Competent Persons
These were introduced to enable individual trades people to self-certify that their work complies with the Building Regulations. This is an alternative to submitting a building regulations application.
Various trade bodies have taken responsibility for registering competent persons who meet the standards of work and competencies required in their technical area. Registration in these schemes, with the exception of CORGI, is not compulsory. However, if work is undertaken by a person who is not registered, it is necessary to submit a building regulations application.
A variety of schemes exist covering many aspects of the Building Regulations:
- replacement windows and doors;
- gas appliances, heating and hot water systems;
- oil combustion appliances; solid fuel combustion appliances;
- plumbing, hot water and heating service systems;
- ventilation and air conditioning;
- electrical, lighting, heating and control systems;
- air pressure testing of buildings;
- CO2 emission rate calculations; and
- sanitary conveniences in washrooms and bathrooms.
When someone has undertaken notifiable work in accordance with one of these schemes, the competent person via the scheme provider gives evidence to both the owner and Local Authority that the work complies with the relevant regulation(s) within 30 days of completing the work.
Below is a list of existing competent person schemes:
- Replacement windows and doors
- Heat producing gas appliances and associated heating and hot water systems
- Combustion appliances - oil
- Combustion appliances - solid fuel
- Electrical safety in dwellings
- Plumbing, heating systems and hot water service systems (non dwellings)
- Plumbing, heating systems and hot water service systems (dwellings)
- Ventilation and air conditioning (dwellings)
- Ventilation and air conditioning (non dwellings)
- Ventilation and air conditioning (commercial kitchens)
- Lighting systems, electric heating systems and associated controls
- Air-Pressure testing of buildings
- Sanitary conveniences, washing facilities or bathrooms in a dwelling
Installation of replacement windows, rooflights, roof windows or doors in an existing dwelling.
British Standards Institution (BSI)
www.bsi-global.com 
01442 278607
CERTASS Limited
www.certass.co.uk
01292 266636
FENSA (Fenestration Self Assessment Scheme)
www.fensa.co.uk
0870 780 2028
Heat producing gas appliances and associated heating and hot water systems
Installation of a heat producing gas appliance which has a rated heat output of 100 kilowatts or less and is installed in a building with no more than three storeys (excluding any basement) or in a dwelling. Installation of heating or hot water service systems connected to heat producing gas appliances or associated controls.
CORGI Services Limited
www.corgiservices.com/
0870 401 2300
Installation of:
- an oil fired combustion appliance, which has a rated heat output of 100 kilowatts or less, and which is installed in a building with no more than three storeys (excluding any basement) or in a dwelling
- oil storage tanks and the pipes connecting them to combustion appliances
- heating and or hot water service systems connected to an oil fired combustion appliance.
APHC (Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors (Certification) Limited
www.aphc.co.uk
02476 470 626
Building Engineering Services Competence Accreditation (BESCA Limited)
www.besca.org.uk
0800 652 5533
NAPIT Registration Ltd
www.napit.org.uk
0345 543 0330
NICEIC Group Ltd
www.niceic.com
0870 013 0382
OFTEC (Oil Firing Technical Association Limited)
www.oftec.org.uk
0845 658 5080
Combustion appliances - solid fuel
Installation of:
- Solid fuel burning combustion appliance which has a rated heat output of 50 kilowatts or less, which is installed in a building with no more than three storeys (excluding any basement) or
- Heating and hot water service systems connected to a solid fuel burning appliance.
APHC (Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors (Certification) Limited
www.aphc.co.uk
02476 470 626
Building Engineering Services Competence Accreditation (BESCA Limited)
www.besca.org.uk
0800 652 5533
HETAS Ltd (Heating Equipment Testing and Approval Scheme)
www.hetas.co.uk
01462 634721
NAPIT Registration Ltd
www.napit.org.uk
0345 543 0330
NICEIC Group Ltd
www.niceic.com
0870 013 0382
Electrical safety in dwellings
(a) Full competence schemes
BRE Certification Limited
www.partp.co.uk / www.redbooklive.com
01923 664100
British Standards Institution (BSI)
www.kitemarktoday.com / www.bsi-global.com
01442 278607
ELECSA Limited
www.elecsa.co.uk/
0870 749 0080
NAPIT Registration Limited
www.napit.org.uk
0345 543 0330
NICEIC Group Ltd
www.niceic.com
0870 013 0382
(b) Defined competence schemes
These schemes are designed primarily for those who do electrical installation work as an adjunct to or in connection with their primary work activities - for example, gas installations, plumbing, kitchen or bathroom fitting, heating installation, security systems.
APHC (Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors (Certification) Limited
www.aphc.co.uk
02476 470 626
CORGI Services Limited
www.corgiservices.com/
0870 401 2300
ELECSA Limited
www.elecsa.co.uk/
0870 749 0080
NAPIT Registration Ltd (National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers)
www.napit.org.uk
0345 543 0330
NICEIC Group Ltd
www.niceic.com
0870 013 0382
OFTEC (Oil Firing Technical Association Limited)
www.oftec.org.uk
0845 658 5080
Plumbing, heating systems and hot water service systems (non dwellings)
Installation of a heating, hot water service system, mechanical ventilation or air conditioning system, or associated controls in a building other than a dwelling.
Building Engineering Services Competence Accreditation (BESCA Limited)
www.besca.org.uk
0800 652 5533
NICEIC Group Ltd
www.niceic.com
0870 013 0382
Plumbing, heating systems and hot water service systems (dwellings)
Installation of a heating or hot water service system or associated controls in a dwelling.
APHC (Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors (Certification) Limited
www.aphc.co.uk
02476 470 626
Building Engineering Services Competence Accreditation (BESCA Limited)
www.besca.org.uk
0800 652 5533
CORGI Services Limited
www.corgiservices.com/
0870 401 2300
NAPIT Registration Limited
www.napit.org.uk
0345 543 0330
NICEIC Group Ltd
www.niceic.com
0870 013 0382
Ventilation and air conditioning (dwellings)
Installation of an air conditioning or ventilation system in an existing dwelling which does not involve work on systems shared with other dwellings.
CORGI Services Limited
www.corgiservices.com/
0870 401 2300
NAPIT Registration Ltd
www.napit.org.uk
0345 543 0330
NICEIC Group Ltd
www.niceic.com
0870 013 0382
Ventilation and air conditioning (non dwellings)
Installation of a heating, hot water service, mechanical ventilation or air conditioning system, or associated controls, in a building other than a dwelling.
Building Engineering Services Competence Accreditation (BESCA Limited)
www.besca.org.uk
0800 652 5533
NICEIC Group Ltd
www.niceic.com
0870 013 0382
Ventilation and air conditioning (commercial kitchens)
Installation of a commercial kitchen ventilation system which does not involve work on systems shared with parts of the building occupied separately.
CORGI Services Limited
www.corgiservices.com/
0870 401 2300
NICEIC Group Ltd
www.niceic.com
0870 013 0382
Lighting systems, electric heating systems and associated controls
Installation of a lighting system or electric heating system or associated electric controls.
ECA Limited
www.elecsa.co.uk/
020 013 4800
NICEIC Group Ltd
www.niceic.com
0870 013 0382
Air-Pressure testing of buildings
British Institute of Non Destructive Testing (BINDT Limited):
ATTMA (Air Tightness Testing and Measurement Association) is the part of BINDT which will carry out the testing.
www.attma.org
01604 630124
Sanitary conveniences, washing facilities or bathrooms in a dwelling
Installation of a sanitary convenience, washing facility or bathroom in a dwelling which does not involve work on shared or underground drainage.
APHC (Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors (Certification) Limited
www.aphc.co.uk
02476 470 626
CORGI Services Limited
www.corgiservices.com/
0870 401 2300
NAPIT Registration Ltd
www.napit.org.uk
0345 543 0330
NICEIC Group Ltd
www.niceic.com
0870 013 0382
Related publications
Building work, replacements and repairs to your home
Published: 10 November 2008
Site: Planning, building and the environment
