The serious red flags when hiring a home pro are the same in Canada and the United States: cash only, no licence on regulated work, a price that hides tax, and pressure to skip a written scope. On HandNorth, hire in the project and keep the record there — do not pay off-platform.
1 Walk away — or report it
- They ask for an e-transfer or cash instead of a HandNorth booking request
- They will not write an RBQ number on regulated Quebec work
- The quote is “plus tax” after you already agreed a number
- They want a decision before you see insurance
- They discourage photos or a written change to the scope
If you already hired, write them from the project. Then use Report a problem. Read Trust & safety and Contact.
2 What a clean hire looks like
A written all-in number, tax inside it, licence and insurance on the job, and a written deposit plan (Stripe escrow is on the way). How it works is the short version. Find a pro is the catalog that is actually live.
Questions people ask
- What if a pro asks to finish off-platform?
- Say no. You lose the job record and any future escrow. Write Contact if they push.
