How enquiry information is shared
One job offered to matching local businesses
When you post work to the local matching service, we offer your public job summary and approximate area to all relevant listed businesses within 20 miles. Email alerts are sent to matching businesses with a valid email address, including businesses that have not registered, claimed their listing or subscribed. We respect opt-outs. Receiving an alert does not give a business access to your email address or telephone number. For jobs posted with the updated sharing notice, trader alert emails also include your name, postcode and job description. Email and telephone fields are masked. Never put contact details, street addresses or sensitive personal information in the public summary or job description.
Only the first five can quote
A business must verify its account and listing ownership and have an active paid £9.99 monthly subscription before submitting a quote. Only the first five successful quote submissions unlock your real email address and telephone number and receive access to the full job through the site. The server enforces this limit even when businesses respond simultaneously. Payment alone does not reserve a place or unlock a full job.
Optional first-response exclusive access
For new jobs posted with this option explained, the first eligible responding business can instead purchase exclusive access for £29.99 before any shared quote. It must verify its account and listing ownership, but does not need a monthly subscription for that lead. During checkout other quotes are paused; after confirmed payment only the buyer can access the customer contact details and respond through Local Trades Online. The customer remains free to seek quotes elsewhere and is under no obligation to hire that business. Older jobs without this explanation are excluded.
What previews and emails show
Business previews show the public summary, trade needed and approximate area. For jobs submitted after agreeing to the updated sharing notice, trader alert emails also show the customer name, postcode and job description. Email address and telephone fields use grey masked placeholders containing no real contact values, links or hidden customer information. Contact details found in the description are removed from the email. Earlier jobs retain their original summary-only email format. Customer and business conversations require authenticated access.
Your choices and job availability
You must sign in and verify your customer email before posting work. You can close your job from your account at any time. A job expires after 14 days; closed, expired or full jobs do not accept further quotes. Businesses that already submitted a successful quote retain access to that conversation while their subscription remains active. A confirmed exclusive buyer retains access unless the purchase is revoked, for example following a full refund. Jobs whose contacts have been released are not resold as fresh exclusive leads. Quotes and work are not guaranteed.
Enquiries to one chosen business
If you choose the separate direct-business enquiry option, the form names that business. Its verified owner can access the enquiry only with an active paid subscription. Direct enquiries are not broadcast to other businesses and expire after 14 days unless closed sooner.
Location and service providers
We use Postcodes.io to look up the UK town or postcode you enter. Distances are straight-line estimates using postcode, town or published service-area centres. Confirm actual coverage with the business. Account notifications use our email service. Stripe processes subscriptions and optional one-off exclusive purchases; we do not store card details in enquiry messages.
Business alerts and subscriptions
Businesses can manage enquiry alerts and unsubscribe. We honour opt-outs. Listing a business does not itself create email marketing consent. The £9.99 subscription renews monthly, can be cancelled through the business account, and has no additional shared-lead charges. An optional £29.99 exclusive purchase is separate. It does not guarantee enquiries, an available quote place or paid work.
Your information and requests
For corrections, deletion requests or concerns about an enquiry, contact support@localtrades.online and see our privacy policy. Tell us which account or enquiry your request concerns. Do not include payment details, passwords or sensitive personal information in job descriptions.