Last checked 19 October 2026
Quick answer
Asking happy customers for an honest review is fine, and Google suggests using a review link or QR code. What the law bans, since April 2025, is fake reviews, commissioning them, and reviews that hide an incentive such as a discount or freebie. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) also warns against hiding negative reviews or only inviting customers you expect to be happy. Referral rewards are a separate thing, but a review given in return for a reward must say so.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Check GOV.UK or speak to an accountant about your situation. For legal questions about a review or referral scheme, speak to a solicitor. Why we say this.
For a small business, word of mouth is often the best marketing there is. Reviews put that word of mouth where new customers can see it, and referrals turn happy customers into a steady source of work. This guide covers practical ways to get more of both, and the rules that apply, using the CMA’s published guidance. It doesn’t give a legal view on any particular scheme.
The rules in brief
GOV.UK’s Fake reviews page says the CMA published its guidance to help businesses comply with legislative changes introduced in April 2025. The CMA’s fake reviews guidance (CMA208) explains a banned practice under paragraph 13 of Schedule 20 to the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. In summary, it covers:
- fake reviews: reviews that look or claim to be genuine but aren’t, whether positive or negative
- concealed incentivised reviews: reviews where someone was commissioned to write them and that isn’t made clear
- false or misleading consumer review information, such as star ratings or review counts based on fake reviews
- submitting or commissioning any of these, including asking someone else to write them
GOV.UK’s Marketing and advertising: the law guide says businesses that break consumer protection rules can face enforcement action and a penalty of up to £300,000 or 10% of global turnover, whichever is higher. Since April 2025 the CMA can decide a business has broken consumer law and impose these penalties itself, without going to court, according to its guide to how the CMA uses its direct consumer enforcement powers.
What counts as an incentive
The CMA says commissioning can take many forms, not only money. Its examples include being asked to write a review in exchange for:
- money or commission
- discounts or vouchers
- products given free of charge
- free stays or invitations to events
It also says a trader asking a member of staff to write a review can count as commissioning.
The CMA’s examples of commissioning banned reviews include offering an existing customer a free or discounted product in exchange for a five-star review, and contacting a customer who has left a negative review to offer a refund or gift card if they change it.
A footnote in the guidance says offering the chance to earn a reward that doesn’t guarantee a direct benefit, such as entry into a prize draw, is unlikely to amount to commissioning. The CMA also says asking for reviews is fine as long as you don’t predetermine what they say, so a draw should be open to every reviewer, not only those who leave five stars. Platforms can be stricter than the law, though. Google’s Tips to get more reviews page says offering incentives such as free or discounted goods or services to post, change or remove reviews is strictly prohibited on Google.
Don’t hide the bad ones
The CMA says a trader may break the law if they suppress genuine negative or positive reviews, selectively promote reviews, or leave out information about how reviews were written. It says traders shouldn’t:
- discourage negative reviews through threats of harm or legal action
- prevent genuine customers from leaving reviews
- stop and start review invitations arbitrarily
- make an offer to resolve a dispute depend on the customer not leaving a negative review
- edit, withhold or remove genuine negative reviews
The CMA also describes cherry-picking as including encouraging only satisfied customers to leave reviews. So a routine where you ask every customer, rather than only the ones you think are happy, sits more comfortably with the guidance.
How to ask for reviews
Practical ways to make asking a habit:
- Ask at the right moment. Straight after a finished job or a thank-you message tends to work well.
- Make it one tap. Google says you can create a link or QR code that takes customers to your review page. Add it to your invoice, email signature or a card you leave behind.
- Ask everyone. Send the same request to every customer, as part of your routine.
- Keep it simple. “Would you mind leaving an honest review? It really helps a small business like mine.”
- Never write or edit reviews yourself, or ask friends and family to post as if they were customers.
Our guide to Google Business Profile explains how to set up a profile so customers have somewhere to review you.
Replying to reviews
Google’s tips for replies include keeping them clear, helpful and polite, never sharing the reviewer’s private information, and not attacking anyone personally. For negative reviews, Google suggests checking your records, admitting genuine mistakes, explaining what you can and can’t do, and inviting the customer to get in touch to resolve things.
A calm, helpful reply to a fair complaint can reassure future customers more than a page of five-star ratings.
Showing reviews on your own website
If you publish customer reviews on your own website, the CMA’s short guide for businesses applies to you. It says businesses that publish reviews need to take reasonable and proportionate steps to prevent and remove fake reviews, should publish a policy that clearly prohibits fake reviews, and should assess the risk and have processes to detect, investigate and act on them. What’s reasonable depends on your circumstances, and the CMA says it scales with factors such as where reviews come from and how many you publish.
Picking only your best reviews for your homepage can also be a problem if they don’t reflect what customers say overall, according to the CMA’s section on cherry-picking.
Referrals
A referral is a customer recommending you to someone else. Ways to encourage them:
- Ask directly. “If you know anyone else who needs a hand, I’d be grateful if you passed my number on.”
- Leave something to pass on, such as a spare business card.
- Thank people who send work your way.
Some businesses offer a reward, such as a discount, when a referral turns into a booking. A reward for introducing a customer isn’t a review. But if someone posts a public review or recommendation of you because of a reward, the CMA’s guidance on concealed incentivised reviews says that incentive must be made clear. Keeping referral rewards and review requests separate keeps things clean.
Contacting people about your scheme
If you plan to email or text customers about offers, GOV.UK’s marketing guide says you can only send marketing emails to individual customers if they’ve given permission, and every email must let them unsubscribe. Keep customer details safe, too. The Information Commission (still known as the ICO) publishes guidance for small organisations on handling personal data.
Promotion: SiteInSeven is run by the same company as The Smart Sole Trader.
Give your reviews somewhere to shine. SiteInSeven designs and writes fast, mobile-friendly one-page websites for small businesses, ready to show off your work and point customers to your reviews. It’s live within seven days of your short form being back with the team, with no tech skills needed and a rolling monthly plan you can cancel anytime. Tell SiteInSeven about your business
Frequently asked questions
Can I ask customers for a review?
Yes. Google suggests sending customers a review link or QR code. The CMA’s concern is fake reviews, hidden incentives and suppressing negative reviews, not honest requests.
Can I offer a discount for a review?
The CMA lists discounts and vouchers as examples of commissioning, so a review given for a discount must make that clear and must still reflect the customer’s genuine experience. Google says it strictly prohibits incentives for reviews on its platform.
Can I delete a bad review?
The CMA says traders shouldn’t edit, withhold or remove genuine negative reviews. Google lets you report a review you believe breaks its content policies.
Can my family leave me reviews?
A review must reflect a genuine experience. Reviews that look like they’re from customers but aren’t count as fake reviews under the CMA guidance.
Sources
All checked on 19 October 2026.
- Fake reviews (CMA, GOV.UK)
- Fake reviews guidance, CMA208 (CMA)
- How the CMA uses its direct consumer enforcement powers (CMA, GOV.UK)
- Short guide for businesses: publishing consumer reviews (CMA, GOV.UK)
- Marketing and advertising: the law (GOV.UK)
- Tips to get more reviews (Google Business Profile Help)
- Advice for small and medium organisations (Information Commission, still known as the ICO)
- SiteInSeven promotion: details from the SiteInSeven promo pack, checked against siteinseven.co.uk on 19 October 2026. SiteInSeven is run by the same company as The Smart Sole Trader
Where to check
What changed. : . 19 October 2026: First published.
