The Verified badge

Tap or hover over the badge on an advert and it says:

This person or company's identity has been checked and verified using independent sources.

What we check

Every badge starts with a person. Stripe runs the check for us: it compares a photo ID - a passport, driving licence or national identity card - with a selfie taken live at the time. Once someone is verified, their adverts show the first name on that ID.

A company's badge needs more. The company must be active at Companies House, and the person applying must match one of its current directors, LLP members or people with significant control. Our team checks every company by hand before its badge goes on.

We check every verified company at Companies House again each night. If the check finds that a company has stopped being active, faces being struck off, has a new insolvency, or that the person we matched is no longer one of its directors, LLP members or people with significant control, our team reviews it and may remove the badge. If we do, we email the company's owners.

What the badge doesn't mean

• It isn't a recommendation or a guarantee. We check who someone is, not how good they are at what they do or how a deal with them will go.
• We don't check trade qualifications, memberships or insurance. If those matter to you, ask the advertiser for proof.
• It doesn't move adverts up in search results. Adverts with and without the badge are sorted in exactly the same way.

What it costs

Each badge is a one-off £10, paid by card with Stripe. Verifying yourself and verifying a company you own are separate badges.

The fee pays for the check itself. Paying doesn't make a pass more likely.

Refunds

These are the refund rules you agree to before you pay.

Verifying yourself

• If we can't verify you, we'll refund the £10 in full.
• You can cancel for a full refund at any time while we're waiting for your ID.
• If you close your account before we've made a decision, we'll refund the £10.

Verifying a company

• If we can't verify your identity, we'll refund the £10 in full.
• If the company doesn't meet our Companies House checks, for example because it's dissolved or not on the register, we'll refund the £10 in full and remove the personal Verified badge this check gave you.
• If we verify your identity but can't verify the company for another reason, you keep your personal Verified badge and the £10 isn't refunded.
• You can cancel for a full refund at any time while we're waiting for your ID.
• If you close your account before we've made a decision, we'll refund the £10.