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How do I tell if builder reviews are reliable?

By BuilderVet team. Last reviewed 2 November 2026.

Treat online reviews as one clue, not proof: look for the warning signs the ACCC links to fake reviews, such as a sudden spike of glowing reviews, generic wording and no negatives anywhere. Then check the builder against public records that can’t be written by the builder’s friends, such as the licence register, the complaints register and tribunal decisions.

This guide explains what the law says about reviews, the red flags to look for, and a simple way to cross-check what you read. We don’t rate or name builders. The point is to help you weigh the evidence yourself.

What does the law say about fake reviews?

Under the Australian Consumer Law, it’s illegal for a business to create or arrange a fake or misleading review. The ACCC says businesses must not create fake reviews, engage someone else to create them, or allow reviews they know are fake to stay up on their own website or third-party platforms. Review platforms also can’t knowingly display fake reviews.

According to the ACCC, as summarised by business.gov.au, a review is fake or misleading if it is:

  • written by someone who hasn’t used the product or service
  • removed or changed by the business, or someone else, after a customer posts it
  • written by family, employees or people paid by the business, without disclosing that connection
  • the result of an incentive to write a positive review
  • incentivised, without that being clearly disclosed

Business incentives are allowed only if they apply whether the review is positive or negative, and are clearly disclosed.

What are the red flags in builder reviews?

In an ACCC sweep of online reviews, signs that positive reviews may be fake included:

  • a spike in highly positive reviews over a short period of time
  • multiple reviews written by the same reviewer
  • generic reviews without specific detail about the business or job
  • reviews written in similar language to other reviews for the same business
  • competitions or reward systems that encourage reviews
  • comments from customers saying the business is faking reviews
  • many very positive reviews and almost no negatives on the business’s own website, while third-party platforms show a mix
  • big differences in ratings and review numbers across platforms over time

The ACCC reported that home improvement and household was one of the sectors with a higher proportion of businesses that potentially had fake positive reviews. So it’s worth taking care when you’re choosing a builder or tradie.

How do I cross-check a builder beyond reviews?

Reviews tell you what some customers said. Public records tell you what regulators and tribunals have recorded. In NSW, use this table:

What to check Where What it tells you
Licence status and class The NSW licence check. See checking if a builder is licensed in NSW Whether the licence is current and covers your job
Complaints The NSW Fair Trading complaints register. See our register guide Businesses with high complaint numbers
Disciplinary action Public licence records. See checking for disciplinary action Fines, conditions, suspensions or cancellations
Tribunal decisions NCAT published decisions. See searching NCAT decisions Disputes that went to a hearing
Company status ASIC. See checking a builder’s company Whether the company is registered and who runs it
Insurance icare certificate check. See verifying HBC insurance Whether your job has home building compensation cover

If what you read in reviews doesn’t match what the records show, trust the records and ask the builder about the gap.

How should I read reviews well?

A few habits help you get real value from reviews:

  1. Read the 3-star and 1-star reviews first. They often hold the most detail about how problems were handled.
  2. Look for job detail. A real review usually mentions the type of work, the suburb, timing or names of site staff.
  3. Check the dates. Reviews from five years ago may describe a different business, team or company.
  4. Watch for responses. How the business replies to criticism tells you something, too.
  5. Compare platforms. A big gap between the builder’s own site and independent platforms is one of the ACCC’s warning signs.
  6. Ask for references you can visit. Seeing finished work and talking to a past client beats any star rating.

What if the reviews and the records don’t match?

Sometimes a builder has great reviews but something in the records gives you pause, or the reverse. Here’s how we’d approach it:

  • Licence doesn’t match the name on the quote. Ask which entity will sign the contract and hold the licence, and check that one.
  • Recent company change. A new company with years of reviews may have been restructured. Ask why, and check the directors on ASIC.
  • Complaints or tribunal decisions. Read what happened. A single resolved dispute is different from a pattern.
  • Few reviews but a clean record. Newer or smaller builders may have fewer reviews. References and a site visit matter more here.

Write down the builder’s answers. If they won’t explain a gap, that’s useful information too.

Checklist: before you trust the stars

  • Compare reviews on at least two independent platforms, not just the builder’s site
  • Look for bursts of 5-star reviews in a short window
  • Check whether reviews contain specific, believable job details
  • Watch for repeated phrases across different reviewers
  • Ask whether the builder offers rewards for reviews, and whether they apply to negative reviews too
  • Confirm the licence, insurance and company details yourself
  • Search NCAT decisions and the complaints register
  • Ask the questions in our guide to questions to ask a builder before signing

Worked example: 60 five-star reviews in a month

Tom in Penrith is comparing two quotes for a $90,000 extension. Builder A has 60 five-star reviews, most posted in the same month, with short lines like “great job, highly recommend”. Builder B has 25 reviews over four years, mostly positive, with two negatives that the business replied to in detail.

The pattern on Builder A matches several ACCC warning signs: a spike in a short period and generic wording. That doesn’t prove the reviews are fake. So Tom checks both builders’ licences, the complaints register and NCAT decisions, and asks each for two past clients he can call. He makes his choice on the records and references, not the star count.

How BuilderVet helps

Run the free check on any builder to see what the public registers show in one place, without relying on reviews. If you’re building in NSW, Build Watch watches your builder for 24 months for a one-off A$79, and alerts you if their record changes, like a licence status or company record, while your job is underway.

Frequently asked questions

Are fake reviews illegal in Australia?

Yes. Under the Australian Consumer Law it’s illegal for a business to create or arrange a fake or misleading review, or keep reviews it knows are fake on display.

Can a builder offer a discount for a review?

Only if the incentive applies whether the review is positive or negative, and it’s clearly disclosed. Incentives for positive reviews alone risk misleading consumers.

Is a builder with no negative reviews a bad sign?

Not by itself. But the ACCC lists many very positive reviews with almost no negatives on a business’s own site, while other platforms show a mix, as a sign reviews may be fake.

Can reviews from a builder’s family count?

Reviews from family, employees or paid people are misleading unless the connection is disclosed.

What should I check instead of reviews?

The licence, insurance, company record, complaints register and tribunal decisions. These are public records the builder doesn’t control.

Does one bad review rule a builder out?

No. One unhappy customer isn’t proof of anything. Look for patterns across reviews and public records, and ask the builder about anything that worries you.

Sources

Related guides

Put the records beside your quote

Search the exact business on your quote. Read the source dates and gaps before you decide.

Find your builder See a sample report

Last reviewed 2 Nov 2026