Secure payment flow explained for customers and providers

Secure payment flow explained

WorkMate uses Stripe to hold payments securely until work is confirmed complete. Here is how each stage works.

Payment authorisation

When you accept a quote, Stripe authorises the payment on your card. No money leaves your account yet — it is simply reserved against your card up to the quote amount.

Work completion

Once the provider marks the job complete, you have 5 days to confirm the work or report a problem. If you do nothing, payment is automatically released to the provider on day 5. This window sits inside Stripe's 7-day manual-capture limit and matches the figure stated in our Terms and Happiness Pledge.

Payment release

After confirmation (or auto-release), funds transfer to the provider's Stripe Connect balance and pay out to their nominated bank account on Stripe's standard SEPA schedule — typically 2-5 business days.

If something goes wrong

If you are not happy with the work, use Report a problem on the job while your payment is still held — up to 5 days after the job is marked complete. This pauses the release: your funds stay held by WorkMate while our team reviews the job. Our team begins review within 3 business days and reaches a decision within 7 days, and held funds are not released to the provider while a reported problem is open. Report any problem before the 5-day window closes — once the payment has been released to the provider, the held-payment protection no longer applies.

If the work was never started in the first place, no dispute is needed: the card authorisation simply expires and your hold is released within 3-5 business days, with no charge.