Securatrade is a structured payment platform built for trade jobs across the UK. It lets tradespeople and their customers agree on a clear scope of work, timeline and milestone-based payments — before any work begins. Customer funds are held securely and only released to the trade once milestones are completed, protecting both sides throughout the job.
Securatrade operates as a payment intermediary, holding funds securely on behalf of both parties during the course of a job. We take our regulatory responsibilities seriously and are working towards full FCA authorisation as we scale. Customer funds are held in a segregated account — they are never mixed with our own operating funds.
When a customer pays into Securatrade, their funds are placed in a secure, segregated holding account. This money is not accessible to the trade until a milestone is confirmed as complete — and it is not mixed with Securatrade's own operating funds. Funds remain protected until both parties agree, or until the 48-hour automatic release window closes without a concern being raised.
Securatrade is designed for any trade or home improvement work, including plumbing, electrical work, building and construction, landscaping, decorating, roofing, tiling, carpentry, kitchen and bathroom installations, and much more. If there's a scope of work and agreed payment, Securatrade can structure it.
No minimum job value applies. Whether you're booking a small plumbing repair or a full-scale extension, you can use Securatrade to structure your payments and protect both sides. Our fee structure scales proportionally with the job value so smaller jobs remain cost-effective.
Yes — both tradespeople and customers need a free Securatrade account to use the platform. Creating an account takes less than two minutes. There are no monthly fees, no subscription costs and no commitment required. You only pay the small Securatrade fee when an active job is in progress.
Yes, absolutely. Many of our users are tradespeople who also hire other trades for their own properties. Your account can be used in both capacities — simply switch context within your dashboard depending on whether you are acting as a trade or a customer for a given job.
Yes — Securatrade is available throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The platform operates entirely online, so both parties can review, agree and manage their job from anywhere, regardless of location. There are no regional restrictions on which jobs can be structured.
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For Customers
When you pay into Securatrade, your funds are held securely in a segregated account — they are not paid directly to the trade. The trade cannot access your money until a milestone is marked as complete and either you confirm it, or the 48-hour review window passes without a concern being raised. This means your payment is protected at every stage of the job.
Funds are released to the trade in one of two ways: (1) you actively confirm that the milestone or job has been completed to your satisfaction, triggering an immediate release; or (2) the 48-hour window expires without you raising a concern — at which point funds are automatically released. This 48-hour rule gives you a meaningful window to review the work before payment is made.
If you have concerns about the quality or completeness of the work, you must raise them within the 48-hour review window before funds are automatically released. Once you raise a concern, the release is paused and Securatrade's support team will review the situation. We encourage both sides to resolve issues collaboratively wherever possible before formal intervention.
Yes. If a job is cancelled before it begins — whether by you or the trade — any funds you have paid into Securatrade will be returned to you, minus any applicable cancellation fees as set out in the job agreement. Cancellations are handled through the platform and the process is transparent. If the trade cancels, you will not be charged a cancellation fee.
This depends on the specific job and is something agreed upfront in your job agreement. Some jobs require the customer to be present throughout (for example, if keys need to be handed over or decisions need to be made on-site). Others can proceed with a key-holder or access code. The access arrangement is always clearly stated in the structured job agreement before work begins.
A defects liability period is a defined window of time after job completion during which the trade remains responsible for fixing any defects or issues that emerge from their work at no additional cost to you. This is common in construction and larger trade jobs. Where a defects liability period is agreed and included in your Securatrade job agreement, it is clearly stated and enforceable as part of the agreement between you and the trade.
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For Trades
Payment is released per milestone, as agreed in the job structure. Once you mark a milestone as complete, the customer enters a 48-hour review window. If they confirm satisfaction, payment is released immediately. If they raise no concern within 48 hours, payment is released automatically. Funds are transferred to your registered bank account promptly after release.
If a customer fails to respond or confirm completion, funds are automatically released to you after 48 hours, provided no concern has been raised. You do not need to chase the customer for payment — the platform handles it. This protects you from non-responsive customers without removing the customer's right to raise genuine concerns.
The Securatrade platform fee is included within the total amount the customer pays — not deducted from your agreed job value. This means you receive the full amount you quoted. The fee is transparently shown to the customer at the point of payment. There are no monthly subscription fees for trades, and no hidden charges.
All trades on Securatrade go through a verification process that includes identity checks and, where applicable, confirmation of relevant trade credentials and accreditations. This process helps build trust with customers and gives them confidence in who they are hiring. Verification is completed through your trade dashboard and typically takes 1–2 business days.
Yes, but cancellation terms apply. If you cancel before work begins, the customer's funds are returned in full with no cancellation fee charged to them. If you cancel part-way through a job, payment for completed milestones is released as agreed, but any unreleased funds are returned to the customer. Repeated or late cancellations may affect your trade standing on the platform.
If a customer raises a concern and it cannot be resolved between both parties directly, Securatrade's support team will review the case. We look at the agreed job scope, photographic evidence, communications and any other relevant information provided by both sides. Our aim is to reach a fair outcome based on the original agreement. Disputed funds remain held securely during this process.