Why use the FMB route to certification?
Whilst registration and certification services for industry competence and installer schemes are available through other routes, accessing these services through FMB route to certification has the following benefits.
-
You only need to deal with one organisation - The route to certification is one of a wide range of services offered though membership of the FMB.
-
Reduced administration – only needing to deal with one organisation will reduce your administration burden. Wherever possible the FMB minimises the need for you to provide information more than once when accessing FMB services.
-
A combined approach to membership and certification related inspections - wherever possible the FMB uses a combined approach to inspections minimising your down time to deal with inspections.
-
Cost savings – by minimising administration requirements and by taking a combined approach to inspections costs are kept to a minimum.
-
Free Competent Person Scheme Registration for Green Deal (EEM) and Microgeneration (MCS) Installers – where a company is successful in achieving either Green Deal (EEM) Installer certification and/or Microgeneration (MCS) installer certification through the FMB route to certification, the option to be included, via the FMB route to certification, on any available Competent Person Register for the same type of work to which the Green Deal (EEM) Installer certification and/or Microgeneration (MCS) installer certification relates will be offered on a free of change basis.
-
Extended ‘Find A Builder’ listing – your listing on the FMB ‘Find A Builder’ service will be updated where appropriate to reflect your company’s registration and certification status.
-
FMB marketing – in addition to the FMB ‘Find A builder’ service, the FMB will be promoting the use of companies who are registered and/or certified for industry competence schemes to consumers.
-
FMB support – although the FMB has a comprehensive and established range of support services, where existing support services do not provide an identified support need the FMB will review this and where appropriate, introduce the type of support needed.
-
A wider range of ‘Trustmark’ registration options – The FMB is in the process of arranging for its Trustmark licence to be extended to cover additional categories of registrations. Users of FMB route to certification will be able to extend the scope of their TrustMark registration via the FMB.
What are the general business benefits of registration and/or certification?
It demonstrates your quality and competence to your customers - Registration and certification for industry competence schemes requires assessment by an approved certification body. Companies can proudly promote the fact that they are registered and/or certified with one or more government backed schemes.
Inclusion in more consumer facing web-based listings - Registered/certified companies are included in additional web-based listings that consumers can access to identify potential companies to undertake any required work. Scheme specific listings are covered further in the questions and answers that follow.
What are the business benefits of Building Regulations Competent Person Scheme registration?
Evidence of compliance- Any controlled building work that is carried out by a non-registered company/person will have no evidence of compliance. As a result a building notice or full plans application must be submitted incurring Building Control fees for inspection and approval.
Self-certification - A company that is registered with a Competent Person Scheme is qualified to carry out specific types of work in accordance with Building Regulations and deals with Building Control issues on behalf of their customers. Registered Competent Person Scheme members self-certify and, through their Scheme, notify the local authority that controlled building work for which they are registered has been carried out at a particular property. Self-certification removes the need for the company to be available to meet with the Building Control Officer avoiding unnecessary downtime and the associated cost. Being able to notify that work has been completed and that it is compliant avoids the need for the customer to take any action in relation to Building Regulations compliance.
Ease of use - Self-certification and notification of work is made via the FMB using either electronic or paper-based processes. Electronic notification is the most popular and cost effective method of notification and the process only takes 2-3 minutes to complete either on-site or back at the office. Once work has been notified a certificate of Building Regulations compliance will be issued by NAPIT directly to the registered company’s customer. All notified work will be recorded on the local authority’s record for the property and will appear on a solicitor’s local authority search if and when your customer wishes to sell their home.
Cost savings and cost effectiveness -The cost of submitting an electronic notification is £2.00 to £2.20 (exc. VAT). Given that the cost of submitting a building notice in relation to relatively low value works is typically upwards of £140:00, being Competent Person Scheme registered is likely to be very cost effective for any company that submits 4 or more building notices per year for types of work that could be self-certified – the savings will typically cover the cost of being registered. Additional savings may help when you are tendering for work.
Access to a growing market - The installation of microgeneration systems has grown rapidly in recent years and in light of the UK’s legally binding targets to reduce CO2 emissions coupled with the need to achieve fuel security and reduce fuel poverty, the number of microgeneration installations is set to continue to grow.
Feed-in Tariffs (FiTs) eligibility - The FiTs scheme provides guaranteed payments to individuals, businesses and communities for small-scale electricity generation from renewable sources. For technologies where there is an MCS standard, both the technology and the installer must be MCS certified for the installation to be eligible for FiTs payments.
Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP) eligibility - Phase 1 of the RHI is for non-domestic installations and provides cashback to businesses and communities for renewable heat generation. Longer term support for domestic installations is expected in summer 2013. For technologies where there is an MCS standard, both the technology and the installer must be MCS certified for the installation to be eligible for RHI payments.
Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP) eligibility - The RHPP is a one-off grant for renewable heat technologies in the domestic and non-domestic sector. Both the product and the installer must be MCS certified for the installation to be eligible for an RHPP payment.
MCS is rapidly becoming the customers preferred option - Even where a customer requires an installation that is not related to a FITs, RHI or RHPP payment claim, the use of an MCS certified installer is rapidly being seen as the preferred option in the market place.
The Cut the Carbon website provides up-to-date information to construction SMEs on the changes in low carbon policy and legislation and helps them to understand what it means for their business. Cut the Carbon is led by CITB-ConstructionSkills and supported by the FMB.
