Trustpilot Won’t Remove a False Review: What Are Your Legal Options?
Businesses and professionals operating in England and Wales could face reputational harm caused by a false or misleading Trustpilot review. If you have experienced this and yet have been unable to secure removal through Trustpilot’s internal reporting process, we can help.
This article explains how the law approaches false reviews, why platform complaints often fail and what legal options may be available in appropriate cases.
Why a single false review can feel so damaging
Most businesses expect the occasional negative comment. What causes real concern is a review that goes beyond criticism and starts making allegations: dishonesty, misconduct, poor professional standards or behaviour that simply never happened.
The impact is rarely theoretical. Reviews are often read before any contact is made. A single false review can quietly shape first impressions for months or years, long after the original issue, if there even was one. For professional firms, regulated businesses and service providers, that can translate into lost opportunities without ever knowing why.
That is usually the point at which businesses turn to Trustpilot, only to discover that removal is far from straightforward.
A brief word on fake reviews and the wider regulatory backdrop
It is worth noting that, from April 2025, a new UK regime makes it unlawful to publish or commission fake or misleading consumer reviews, and gives the Competition and Markets Authority stronger enforcement powers.
That regime is primarily concerned with review manipulation and systemic practices, rather than resolving individual disputes between businesses and reviewers. It does not create a direct right for businesses to require platforms to remove contested reviews.
Why Trustpilot often refuses to remove reviews
Trustpilot is not a court and does not investigate disputes in the way businesses often expect. Its role is limited to applying its own platform rules. This approach is broadly consistent with how large review platforms operate.
In practice, Trustpilot places heavy emphasis on whether a review is based on what it calls a “genuine experience”. This does not mean the review is legally accurate. It usually means Trustpilot believes the reviewer had some form of interaction with the business.
As a result, reviews may remain online even where:
- Important facts are wrong or incomplete
- Allegations are exaggerated or misleading
- The business has evidence contradicting the account of events
From Trustpilot’s perspective, these are disputes between parties. From the business’s perspective, the reputational damage continues.
What Trustpilot’s decision does not mean
This distinction is crucial…
Trustpilot declining to remove a review does not mean the review is lawful, correct or immune from challenge. It simply means the content has not been removed under Trustpilot’s internal rules.
A review can therefore remain online while still being capable of giving rise to a legal claim, depending on whether it meets the statutory serious harm threshold and whether any legal defence applies. Platform moderation and legal liability operate on different tracks.
When is a Trustpilot review unlawful?
English law does not protect false statements of fact that cause serious reputational harm. It does, however, protect genuine opinion, even where that opinion feels unfair.
For example, a statement such as “I felt the service was poor” is likely to be treated as opinion, whereas an allegation that a business committed fraud or acted unlawfully is more likely to be treated as a statement of fact.
For a defamation claim to be viable, several elements must be satisfied. In broad terms the statement must harm reputation, refer to the claimant and be published to others.
Since the Defamation Act 2013, companies and other bodies trading for profit face an additional hurdle. They must show that the publication has caused, or is likely to cause, serious financial loss. This is how the law measures “serious harm” for commercial claimants.
In practical terms, this means a business cannot succeed in defamation merely by showing that words are false or upsetting. It must also be able to evidence a causal link between the publication and actual or likely financial loss, which is often contested and fact specific. For example, this can be proven through lost enquiries, reduced sales or damaged commercial relationships. Courts have been willing to bring claims to an early end where this cannot be shown.
The types of reviews that tend to cause the most difficulty
Some reviews raise legal concerns more readily than others.
- Allegations of fraud, dishonesty or illegality
Reviews accusing a business of scams, criminal conduct or regulatory breaches usually go beyond opinion. If untrue, they are inherently serious and can be particularly damaging for regulated or professional firms. - Reviews from people who were never customers
Where there was no customer relationship at all, the factual basis may be weak and it may be harder for a reviewer to show a “genuine experience” with the business. These cases can sometimes be stronger than businesses initially assume, particularly where records are clear, though outcomes remain fact-specific. - Reviews about the wrong business
Misattribution is more common than expected, especially where businesses have similar names. Trustpilot’s rules allow removal where a review is clearly about a different business but the affected firm must be able to demonstrate this clearly. - Reviews used as leverage
Reviews posted to apply pressure in disputes or by competitors or former employees can raise additional issues. These situations often require careful handling rather than reactive responses.
Why responding publicly can sometimes make things worse
Trustpilot encourages businesses to reply publicly. In some cases, a measured response can help. In others, it can inadvertently repeat allegations, draw further attention to them or complicate later legal steps.
Before replying, it is worth asking whether the response will genuinely reassure future readers or simply keep the dispute alive.
What legal options look like in reality
Many businesses assume that “legal options” means jumping straight to court. In practice, that is rarely the first step.
- Starting with the reviewer
Where the reviewer can be identified, a carefully drafted legal letter is often the starting point. This explains why the statements are wrong and what is required to resolve matters. Properly framed correspondence can improve the prospects of resolution compared with informal complaints, but it cannot guarantee any outcome. - Claims involving Trustpilot
Trustpilot benefits from legal protections available to online intermediaries but those protections are not absolute. Claims against platforms are still relatively unusual and, in practice, face significant hurdles including the need to show serious harm or serious financial loss. They are often considered only where the reviewer cannot sensibly be pursued. - Malicious falsehood and related claims
In some cases, particularly where financial loss is clear and malice is present, alternative claims such as malicious falsehood may be relevant. These routes are technical and very fact-specific. They may not be appropriate in every case. - Urgent court action
Injunctions are possible but tightly controlled, particularly before trial. Courts are cautious about restraining publication and will only do so where the claim is strong and damages would not be an adequate remedy. This is exceptional rather than routine.
The key point is that most cases never reach the final step. Early advice is often about simplifying options and negotiation, not escalating the dispute.
Why timing still matters
False reviews rarely improve with age. They are often shared and relied upon. Evidence also becomes harder to gather over time.
For businesses, particularly larger ones, demonstrating serious financial loss can require planning and careful evidence. Early advice helps ensure that steps taken are proportionate and focused.
Is this always expensive or confrontational?
No. Defamation and reputation work can be complex but complexity does not automatically mean litigation. Many disputes resolve once positions are clarified and risks understood.
How JLN can help
JLN can advise businesses and professionals on false reviews, defamation and reputational risk. Our focus is on clarity, proportionality, and practicality.
We can help clients understand whether a review is likely to cross the legal line, what evidence matters and which steps are worth taking, and which are not. In many cases,
early advice prevents escalation rather than causes it.
Next steps
If a false Trustpilot review is affecting your business and platform reporting has failed, you do not need to assume that the only options are to live with it or pursue a full-scale court case.
A short, confidential discussion can often clarify where you stand and what, if anything, is sensible to do next. Any decision to take action should be based on advice on your specific circumstances, including the potential costs and risks.
We usually offer a no-cost, no-obligation 20-minute introductory call as a starting point or, in some cases, if you would just like some initial advice and guidance, we can instead offer a one-hour fixed fee appointment (charged from £250 plus VAT depending on the complexity of issues and seniority of the fee earner).
Please email wewillhelp@jonathanlea.net or call us on 01444 708640 as a first step. Following an initial discussion, we can provide a clear scope of work, a fee estimate (or fixed fee where appropriate), and confirm any information or documentation we would need to review.
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This article is intended for general information only, applies to the law at the time of publication, is not specific to the facts of your case and is not intended to be a replacement for legal advice. It is recommended that specific professional advice is sought before relying on any of the information given. © Jonathan Lea Limited.