How we verify businesses
A SoukLocal Verified badge means we checked the business's trade licence with the issuing authority, confirmed its activities match the work it lists, and, for contracting work in Dubai, confirmed its Dubai Municipality Contractor Register status. Each listing shows what we checked and the date. Verified is not a guarantee of workmanship.
Our three trust marks
SoukLocal Verified Top Rated Claimed
| Mark | What it means | How it is earned |
|---|---|---|
| Verified | Licensed for the listed work, and registered where the law requires it | Licence and register checks passed, re-checked at least yearly |
| Top Rated | Consistently strong reviews from real customers | Average 4.5 or higher from 20 or more reviews |
| Claimed | The business manages its own listing | An authorised person confirmed control of the listing |
What we check
Summary below. The full checklist, evidence and re-check rules are in the SoukLocal Verified standard.
- Trade licence. Valid, not expired, and its licensed activities match the services listed. A design-only or trading licence does not cover building work.
- Dubai Municipality Contractor Register. For contracting work in Dubai: registered and classified, as required by Dubai Law No. 7 of 2025. Read our guide.
- Engineering consultants. Registered with Dubai Municipality, as required by Dubai Law No. 14 of 2025.
- Authority to act. The person who manages the listing is authorised by the business.
- Insurance, for contractors. Third-party liability insurance and workers' compensation cover in force for contracting work.
- Real contact and location. The WhatsApp number is confirmed by code and the address matches the licence.
- Specialist approvals, where relevant. For example accreditation with the authority that issues permits in a given area. We show these only when we have checked them.
Licence number · issuing authority · licensed activity · register status · date of last check. If we have not checked something, we do not show it.
Review policy
The full system is on how SoukLocal reviews work. In short:
- Only a customer with a job record can review: a request made through SoukLocal, or a job the customer confirmed by WhatsApp code.
- Reviews score workmanship, time, budget, communication and site care separately. Contracting jobs get a 6-month follow-up.
- Critical reviews are published after a policy check of up to 2 working days, never held back for the business.
- Businesses can reply publicly to every review. They cannot edit or remove reviews.
- We remove reviews that are fake, abusive, off-topic, or that share personal data. We never remove a review because a business paid or asked.
- Reviews state opinions about a job. Write what happened, and avoid insults: offensive or defamatory statements can be unlawful in the UAE.
Neutrality rules
- Search results are ranked by published rules: relevance to the job, distance or service area, verification status and reviews.
- No business can pay to change its position in search results.
- Any paid placement in future will be labelled Sponsored and kept separate from results.
- Quote requests go only to businesses that match the job and area, in an order set by the same published rules.
- Any business connected to SoukLocal's owners will be disclosed on its listing and follows the same rules as everyone else.
Questions
Is the Verified badge a guarantee of the work?
No. Verified means we checked the business is licensed for the work it lists and, for contracting in Dubai, registered on the Dubai Municipality Contractor Register, on the date shown. It is not a guarantee of workmanship. Reviews from real jobs help you judge quality.
How often do you re-check?
We re-check licence and register status when a licence is due to expire and at least once a year, and the listing always shows the date of the last check. If a check fails, the Verified badge comes off until it is fixed.
Who can leave a review?
Only a customer with a job record: a request made through SoukLocal that the business took on, or a job the customer confirmed by WhatsApp code. Businesses cannot remove or delay reviews, but they can reply publicly and report reviews that break the policy.
How do I report a listing?
Use Report this listing on any listing, or contact us. Tell us what is wrong, for example an expired licence, wrong details, or a business that is not real. We review reports within 2 working days.