Directories love the word "vetted". It is not a regulated term, it has no fixed meaning, and on most platforms nobody will tell you what was actually checked. Here is what verification looks like when it is real, and how to confirm it yourself in about five minutes.
What does "vetted" legally mean?
Nothing. There is no standard, no register and no auditor. One platform's "vetted" is a passport photo; another's is a full document review with expiry tracking. The word tells you the platform did something. It does not tell you what.
The fix is not to trust the badge — it is to ask which documents were checked, when, and by whom.
The three documents that matter
1. Public liability insurance
Most professional UK cleaners carry £1m to £5m of public liability cover. It pays out if they damage your property or someone is injured as a result of the work. Ask for the certificate, not a verbal assurance. A genuine certificate names:
- the insurer
- the policy number
- the insured business name — which should match the name on your quote
- the level of cover
- the expiry date
Check the expiry date. Lapsed cover is the single most common problem.
2. A DBS certificate
A Basic DBS check is not a legal requirement for general domestic cleaning, but it is standard practice for anyone holding keys or working unsupervised in your home. Individuals can apply directly through GOV.UK. Ask to see a certificate issued within the last twelve months — a DBS is a snapshot of a single date, so an old one proves progressively less.
Enhanced DBS checks only apply where the work involves regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults; for ordinary domestic cleaning, Basic is the relevant level.
3. A verifiable business identity
Either a company number you can look up free on the Companies House register, or a clear trading name with a real address and phone number. If the only contact is a mobile number and a first name, you have no recourse if something goes wrong.
Employers' liability — when it applies
If the cleaner employs anyone, employers' liability insurance is a legal requirement, with cover of at least £5m. A sole trader working alone does not need it. If a two-person team turns up, it is a fair question.
How to verify in five minutes
- Ask for the insurance certificate as a PDF or photo. Check the name and expiry.
- Ask for the DBS certificate number and issue date.
- Search the company name on the Companies House register.
- Search the business name plus "reviews" and read the one and two star ones.
- Ask for two recent local references and actually call one.
Any cleaner running a proper business expects these questions. Resistance to them is the answer.
What we do on Southend Cleaners — plainly
Credentials shown on a listing are declared by the cleaner unless the listing carries a Verified badge. Verified means we have seen the documents and recorded the expiry dates; the badge is withdrawn automatically if a document lapses. We do not describe declared credentials as checked, because they are not.
That distinction is the whole point. A directory that blurs it is selling you confidence rather than information.
Red flags
- Cash only, no invoice, no written scope
- Refusal or delay in producing an insurance certificate
- A business name that does not match the insurance document
- Pressure to book immediately at a price well below local rates
- No fixed address, no landline, no company registration
Before you book
Get the scope in writing, agree what happens if something is damaged, and confirm who is actually attending — subcontracting without telling you is common and it voids most of the assurances above.
Browse cleaners in your postcode, or request quotes and ask every one of them for the three documents.