Anyone know anything about this outfit?

[sjm]

Hi guys.

Does anyone out there know anything about MTB or Master trade of builders?
I have been contacted as a prospective contractor, the set up sounds pretty good.
My concern is that they want £250 + vat as an admin fee before I'm vetted as a contractor for them. Does this seem odd to anyone else?
Their website is www.mtbuk.net.
Any help would be gratefully received as none of us want to get ripped off.

Thanks in advance
Steve.

 

[rocker]

We've said it before, and we'll say it again, folks. If a company wants money up front for getting you more work, they are a scam.

I wouldn't even dignify this with any in depth scrutiny, they are clearly trying it on by having a name pretty similar to the Federation of Master Builders (which doesn't count for anything anymore in my book).

I would use extreme caution. In fact I'd just not bother with them. I'm all bitter, mind.

 

[Mark_Burgess]

So you have never heard of them and I suppose they are offering you work localish to you?

Keep well clear, they will take your cash and you wont see any work from them.

 

[rocker]

Oh, and lookling at their website (God that doll-eyed man is frightening), if they are in 70% of the UK, why have I never heard of them?

Load of rubbish, mate. Steer well clear.

 

[BlueToBits]

It appears to be yet another trade introduction agency / directory scam. I was approached a few months ago by another who gave me 2 free leads to prove they were genuine. I got the same two leads from another of sales persons later that day.
I think it's a waste of money. I prefer to think of them as "Baiters" and they are quite clearly masters at it.

 

[sjm]

I thought it was too good to be true. Thanks for the input guys, particularly liked rockers comment about the guy on website LMAO.
As has been said alarm bells started to ring when they wanted payment on the first phonecall.

 

[bugsy]

La de da doodle dum dum

 

[accordfire]

Hi guys.

Does anyone out there know anything about MTB or Master trade of builders?
I have been contacted as a prospective contractor, the set up sounds pretty good.
My concern is that they want £250 + vat as an admin fee before I'm vetted as a contractor for them. Does this seem odd to anyone else?
Their website is www.mtbuk.net.
Any help would be gratefully received as none of us want to get ripped off.

Thanks in advance
Steve.

TBH, never heard of them.

Just looked through their website, and not really that impressed.

Every contractor you "look for" leads to a referral form.

It's checkatrade, breakmyhammer, do-onetradesman, all over again, but this time they want money up front before anything. At least most of the others get you the referral first, then charge the a$$ off your wallet.

I know that one of the "trusted" boards is affiliated here, and that's totally free to sign up to. I have no problem with some of the others, so long as they supply you with the kind of work you're actually looking for, and warrant that you'll get something back for your commission.

Otherwise, your money's better spent building a decent website, getting traceable testimonials back from your existing customers (with photos) and paying for genuine, working SEO.

There's nothing to say who this lot really are - they make out they're builders, and can't get to every job themselves, yet somewhere in the FAQ section, it says they're a "Consumer Information Service".......

£250 sounds like an expensive way to get nothing - you don't even get a link, as far as I can see.

Run. Don't walk.

 

[SirKit Breaker]

Hi guys.

Does anyone out there know anything about MTB or Master trade of builders?
I have been contacted as a prospective contractor, the set up sounds pretty good.
My concern is that they want £250 + vat as an admin fee before I'm vetted as a contractor for them. Does this seem odd to anyone else?
Their website is www.mtbuk.net.
Any help would be gratefully received as none of us want to get ripped off.

Thanks in advance
Steve.

Give me half of your £250 and that way you will have only lost £125, then we will both be happy, Oh and i will do bugger all for my £125, but at least you have saved, and I dont do VAT, so you win twice

 

[EoinConway]

I see on their "Testimonials" page, both Mr&Mrs Cable and Mr&Mrs Walker seem to have the same problem with the spelling of the word 'definitely'. Remarkably coincidental that

I would 'defiantly' avoid

 

[Goody]

"Professional Service
Traders have to go through a rigorous set of checks before they can even become an M.T.B member, so you know quality is assured."

... and that paragraph should really say as follows:

"Professional Service
Traders have to go through a rigorous set of checks and pay us £250+VAT before they can even become an M.T.B member, so you know quality is assured."

What a con!

 

[accordfire]

"Professional Service
Traders have to go through a rigorous set of checks before they can even become an M.T.B member, so you know quality is assured."

... and that paragraph should really say as follows:

"Professional Service
Traders have to go through a rigorous set of checks and pay us £250+VAT before they can even become an M.T.B member, so you know quality is assured."

What a con!

Yeah - they spelt cheque wrong too!

"....suppliers have to go through a rigorous set of CHEQUES......" that should be.

 

[telectrix]

another one to avoid like the plague is BT Customer Street. they do you a crappy website for £200 + vat, then charge you £30 a month to stay on. 6 months later, having not received one phone call, they offer to do you a "proper" website for 2 grand . need i say more!

 

[Dan]

I see on their "Testimonials" page, both Mr&Mrs Cable and Mr&Mrs Walker seem to have the same problem with the spelling of the word 'definitely'. Remarkably coincidental that

I would 'defiantly' avoid

Hahaaaaa, well spotted Eoin!

 

[Dan]

another one to avoid like the plague is BT Customer Street. they do you a crappy website for £200 + vat, then charge you £30 a month to stay on. 6 months later, having not received one phone call, they offer to do you a "proper" website for 2 grand . need i say more!

We've had trouble with these since they were UFindUs.com, then CustomerStreet.com, and then BTCustomerStreet.com when they bought them out for millions.

They build crappy websites that don't rank at all and charge your a fortune for it.