We are all aware of the importance of Building Regulations in ensuring our buildings, structures and services are safe to use. The public is also aware, and has a right to expect that the construction industry adheres to these regulations, and that services such as electricity and heating are installed correctly.
Who
The Building Regulations 2010 give exemptions to obtaining a building notice in England and Wales when some types of work are carried out by a member of an authorised competent person scheme. That work then has to be notified to the local authority and the occupier by the scheme operator. This is called self-certification and technicians holding valid OFTEC registration can self-certify unlimited work completed while under registration, rather than making a building control application or using an approved inspector.
What
The range of works that can be self-certified is covered under Schedule 3 of the Regulations and covers building services, renewables and building fabric. The range of work that OFTEC is licenced by government to offer is as follows.
Liquid fuel combustion appliance
- Install an oil-fired boiler.
- Install an oil-fired room heater, stove, or cooker.
Flues
- Install a flue liner.
- Install a non-masonry flue/chimney system.
Liquid fuel storage and supply
- Install an oil storage tank under 10,000 litres.
- Install oil supply pipework.
Heating and hot water
- Install a heating system.
- Install an extension to an existing heating system.
- Install a vented hot water storage vessel.
- Install hot water with vented hot water storage.
- Install hot water with unvented hot water storage.
- Install a hot water system without storage.
- Install an unvented hot water storage vessel.
- Install controls separate from heating appliance.
Solid fuel
- Install a solid fuel dry room heater, stove, or cooker.
- Install a solid fuel dry open fire.
- Install a solid fuel warm air distribution system.
- Install a solid fuel wet boiler heater, stove, or cooker.
Renewables
- Install an air source heat pump.
- Install a ground source heat pump.
- Install a water source heat pump.
- Install a solar thermal system.
- Install a biomass wet boiler, heater, stove, or cooker.
- Install a biomass dry room heater, stove, or cooker.
Electrical
- Replacement consumer unit.
- Partial rewire.
- Install one or more new circuits.
- Circuit alteration/addition in a kitchen/special location.
When
Regulation 20 of the Building Regulations requires the local authority to be notified, and the occupier of the property to receive a certificate not more than 30 days after completion of the work (i.e., the commissioning and hand over date).
To ensure this regulation is met, OFTEC asks that you notify us promptly of work, and we then do the rest. If you can supply an email address for your customer, we can email their certificate the next day. We recommend businesses make a declaration to their customers in their contract of work for information to be shared with OFTEC, and their local authority, for the purpose of satisfying Regulation 20 of The Building Regulations.
How
Notification can be done via your OFTEC website portal account (www.oftec.org) which is set up for you once you become certified by OFTEC on the competent person scheme. From this portal you can manage your registration, obtain technical information and order things from OFTEC Direct.
Next Steps
We recommend you review all the types of work that must be certified to the Building Regulations listed above. It’s important to note that if you are installing anything listed, but not self-certifying or obtaining a building notice in England and Wales, then you are breaking the law.
Please see the OFTEC website for further information about CPS registration https://www.oftec.org/technicians/areas-of-registration and if you need to talk to us about extending your scope of registration please email registration@oftec.org or call 01473 626 298 (UK) or 01-8645771 (RoI).