Rogue Customers website
Discussion
A trades guy I know was enthusing about his idea he's had.
A website or Facebook closed group for tradespeople to check reviews of rogue customers. Anyone who deals with the public knows they're out there, just as bad as cowboy trades. Landlords with a portfolio that rip off every gas engineer in town, joe public that tries to chip the quoted bill after the job's done etc etc.
So he'd love to have a site for tradespeople to go on and to leave negative feedback where appropriate.
I'm just wondering... can anyone actually see this idea working?? In the hands of scrupulous contractors it could work but there's always be the guy down the pub who'd put bad reviews on for a laugh.
Moderation would have to be fierce to ensure factual only comments were left & I dread to imagine the legal s
tstorm when someone finds out they're on there!
So should I tell him it's genius or a turkey?
Seriously - any informed comment on the legalities would be fascinating to hear.
A website or Facebook closed group for tradespeople to check reviews of rogue customers. Anyone who deals with the public knows they're out there, just as bad as cowboy trades. Landlords with a portfolio that rip off every gas engineer in town, joe public that tries to chip the quoted bill after the job's done etc etc.
So he'd love to have a site for tradespeople to go on and to leave negative feedback where appropriate.
I'm just wondering... can anyone actually see this idea working?? In the hands of scrupulous contractors it could work but there's always be the guy down the pub who'd put bad reviews on for a laugh.
Moderation would have to be fierce to ensure factual only comments were left & I dread to imagine the legal s
tstorm when someone finds out they're on there!So should I tell him it's genius or a turkey?
Seriously - any informed comment on the legalities would be fascinating to hear.
You have massive pitfalls like data protection, etc. Funnily enough I was thinking of something similar off the back of the track day crash thread going on in SP&L just now but I don't think it will work without discrimination becoming a real issue.
On the flip side of this idea, a large part of the construction industry was given a severe telling off and fined for blacklisting employees who complained about things like low pay, deductions, on-site safety. There was a group companies could pay to be in that held names of these tradespeople with marks against their name and obviously those marked people found it incredibly difficult to get employment (some for years and years).
There's merit in helping people avoid the bad guys but it would be so easy for them to bite back.
On the flip side of this idea, a large part of the construction industry was given a severe telling off and fined for blacklisting employees who complained about things like low pay, deductions, on-site safety. There was a group companies could pay to be in that held names of these tradespeople with marks against their name and obviously those marked people found it incredibly difficult to get employment (some for years and years).
There's merit in helping people avoid the bad guys but it would be so easy for them to bite back.
R8Steve said:
Oh well, looks like your friend will get a chance to see if it works or not!
Or is your friend Nigel? If so, fair play on the porch
That story was from 2008. roguecustomer.com doesn't exist.Or is your friend Nigel? If so, fair play on the porch
Draw your own conclusions...
It's a non-starter. Trades guys would struggle to stay objective, if customers found out (as they inevitably would) the builder would have to prove (with receipts invoices, contracts etc) their claims were factual. They wouldn't be able to and it would be a "he said, she said" of epic proportions, not to mention other bodies like the taxman potentially taking an interest.
And for what? Which normal joiner is going to take a call and check a website, and be sure that Mrs Smith at no. 39 actually isn't Mr Smith at no 30 that the previous guy entered incorrectly?
Clusterf
k.Pot Bellied Fool said:
technodup said:
Pot Bellied Fool said:
A trades guy I know was enthusing about his...
...legal ststorm
I've edited that down to the salient points....legal s
tstorm 
How true!tstorm?Surely if people can rate businesses on TripAdvisor or similar then the same could be done the other way around? Perhaps by using a house name/number and a postcode because that information is all freely available?
On a totally separate note, PBF, did you receive my e-mail about that phone call a few weeks ago?
Cheers
The Moose said:
Why is it a legal ststorm?
Surely if people can rate businesses on TripAdvisor or similar then the same could be done the other way around? Perhaps by using a house name/number and a postcode because that information is all freely available?
Businesses do their business in public and expect to be rated one way or another, members of the public don't expect their 'dirty' laundry to be aired on some website with no right of reply (idea was a private group). When a restaurant answers back on TA or Yelp or whatever it becomes news and ends up making the Daily Mail, there was one the other week about a £2 glass of water.tstorm?Surely if people can rate businesses on TripAdvisor or similar then the same could be done the other way around? Perhaps by using a house name/number and a postcode because that information is all freely available?
Given the number of review sites, and the fact this idea was mooted in 2008 yet doesn't (AFAIK) exist you have to wonder why. I'd give it a month before someone finds out they've been accused/defamed/libelled and takes it to court.
Bottom line is non payment is part and parcel of business. How you deal with it is the important part, and I'd suggest mouthing off all over the internet probably isn't the best way to manage it. Job gets done, person doesn't pay, builder moans about it online. What has he gained? Absolutely nothing, other than making sure that person will never pay. Unless I'm missing something.
I think the idea is understandable but pointless and a legal minefield. IANAL though.
Read up about Julia Cordray and her (albeit US-based) idea last year for an app called People which would have offered similar to what you are talking about, leaving reviews for individuals.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/...
Utter legal nightmare. How would you police the comments/reviews and ensure they are not just maliciously made up.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/...
Utter legal nightmare. How would you police the comments/reviews and ensure they are not just maliciously made up.
technodup said:
The Moose said:
Why is it a legal ststorm?
Surely if people can rate businesses on TripAdvisor or similar then the same could be done the other way around? Perhaps by using a house name/number and a postcode because that information is all freely available?
Businesses do their business in public and expect to be rated one way or another, members of the public don't expect their 'dirty' laundry to be aired on some website with no right of reply (idea was a private group). When a restaurant answers back on TA or Yelp or whatever it becomes news and ends up making the Daily Mail, there was one the other week about a £2 glass of water.tstorm?Surely if people can rate businesses on TripAdvisor or similar then the same could be done the other way around? Perhaps by using a house name/number and a postcode because that information is all freely available?
Given the number of review sites, and the fact this idea was mooted in 2008 yet doesn't (AFAIK) exist you have to wonder why. I'd give it a month before someone finds out they've been accused/defamed/libelled and takes it to court.
Bottom line is non payment is part and parcel of business. How you deal with it is the important part, and I'd suggest mouthing off all over the internet probably isn't the best way to manage it. Job gets done, person doesn't pay, builder moans about it online. What has he gained? Absolutely nothing, other than making sure that person will never pay. Unless I'm missing something.
I think the idea is understandable but pointless and a legal minefield. IANAL though.
I'm not for the idea if I'm honest, but I can't quite see major legal issues...especially if you can do it without using people's names.
The Moose said:
If it's totally factual then there's no libel/defamation. Have a look at a website called 'The Dirty'. It's a lot worse than what's been proposed here.
I'm not for the idea if I'm honest, but I can't quite see major legal issues...especially if you can do it without using people's names.
This is joiners and builders who've been done out of money we're talking about, keeping it factual would be a challenge. Everybody who goes to court thinks they have the facts but there's always at least two sides to those facts.I'm not for the idea if I'm honest, but I can't quite see major legal issues...especially if you can do it without using people's names.
And what would be the point if you're not naming names?
Other than a forum to vent I don't see the point. They'd be as well shouting at the nearest wall for all the good it will do them. And walls can't answer back.
I did look at The Dirty (and immediately felt dirty). Seems to be celebrity led which is something quite different again, they thrive on 'beef'. The second post I looked at mentioned lawyers and defamation. But it at least has a right to reply which isn't being offered here.
Bottom line for me is however bad customers are it's never a great idea to slag them off to others. Keep your counsel and move on.
The Moose said:
On a totally separate note, PBF, did you receive my e-mail about that phone call a few weeks ago?
Cheers
Yes - just found it lurking in the pending folder. Apologies for delay, I was playing around with some new software to analyse the other players and then put it to one side while I coughed & spluttered through some lurgy daughter brought home from school Cheers
It's on my list to finish off today (although if the tiler calls me upstairs to say he's found yet more wet rot in structural timbers I may just give up & hide under a table in the pub till tomorrow!) Cheers.
Pot Bellied Fool said:
The Moose said:
On a totally separate note, PBF, did you receive my e-mail about that phone call a few weeks ago?
Cheers
Yes - just found it lurking in the pending folder. Apologies for delay, I was playing around with some new software to analyse the other players and then put it to one side while I coughed & spluttered through some lurgy daughter brought home from school Cheers
It's on my list to finish off today (although if the tiler calls me upstairs to say he's found yet more wet rot in structural timbers I may just give up & hide under a table in the pub till tomorrow!) Cheers.
Good luck with the rot!!
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