Trust & verification

Know exactly who you're hiring.

Every badge on Totabiz is earned through a specific, checkable process tied to primary sources, never a self-reported claim. Here's exactly how it works.

The four badge tiers

From unclaimed listing to Verified Pro

Each tier only unlocks once the checks from every tier before it still hold true.

  1. Step 1

    Unclaimed

    Every business starts here. We create the listing from Companies House public records. Nobody from the business manages it yet.

    • Company found on Companies House
    • Registered address on file
    • Not yet managed by the business: treat details as unconfirmed
  2. Step 2

    Claimed

    Someone who acts for the business has taken over the listing and keeps it up to date.

    • The business manages its own profile
    • Requests go to private alert details the business controls
    • Not yet checked by our team
  3. Step 3

    Verified

    The full trust check. We confirm the company's legal standing and the register that applies to its category, and a person, not an algorithm, signs off.

    • Companies House status checked
    • Category-specific register checked where the service is regulated, such as the SRA or FCA
    • An administrator reviews every case before the badge is granted
  4. Step 4

    Verified Pro

    Everything a Verified business has, plus an active Verified Pro subscription, which lists the business, labelled as promoted, above other businesses on category pages. The trust information shown to customers is exactly the same.

    • All Verified checks still apply and are still re-checked
    • The paid plan changes listing order only, never who receives a request
    • No difference in the trust badge shown to customers
Why it's hard to fake

Built so trust can't be bought or guessed

Each safeguard below closes a specific way a listing could otherwise be faked or manipulated.

Human sign-off, every time

No badge is granted automatically from a register lookup. An administrator reviews the evidence before approving Verified status.

Weekly re-checks

Every business with a company number is re-checked against Companies House every week. A change in company status sends the listing back for review.

Full audit trail

Every verification decision is written to an append-only audit log, so there is always a record of who decided and why.

Private alert channels

Requests reach a business through private alert details that never appear on its public profile, so customers' requests cannot be redirected by editing a listing's contact details.

Real customers only

Every request comes from a mobile number confirmed with a one-time code, and only customers who confirmed working with a business can review it.

Billing kept separate from trust

Verified Pro is paid through Stripe Checkout and never changes what customers are told about a business's credentials.

What happens when something changes?

We re-check company status every week. If a company is dissolved or its details no longer match, the listing goes back to our team for review, and every decision is recorded in our audit trail.