Terms of Use
The ground rules for using Handshake, and what its ratings can and can’t tell you. Last updated October 12, 2026.
Draft. This page is a draft, not legal advice, and is to be reviewed by counsel before it takes effect.
These terms are between you and [Operator name] (“we”, “us”), which runs Handshake News & Reviews.
Placeholder operator. [Operator name] stands in for the legal name of the company that runs this site. Set SITE_OPERATOR_NAME in the environment to publish it.
These terms apply to this site. Handshake is free to read and has no accounts. If anything here is unclear, tell us and we’ll fix the wording.
The short version
- Reading Handshake is free, and there are no accounts.
- Ratings are computed from public, sourced records as of the date they were checked. They aren’t a guarantee about any company.
- Link to and quote our pages with credit. Please don’t republish them wholesale.
- Don’t misuse the site.
Using Handshake
Handshake is free to read, and these are the basic conditions that come with it.
Agreeing to these terms
Applies to: Everyone who visits this site. By using the site, you agree to these terms and to our Privacy Policy. If you don’t agree, please don’t use the site.
Who the site is for
Applies to: Readers. Handshake is written for adults making decisions about services for their homes. Nothing on the site requires you to sign up or share personal information.
What you agree not to do
Applies to: All visitors. Don’t scrape the site at a volume that degrades it, try to break its security, impersonate someone else when you contact us, or send us material you know to be false in order to harm a company or a person.
Our ratings and reviews
Here is what a Handshake rating means, and what it doesn’t.
How ratings are made
Applies to: Handshake Scores and rankings. A Handshake Score is computed from the sourced facts in a company’s research record as of the date it was last verified, using the method described on our How We Review page. It isn’t a guarantee of how a company will treat you. Read your own contract before you sign.
Accuracy and corrections
Applies to: Everything we publish. Records can change after we check them. If you find an error, email us the page and the source that shows the correct information. Sourced corrections are made on the page.
Right of reply
Applies to: Companies named in a review. A company named in a review can respond. Sourced responses are added to the company’s page, and anything shown to be wrong is corrected.
No paid placement
Applies to: Companies we cover. No company can pay to appear in, rise in or be removed from the rankings, or to change a rating.
Content and sharing
How you can use and share what’s published here.
Our pages
Applies to: Text, scores and illustrations. You may read, print and share pages from this site for personal, noncommercial use. Facts drawn from public records stay public; the source for each one is linked on the page.
Quoting and linking
Applies to: Readers, journalists and researchers. You’re welcome to link to any page and to quote short passages with credit to Handshake and a link back to the page.
What you send us
Applies to: Tips, corrections and other email. You keep ownership of what you email us. By sending a tip or a correction, you allow us to use it to check and update our pages. We’ll ask before quoting you or naming you.
More terms
The remaining terms cover links, warranties, liability and how these terms can change.
Links to other sites
Applies to: Third-party websites. We link to review platforms, regulators, courts and company websites so you can check our work. We don’t control those sites and aren’t responsible for their content or their privacy practices.
Disclaimer of warranties
Applies to: The site and its content. The site is provided as is. To the extent the law allows, we make no warranties about its availability or about whether any company we cover suits your particular needs.
Limitation of liability
Applies to: Claims arising from site use. To the extent the law allows, Handshake isn’t liable for indirect or consequential losses arising from your use of the site, including decisions you make about companies we cover.
Suspending access
Applies to: Misuse of the site. We may block access for anyone who misuses the site, for example by flooding it with automated requests.
Governing law
Applies to: Disputes. The governing law for these terms is to be set with counsel. Nothing here limits rights you have under consumer protection law.
Changes to these terms
Applies to: This document. If these terms change, the date at the top of this page will change with it.
Questions
Questions about these terms: see the contact page.