Our standard · Published openly
How We Screen Contractors
When you ask ClaimRebate to connect you with contractor help, we introduce you to one contractor — not a call list. Before any contractor receives a single lead, they pass the five checks below. We publish the standard so both sides know exactly what they signed up for.
Program registration — verified against the official list
For energy leads, the contractor must be an HRS Participating Contractor — we verify against the official program response, not the contractor’s word. For Toronto basement leads, a valid City of Toronto business licence (the BFPSP requirement). If we cannot verify, no leads. This is the check that protects your rebate: an unregistered installer means $0.
Licensing for the trade
HVAC work requires TSSA-related certifications; plumbing work requires a licensed plumber; electrical scope requires an ESA-licensed contractor. We ask for licence numbers up front and record them.
Proof of liability insurance
Current commercial general liability insurance, confirmed before the first lead. A contractor working uninsured on your property is your risk — we do not pass that risk along.
Public track record review
We read the contractor’s public reviews (Google, HomeStars and similar) and check for unresolved complaint patterns. We are looking for how problems get handled — every contractor has an unhappy customer; good ones fix it.
Response and paperwork commitment
Each contractor commits to contacting a homeowner promptly after receiving a lead and to supporting the rebate/subsidy paperwork (pre-approvals, permits, itemized invoices). Repeated no-shows or paperwork refusals end the partnership — leads stop.
What screening is NOT
Screening is not a guarantee of workmanship, and we do not employ or supervise contractors. Your agreement is directly with the contractor — get everything in writing, and compare the quote against our published cost ranges before signing. If a screened contractor falls short of the commitments above, tell us: support@claimrebate.ca — it directly affects whether they keep receiving leads.
How ClaimRebate makes money
The calculators and guides are free and require no personal information. When a homeowner explicitly requests contractor help, we introduce them to one screened contractor and may receive a fee for that introduction. The fee never changes your rebate amounts or the numbers we publish — our estimates come from a program registry verified against official sources, and honest numbers are the entire point of this site.
Homeowners
Get matched with a screened contractor
Free, no obligation — you see your estimate first, then decide.
Contractors
Think you clear this bar?
Apply for the partner program — first 3 leads free.
ClaimRebate.ca is an independent homeowner guide, not affiliated with any government, utility, or program administrator. Final rebate eligibility is determined by program administrators.