Reviews & records
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Know before you buy.
Research Investigation is a free library of practical guides for the ten minutes before you hand over money: how to read reviews without being fooled, check a contractor’s licence, research a landlord, test whether an online shop is real, and pay in a way you can undo if it goes wrong.
The three-question method
Almost every guide on this site comes back to the same three questions. Ask them before any purchase that would hurt to lose.
- 1
Who am I really dealing with?
A name on a website is not an identity. Look for a registered business, a licence number, a physical address and a track record you can check somewhere the seller does not control.
- 2
What do independent sources say?
Reviews on the seller’s own page are the least useful evidence there is. Cross-check complaint databases, recall lists, court and licensing records, and the spread of opinions on neutral platforms.
- 3
If this goes wrong, how do I get my money back?
The payment method, the written contract and the return policy decide your options later. Sort them out before you pay, not after.
Interactive
The before-you-buy red-flag scorer
Pick what you are about to pay for, tick every warning sign you have noticed, and get a plain-language read on how carefully to proceed. Nothing you tick leaves your browser.
No flags ticked yet
That is a good start, but silence is not proof. Run the basic checks anyway.
A rough guide, not a guarantee. One serious flag can be enough to walk away.
Fresh case files
All 12 articles →
Reviews & records
How to spot fake reviews: the warning signs
The common warning signs of fake, paid-for and incentivised reviews, what the rules say about them in the US and UK, and what to do when you find them. Open the case file →
Reviews & records
How to research a company before you do business with it
Where to check a company's registration, age, address, complaints, court cases and regulatory status before you hand over money, in the US and UK. Open the case file →
Reviews & records
How to check for product recalls before (and after) you buy
Where to check recalls for products, cars, car seats, food and medicines in the US, UK, EU and Canada, and what to do if something you own is recalled. Open the case file →
Hiring & renting
How to vet a contractor before you sign anything
A step-by-step routine for vetting builders, roofers and other contractors: bids, licence and insurance checks, references, contracts, permits and payment schedules. Open the case file →
Hiring & renting
How to check a professional's licence and insurance
How to verify licences, registrations and insurance for contractors, electricians, gas engineers, agents, financial advisers and other professionals in the US and UK. Open the case file →What you will (and won’t) find here
You will find
- Step-by-step research routines you can do yourself, for free, in an evening.
- The official places to look things up: licensing boards, recall lists, business registers and complaint databases.
- Honest notes on what each check can and cannot tell you.
You won’t find
- Star ratings, “best of” rankings or winners picked for you.
- Sponsored reviews or paid placements dressed up as advice.
- Invented statistics. Where the evidence runs out, we say so.