[2] Checkatrade was founded by Kevin Byrne OBE (BCAb) and headquartered in Selsey, West Sussex, for 21 years before relocating to Portsmouth, Hampshire, in 2019 following its acquisition by HomeServe.

Canadian asset management firm Brookfield acquired the company upon completing its purchase of HomeServe, Checkatrade’s parent organisation, in 2022.

[5] Under the Scout name, Byrne printed and distributed a directory of local tradespeople whom he had personally checked to complete jobs in the Selsey area.

This name replaced Scouted Out, reflecting the company’s growing membership across Chichester, Surrey, and South West London.

In the advert, Caesar rejects Brutus’s advice in favour of Checkatrade because the company offers "recommendations you can rely on".

[21] Several local councils in the UK have previously partnered with Checkatrade to support trading standards, including Surrey, Nottinghamshire, East Sussex, Suffolk, Kent, and Buckinghamshire.

[27] Kent County Council ended their partnership with Checkatrade in 2020, replacing it with a Trading Standards vetting scheme.

[28] In July 2021, Richard Harpin discussed research from Checkatrade on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, noting the UK’s lack of skilled trade workers despite growing demand in the home improvement market.

In response, the company launched GetIn, a nationwide campaign to encourage school leaders and young people under the age of 25 into trades careers via apprenticeships.