GotAPalBuilt on the water
Log in
Trust & safety

Trust that proves itself.

Trust has to be earned, and shown honestly. This page sets out what we check, what we do not, and what we are still building. Where we have not checked something, we say so.

Principles

Four pillars that make us different.

Real people

Reviews come from named customers, not anonymous accounts. We never buy, sell or incentivise a review.

Your network first

Tradespeople your connections have used surface first. Organic ranking is earned, and any paid visibility is clearly labelled.

Earned ranking

No one can pay to suppress a bad review, and organic ranking is earned. Optional paid visibility (like Boost) is always clearly labelled as promoted.

Tied to a paid job

A review can be tied to a real, paid job through ServicePay. Those are labelled. Anything else is an ordinary customer review, and is labelled that way too.

Reputation score

A 0 to 100 score designed to resist gaming.

Five weighted factors. Verified jobs and honest reviews count most, not how much someone pays.

A reputation score or a review does not guarantee workmanship, insurance or qualifications. Always check a trade's credentials yourself before you hire.

Review quality

35%

Review volume

20%

Verified jobs

15%

Vouches received

15%

Response rate

15%
85Reputation
Highly trusted
47 verified jobs 4.9 avg

Common questions

A review can be tied to a real, paid job when the trade takes payment through ServicePay, and those are labelled as such. Anything else is an ordinary customer review, labelled that way. Organic ranking can't be bought, and any paid visibility is clearly labelled.

A verified review is linked to a confirmed completed job, meaning we can confirm the work actually happened. These reviews carry the most weight in reputation scoring.

Organic ranking is earned: reviews, verified jobs and response rate decide where you appear, and you can't pay to suppress a bad review. Businesses can buy optional visibility upgrades (like Boost or Top Pal), but these are always clearly labelled as promoted and kept separate from organic ranking.

Each tradesperson has a 0 to 100 score from five factors: review quality (35%), volume (20%), verified jobs (15%), vouches (15%), response rate (15%).

If you believe a review is false or unfair, hit Report on the review itself. We ask the reviewer to re-confirm they are a real customer; if they cannot, or our team finds it breaches policy, it is removed. Genuine reviews from real customers always stay, good or bad. A review tied to a real, paid job carries that payment as evidence.

Use the link below or email us at hello@gotapal.com. We take every report seriously.

See something wrong?

If you spot suspicious activity, fake accounts, or inappropriate behaviour, let us know.

Report an issue