Trader Code of Practice
A voluntary standard that helps traders avoid buying lost or stolen items, and sets out what should happen when one is found.
The Code at a glance
Version: 2.0
Published: November 2026
Applies from: 5 November 2026
Recovery Fee (see code content or in brief section below): £30 Excluding VAT, P&P
Why there is a Trader Code
Used electronic items, particularly phones, laptops, tablets, cameras and watches, are bought and sold all the time. Some are lost, stolen or otherwise not lawfully available for sale by the person offering them.
Following the Code is voluntary. A trader who follows it, and can show they have, is less likely to be blamed for dishonesty or carelessness if a dispute arises over a specific item.
TUFF reviews the Code from time to time to keep it in step with current practice and member feedback.
What the Code is for
Giving traders a practical, low-cost process to follow when buying an item.
Making clear what a trader, a vendor and an owner should each expect from one another.
Reducing the ways a thief can turn a stolen item into cash.
Returning stolen or lost property to its owner faster.
Encouraging traders and owners to cooperate, so both bear a fair share of the cost.
Documents
Read the Code, then use the guide to put it into practice.
The Trader Code of Practice
The full Code: what traders, vendors and owners must do, and the requirements a Compliant Service must meet.
Version 2.0, November 2026, PDF, 163 KB. Download the Code
Guide to the Trader Code of Practice
A plain-English compliance checklist for traders, and answers to common questions about why the Code works the way it does.
November 2026, PDF, 122 KB. Download the guide
Sharing data to tackle fraud: guidance for telecoms providers
Guidance from Comms Council UK, the Home Office and Ofcom, with input from the Information Commissioner’s Office, on sharing data lawfully to prevent fraud.
September 2026, PDF, 956 KB. Download the guidance
The Code in Brief
A summary only. The Code itself is the definitive text, and the section numbers refer to it.
Who it applies to (sections 4 and 5)
The Code sets obligations for three kinds of participant: the trader, the vendor of a status-checking service, and the owner of an item. One organisation can hold more than one role. It applies wherever a business receives, repairs, grades, recycles, dismantles or resells a used item and could lose revenue or reputation by doing so without a status check.
Before you buy (section 6)
Explain in your terms and conditions, in plain English, what happens if an item fails a status check. Get the serial or IMEI number as early as practicable. Run a status check with a Compliant Service. Keep a record of the seller’s details for every transaction. Refuse to buy anything that shows a compromised status, and keep a record of the attempt.
When a check fails (sections 6.1 and 6.2)
If the seller is present, do not buy the item, give the seller the dispute contact for the Compliant Service, and keep a record. If the seller is not present, quarantine the item, do not pay, ask the Compliant Service whether a named owner is linked, tell the seller, and hold the item for at least 96 hours unless the owner or a police officer collects it sooner.
After quarantine (section 7)
If a named owner confirms their claim in time, the item goes to the owner and the seller is not paid. If no owner is identified, or the owner does not respond, returning the item to the seller is the trader’s choice, not an obligation. Keep a record of every quarantine decision.
After a sale (section 8)
If you are told an item you bought has become compromised, quarantine it if it is still in stock. If you have already resold it, tell the customer and offer a refund or replacement.
Terms and conditions (section 9)
Your terms must explain, in plain English, what happens to failed items, that sellers are not paid for compromised items, that seller details may be shared with the vendor, the police or an owner, and that sellers should erase personal data first. Appendix C of the Code gives example wording.
What owners agree to (section 10)
Owners provide a working contact point, respond to quarantine alerts within the quarantine period, provide evidence of ownership, pay postage and packing, and pay a flat recovery fee when they reclaim an item. The current recovery fee is displayed at the top of this page.
What a Compliant Service must do (section 11)
Be certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 by a UKAS-accredited body and hold Cyber Essentials. Offer web and API access. Provide verifiable certificates and a clear result. Share owner details for corporate owners, alert owners the same day, keep records the police can see, provide a dispute process for sellers, alert traders to changes within 30 days of a check, and allow TUFF to audit its records.
Erasing personal data (section 15)
Tell sellers about the National Cyber Security Centre’s guidance on erasing devices, and, where appropriate for the process the item is going through, erase any personal data left on it.
Compliant Companies
These organisations have confirmed that they follow the Trader Code. Each entry shows when compliance was last confirmed. Last updated: 10 November 2026.
CeX Uk compliance confirmed 5 November 2026.
Compliant Services
These status-checking services meet the requirements in section 11 of the Code. Compliance applies to the version shown. Last updated: 10 November 2026.
CheckMEND compliance confirmed 5 November 2026
A listing shows that the organisation or service was confirmed as meeting the Code on the date shown. It is not a guarantee of future conduct. If you have a concern about a listed organisation or service, contact TUFF.
How to be listed above
If your business or service meets the Code and you are a TUFF member, you can ask to be added to the lists above.
Apply: Tell us about your business or service.
Assessment: we review your evidence against the Code, including your terms and conditions and we confirm your use of a compliant system. This typically takes one week from submission of evidence.
Get listed: once confirmed, you appear on this page with the date
NOTE: You do not need to be a TUFF member to adhere to The Code nor make reference to it. However, to appear on the TUFF website or to display any TUFF approved compliance symbol or mark you must be a TUFF member.
FAQs
Why is the quarantine period 96 hours?
Holding an item unpaid and unsold costs a trader money, and many quarantined items are never claimed, so a long default period mostly ties up stock. 96 hours encourages owners to respond quickly. It is a minimum, not a maximum: a trader can hold an item for longer, for example at a police officer’s request or their own volition so long as the hold period is made clear to the seller.
Must a trader return an unclaimed item to the seller?
No. Once the quarantine period has ended, returning the item is the trader’s choice. A trader can instead keep or dispose of it under Appendix D of the Code, and should say which in its terms and conditions. TUFF recommends returning failed items in the absence of a person or entity whose ownership can be proven to the satisfaction of the trader coming forward.
Why does the Code cover more than buying?
A business can be exposed to the same risk, such as laundering a stolen item or being blamed for one, when it repairs, grades or dismantles a used item without buying it. The test is the risk, not the type of transaction.
Why are businesses called “traders”?
“Trader” is the term UK consumer law uses for any person or business acting in the course of a trade, business, craft or profession. It includes insurers, repair workshops and device subscription providers, not only shops.
How is a Compliant Service chosen?
It must meet the requirements in section 11 of the Code, including ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certification and Cyber Essentials. TUFF publishes the current list on this page.
What happens if a listed company stops following the Code?
Provides of compliant due-diligence services report cessation of use to TUFF and this page will be updated shortly after. If other parts of the code are not adhered to (for example, quarantine) we rely on 3rd parties to report to TUFF and we will take steps to re-assess.