Legal

Terms of Use

The terms on which The Trusted Source Ltd makes this site and its B2B network available to businesses.

Draft terms — requires legal review

This is a prepared template, not an executed agreement. It must be reviewed by a UK commercial lawyer before the site goes live, and the governing law and jurisdiction clauses must be confirmed against the company's constitution.

1. Who these terms apply to

These terms apply to any business that accesses this website, submits a membership application, or trades with another member through the network. By using the site or applying for membership, a company accepts these terms on behalf of itself and confirms it is authorised to do so.

2. Membership is by application

Access to the catalogue is not open. Membership is granted only after verification of company identity, trading capability and commercial standing, and only to businesses that trade legitimately. We may decline or withdraw membership where a company does not meet the standard, and we are not obliged to give reasons beyond those required by law.

Membership is free to apply for. Suppliers pay commission only on trades that settle. Buyer membership carries no listing or subscription fee.

3. Your responsibilities as a member

  • Provide accurate company information and keep it current. A change of registered address, director or VAT number must be notified within 14 days.
  • Trade only as the registered company. Credentials are personal to the individual issued with them and must not be shared.
  • Issue and accept quotations in writing. Oral commitments and messages in informal channels are not binding on the platform.
  • Comply with applicable law, including UK company, tax, employment and consumer protection law, and any sanctions relevant to your trading.
  • Report supply chain issues honestly. A supplier who confirms a counterfeit or unsafe batch loses verification status immediately.

4. Verification and its limits

Verification confirms that a company exists, is registered, and has a trading history consistent with its claims at the point of review. It is not an endorsement of quality, and it is not a guarantee of future performance. We re-verify annually and on material change, but a verification badge is a statement of fact at a moment in time, not a bond.

Buyers remain responsible for their own due diligence on any counterparty, including checking product authorisations, warranty terms and customs classification. Our verification standard is published in full in our supplier verification guide.

5. Fees, payment terms and settlement

Payment terms are agreed between the trading parties and shown on each quotation, typically net 14 to net 30 days. Commission on settled supplier trades is deducted as described in the supplier agreement and is not chargeable to buyers. We do not hold funds on behalf of members and do not guarantee payment between counterparties.

6. Disputes

Members agree to attempt resolution through their named account contact before commencing proceedings. Where a dispute cannot be resolved, it is referred to mediation; the record of quotations, delivery notes and invoices held against the deal forms the basis of any claim.

We may suspend trading between two members while a dispute is investigated. We are not liable for losses arising from a dispute between members, save where our own negligence caused them.

7. Content and intellectual property

The design, text, code and graphics of this site belong to The Trusted Source Ltd or its licensors. You may read, print and share the published articles for internal business use with attribution. You may not republish them, scrape the catalogue, or use our brand in a way that implies endorsement.

8. Liability

Nothing in these terms limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud, or for any liability that cannot lawfully be limited. Subject to that, we are not liable for indirect or consequential loss, and our total liability arising from a member's use of the platform is limited to the commission we earned from that member's settled trades in the preceding 12 months.

9. Suspension and termination

We may suspend or terminate access immediately where a member is suspected of fraud, counterfeit goods, sanctions breach, or breach of these terms. Members may close their account at any time; trading records are retained for the periods set out in our Privacy Notice.

10. Changes to these terms

We may amend these terms. Material changes are notified to members by email at least 30 days before they take effect. Continued use of the platform after that date constitutes acceptance.

11. Governing law

These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction, without prejudice to any mandatory consumer protections available to a member in its own jurisdiction of establishment.

Last updated: 6 October 2026