vendor cannot quote, and their public profile is removed while we investigate.
What vetting doesn’t cover
We don’t supervise the work
Vendors are independent businesses. The vendor you choose is responsible for the work they carry out, and for any certificate or report they issue.
We don’t replace your own duties
As the Responsible Person you remain responsible for fire safety in your building. Choosing a certified, competent vendor is part of meeting that duty, not a substitute for it.
We don’t guarantee outcomes
Our checks reduce the risk of hiring an unqualified or uninsured firm. They don’t guarantee the quality of a particular job, which is why reviews come only from real customers.
Report a concern
If you think a vendor isn’t insured, doesn’t hold the certification they claim, or has done unsafe work, tell us. Include the job reference if you have one. We treat every report in confidence.