Does Integrity In The UK or World Wide Hold Value?

I ask this because a couple of years ago I decided I wanted
to build a reference point in my own area where members
of the public could go online and be assured that if they went
to this point they would find tradespeople, professionals,
services that were above reproach and 'would not' let them
down or try to scam them.

I wanted to do this because as my 40+ years as a plastering
contractor I was 'always' being asked by my customers/clients
to recommend other trades or services I could vouch for as
they were so afraid of just plucking names out of the various
directories and being let down most of the time.

I've devised a way of being assured that the only businesses
that could get referred to in my B2B Referral Club 'were' infact
very trustworthy on all levels. I do, and will always personally check
and list each member as they join. I set up individual Bio-pages
for them that also get listed individually in all of the major search
engines. All in all I think the reference point I'm offering through
the B2B club is pretty unique and valuable, but I get comments
like - "But it's FREE to advertise on XYZ site etc".

Do you members here on the Warrior forum think I'm bashing
my head against a brick wall by insisting that the 'integrity' of
the B2B club requires that membership is 'very limited', therefore
a basic annual membership fee will and should be charged?

When all said and done, those referral websites that do charge,
often have no 'real' vetting procedures in place even though they
say they do. (I know this by seeing some very dodgy businesses
being portrayed as 'trusted trades' on these websites).

Pete.