Trust & Safety

Every professional on HandyHive goes through ID verification, trade qualification checks, and insurance confirmation before they can accept jobs. If something goes wrong, our resolution team steps in within 24 hours.

Verified Profiles
Secure Payments
Address Privacy
Authentic Reviews

On This Page

1. Verified Profiles

Every Handworker on HandyHive must create a profile with accurate personal and professional information before appearing in search results. We apply several layers of accountability:

Email Verification

All accounts require a verified email address. Unverified accounts cannot submit or receive bookings.

Profile Completeness

Handworkers must complete their profile — including bio, services, and rates — before their listing goes live.

Work Gallery

Handworkers can upload up to 10 photos of past work, giving customers transparent evidence of quality.

Ongoing Accountability

Accounts with substantiated complaints or low ratings are reviewed. Repeated violations result in suspension.

2. Secure Payments

HandyHive partners with Stripe — a PCI DSS Level 1 certified payment processor — so your financial data is handled to the highest industry standard.

How we protect your payments

  • Your full card number is never transmitted to or stored on HandyHive servers.
  • All payment pages use TLS encryption (HTTPS) to protect data in transit.
  • Stripe handles tokenization — your card details are replaced with a secure reference token.
  • Suspicious transactions are flagged and reviewed before processing.
  • Refunds and disputes are handled through Stripe's secure dispute resolution process.

Tip: HandyHive will never ask for your card details via email, phone, or chat. If anyone contacts you claiming to be HandyHive support and asks for payment information, report it immediately to safety@handyhive.eu.

3. Privacy Protection

We design privacy into the platform so you can interact with confidence.

Address Shielded Until Confirmed

Your exact home address is never shown publicly. It is only shared with the Handworker whose booking has been confirmed by both parties.

Minimal Data Sharing

We share only the data necessary to facilitate a booking. Handworkers cannot see your contact details until a booking is confirmed.

Encrypted Storage

Your personal data is stored securely in AWS infrastructure with encryption at rest and in transit, in compliance with GDPR.

For full details on how we collect, use, and protect your data, see our Privacy Policy.

4. Authentic Reviews

Every review on HandyHive is tied to a verified, completed booking — making fabricated or unsolicited reviews impossible by design.

01

Booking-locked reviews

Only a Customer who completed a booking with a specific Handworker can leave a review for that engagement. No booking = no review.

02

Mutual accountability

Both Customers and Handworkers can review each other after a job is complete. This creates a two-way trust signal visible to the whole community.

03

Manipulation detection

We monitor for unusual review patterns — such as a sudden spike in 5-star ratings or coordinated negative campaigns — and remove reviews that violate our guidelines.

04

Right to respond

Handworkers can reply publicly to reviews, giving them a fair opportunity to provide context. We do not allow review suppression.

5. Community Standards

HandyHive is built on mutual respect. All users — Customers and Handworkers alike — are expected to:

Treat all platform users with dignity and respect.
Provide accurate and truthful information in profiles and communications.
Honor confirmed bookings and communicate promptly about any changes.
Not engage in harassment, threats, or discriminatory behaviour.
Not attempt to take transactions off-platform to avoid fees.
Not share another user's personal information outside the platform.
Report suspected fraud, abuse, or policy violations promptly.
Not create multiple accounts or impersonate other users or businesses.

Violations of these standards may result in content removal, temporary suspension, or permanent account termination. Serious violations may be referred to law enforcement.

6. Reporting & Moderation

We take every report seriously. Here is how our moderation process works:

Submit a Report

Use the "Report" button on any profile, booking, or review page. Alternatively, email safety@handyhive.eu with a description and any supporting evidence.

Review Within 48 Hours

Our moderation team acknowledges all reports within 48 hours and begins a full investigation. You will be updated on the outcome.

Action Taken

Depending on severity: formal warning, content removal, temporary suspension, or permanent ban. Severe cases may be escalated to law enforcement.

Appeals

Users who believe a moderation decision was made in error may appeal by emailing appeals@handyhive.eu within 14 days of the decision.

In an emergency, always call your local emergency services (such as 112 in Ireland/EU) first. Do not wait for a platform response in situations involving immediate physical danger.

7. Safety Tips for Customers

While HandyHive works hard to ensure a safe experience, here are recommended practices for Customers:

1

Check ratings and reviews

Before booking, read a Handworker's reviews and look at their work gallery. Pay attention to recent reviews and overall rating trends.

2

Use platform messaging

Keep all pre-booking communications within the HandyHive platform. This protects you and creates a record if a dispute arises.

3

Be home or have someone present

Whenever possible, be at home during the service or have a trusted adult present. If you must leave, ensure a responsible person is there.

4

Describe the job clearly

When requesting a booking, provide a detailed description of the work needed. Upload photos if applicable. Clear expectations reduce misunderstandings.

5

Pay through the platform only

Never pay for HandyHive services in cash or outside the platform. On-platform payments are the only ones covered by our booking protection and dispute process.

6

Leave an honest review

After the job is complete, take a few minutes to leave a review. Your feedback helps the entire community make informed decisions.

8. Safety Tips for Handworkers

HandyHive also supports Handworkers in staying safe and professional on the platform:

1

Keep your profile accurate

Only list services you are qualified and insured to perform. Inaccurate profiles lead to mismatched bookings and disputes.

2

Communicate through the platform

Use HandyHive messaging for all pre-job communication. This protects you if a Customer later makes a false claim.

3

Confirm job details before arriving

If a job scope is unclear, ask for clarification before confirming the booking. Agree on expectations upfront to avoid end-of-job disputes.

4

Carry adequate insurance

Ensure you have valid public liability insurance for your trade. HandyHive requires this as part of our Handworker obligations.

5

Trust your instincts

If a situation feels unsafe or a Customer behaves inappropriately, you have the right to leave and report the incident. Your safety always comes first.

6

Report issues promptly

Report any abusive, threatening, or fraudulent Customer behaviour immediately. We take Handworker safety as seriously as Customer safety.

9. Our Commitment

Trust and safety are not features we bolt on — they are fundamental to how HandyHive is designed and operated. We are committed to:

Continuous Improvement

We regularly review our safety measures and update them in response to emerging threats and community feedback.

Transparent Communication

We will notify you of any security incidents that affect your account and provide clear guidance on next steps.

Community Partnership

We rely on our community to report issues. Your reports make HandyHive safer for everyone.

Safety Contact

Report safety concerns anytime at safety@handyhive.eu — our team responds within 48 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Handworkers must register with a valid email address and complete their profile before becoming visible on the platform. We review profiles for completeness and authenticity, and we investigate reports of fraudulent or misleading information. Handworkers accumulate verified reviews tied only to completed bookings, which creates an ongoing public record of their conduct and quality.

No. Your exact address is never publicly displayed. It is only shared with the specific Handworker whose booking has been confirmed. Before that point, only your general area may be visible to help Handworkers assess travel distance.

You can report any user directly from their profile or from within a booking. Our moderation team reviews every report and takes action within 48 hours, ranging from a formal warning to permanent account removal depending on the severity of the incident. For safety emergencies, always contact local authorities first.

Yes. HandyHive never stores your full card details. All payment processing is handled by Stripe, a PCI DSS Level 1 certified payment processor. Your card information goes directly to Stripe and is never transmitted through or stored on HandyHive servers.

Reviews on HandyHive are tied to verified completed bookings — only a Customer who completed a booking with a specific Handworker can leave a review for that booking. This makes it impossible to leave unsolicited or fabricated reviews. We also monitor for patterns of review manipulation and remove any we detect.

You can report concerns through the "Report" button on any profile or booking page, or by emailing safety@handyhive.eu. For urgent safety matters, please contact your local emergency services first, then notify us so we can take appropriate action on the account.

Something Feel Off?

Report a concern, ask a question, or reach our safety team — we're here to help.