A competent person certificate is a document that shows building work meets Building Regulations, and it is issued by a tradesperson who is registered with a government-approved scheme rather than by the local council. Join a competent person scheme and you can self-certify certain types of building work if you work in the building trade as an installer. The certificate is the proof that the work was done to the required standard, so it matters when you hire, when you sell, and when a surveyor or solicitor asks what has been done to the property.
What a competent person scheme does
Building Regulations normally require the work to be approved by a council or private inspector. A competent person scheme offers a different route. This is instead of getting building regulations approval. You do not have to get a local council or private approved building inspector to check your work. The scheme is voluntary for the tradesperson: Membership is voluntary - you can still use local council or private inspectors if you prefer.
Scheme members are checked to make sure they can do the work properly. Your work will be assessed to check you meet the level of competence required before you're approved. There will then be ongoing inspections - yearly for the first 2 years - to make sure you continue to meet this standard. The schemes themselves are authorised by government. The schemes themselves are authorised by government. The GOV.UK page is the place to see which schemes are currently authorised.
What you should receive after the work
Once the job is finished, the installer should notify the local authority on your behalf and give you the certificate. An installer registered with a Competent Person scheme is qualified to carry out specific types of work in accordance with building regulations and should both notify the local authority of the work and issue you a certificate of compliance with building regulations either directly or through their scheme operator. If the certificate does not arrive, contact the Competent Person Scheme operator that your installer is registered with and they may be able to help you resolve this.
Keep the certificate with your property papers. The certificate can be used as proof of compliance and will show up on solicitor's local authority searches if you sell your home. Note also that a certificate cannot be created later.
How to check your tradesperson is registered
Before you agree the work, ask which scheme the tradesperson belongs to, then check it yourself rather than relying on their word or a logo.
For gas work the check is separate and stricter. In domestic properties and workplaces such as shops, restaurants, schools and hospitals, work on gas fittings must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. The Gas Safe Register website has a 'Find an Engineer' service where you can find a local registered engineer simply by inputting your postcode. You can also use the engineer's licence number from their ID card. Consumers can also check that the engineer who has come to undertake the work is the engineer the 'found' on the website through the 'Check an Engineer' service on the Gas Safe Register website. By inputting the licence number from the engineers ID card. HSE puts the responsibility on you: It's your responsibility to check a person is registered and is qualified.
Practical checklist before you hire
- Ask the tradesperson which competent person scheme they are registered with, and get the registration or business number in writing.
- Check the GOV.UK Competent Person Register, not just the trader's own paperwork.
- For any gas work, check the Gas Safe Register by postcode, business number or engineer licence number.
- Agree in writing that a certificate will be provided on completion, and when.
- If the certificate does not arrive, contact the scheme operator that your installer is registered with.
- Store the certificate with your house documents, as it may be requested when you sell.
Ask for the price and scope in writing and confirm the figure directly with the company, as costs depend on the job and the tradesperson. Using a competent person scheme means there are no building control fees.
