Product category:
Gas Services
News Release from: CORGI Group | Subject: Competent Persons Schemes
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 28 April 2006
CORGI Competent Persons Schemes QandA
Competent Persons Schemes have been set up by the Government to allow trades people in England and Wales to self-certify that their work complies with Building Regulations
QandA document re CORGI's Competent Persons Schemes follows
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 1 May 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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About Competent Persons Schemes.
What are Competent Persons Schemes?.
Competent Persons Schemes have been set up by the Government to allow trades people in England and Wales to self-certify that their work complies with Building Regulations, as an alternative to submitting a building notice or using an approved inspector.
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Corgi launches Competent Person Schemes
CORGI, the gas safety watchdog, is launching two new competent person schemes at Interbuild 2006.
The Government has introduced three Competent Persons Schemes covering electrical, plumbing and ventilation work.
The electrical scheme was launched last year, and from April 2006 there will also be plumbing and ventilation schemes.
Why were Competent Persons Schemes introduced?.
The Government hopes that moving towards self-certification will significantly enhance compliance with Building Regulations, reduce costs for companies joining recognised schemes, and promote training and competence within the industry.
It should also help tackle the problem of 'cowboy builders'.
Who benefits from Competent Persons Schemes?.
Consumers benefit from lower prices, since they no longer incur Building Control fees.
They also benefit from reduced delays, because they don't have to wait for an inspector to approve the work carried out.
Another bonus is that they can more easily identify competent companies.
Individuals and companies who join Competent Persons Schemes can self-certify that their work complies with the Building Regulations and so avoid submitting a building notice, local authority inspections and fees.
Are They Compulsory?.
Membership of the schemes is not compulsory.
Rather than choose to self-certify their work, trades people can instead continue to notify their work to Local Building Control.
But this will cost more and take longer, which means they will be offering a less attractive service to customers than those individuals and companies who have joined a scheme.
Home Information Packs.
What do Competent Persons Schemes have to do with the Home Information Pack? The Government has said that from June 2007, anyone moving home in England and Wales must provide prospective buyers with a Home Information Pack.
The pack will need to contain certificates showing that gas, electrical, plumbing and ventilation work done at the home complies with Building Regulations.
That means a growing number of householders will soon be asking for certificates for work carried out at their homes - including work which is being done now.
It is in anticipation of this demand, and in response to the move towards self certification that CORGI has set up its Competent Persons Schemes.
Through them trades people can self-certify any electrical, plumbing and ventilation work they do and give customers the certificates they'll need, from a name they trust.
The CORGI Schemes.
What do the new schemes cover?.
CORGI has three Competent Persons Schemes covering electrical, plumbing and ventilation work.
It introduced its electrical scheme last year, and from April 2006 trades people will be able to join its new plumbing and ventilation schemes.
The Electrical Scheme.
If a trades person carries out electrical installation work in bathrooms, shower-rooms, kitchens or outside the dwelling, or if they install any new circuit from the consumer unit, then they can self-certify the work under CORGI's Electrical Scheme.
The Plumbing Scheme.
The following work can be self-certified under CORGI's Plumbing Scheme: G1 and G2 - Plumbing Appliances.
The new installation of WC macerators, urinals, bidets, washbasins, new installation of fixed baths and shower trays G3 - Hot water storage.
The installation of un-vented hot water storage systems The Ventilation Scheme.
If a trades person carries out ventilation installation work, such as cooker hoods, canopies, extract fan units and extract heat recovery units, or other ventilation work covered under Part F of Building Regulations, they can self-certify the work under CORGI's Ventilation Competent Persons Scheme.
What qualifies CORGI to run schemes in non-gas areas?.
CORGI has been successfully running the most highly respected mandatory registration scheme for many, many years - so on a practical front the organisation knows what it takes, and has the experience, people and procedures in place to run Competent Persons Schemes.
Furthermore, to equip CORGI to expand its remit beyond gas, CORGI has embarked on a recruitment and training exercise, the biggest in its history.
The organisation has spent the past 12 months gearing up.
CORGI's existing 130 inspectors in the field have undergone intensive additional training covering electrical, plumbing and ventilation.
CORGI's technical helpdesk has also undergone a training drive to support both members and field staff.
As the Competent Persons Schemes develop and grow, additional specialist staff will be recruited.
The Advantages of CORGI's Schemes.
There are a number of important differences between CORGI'S schemes and its competitors.
For example, with some Competent Persons Schemes the trades person is responsible for issuing the certificate to the consumer.
However, with CORGI's Competent Persons Schemes, CORGI will issue the certificate and also inform the local authority.
CORGI also provides a one-stop-shop covering gas, electrical, plumbing and ventilation work.
So a person or company who joins CORGI's Competent Persons Schemes, will only be inspected once and will only have to complete one notification process for all types of work.
This will save time and money.
Keeping self-certification under one roof is the quickest and simplest way to comply with Building Regulations.
Extensive technical support is a further benefit of signing up to CORGI's Competent Persons Schemes.
Those who join will immediately have access to CORGI's technical helpline, where its team of specialists will be on hand to offer practical technical advice as well as answer queries about standards and regulations.
They will also be able to take advantage of CORGI's affinity schemes, such as its public liability insurance specifically for electricians and plumbers, and will be able to buy discounted electrical and plumbing goods as well as CORGI-branded products such as clothing.
Perhaps most importantly, being a member of a CORGI Competent Persons Scheme will tell people that the trades person works to the highest standards.
CORGI is a widely known and well respected name that consumers trust: 76 per cent of householders say they would choose a CORGI registered plumber, electrician or ventilation specialist ahead of a non-CORGI approved trades person.
The Joining Process.
If a company or individual chooses to join a CORGI Competent Persons Scheme, they are first vetted to ensure they meet the conditions of membership, including appropriate and relevant levels of competence.
If they meet these conditions they are classified as 'competent persons'.
What will the assessment process cover?.
As part of the application process, businesses will be assessed to ensure that the following criteria can be satisfied and that the work can be carried out safely: The business must have an appropriate number of operatives for the size of the organisation The business must possess public liability insurance of at least £2 million The business must be able to offer its customers an insurance backed warranty which will cover the work for a period of at least six years Additionally, businesses will need:.
* Evidence of training and / or experience for all operatives carrying out installation work.
* Access to relevant technical reference documents.
* Access to appropriate relevant calibrated / certificated test equipment.
* A principal duty holder responsible for each Competent Persons Scheme .
* An auditable system which covers appropriate certification and reporting of the work undertaken by the business.
* An auditable system identifying responsibilities within the business for the safety, quality and standards of the work.
* A written Health and Safety Policy statement where required by law (for businesses with five or more operatives) and to carry out risk assessment as appropriate.
What happens then?.
Once they are a member of a scheme their work is not subject to Building Control inspection.
Instead, as a competent person, they self-certify that their work complies with the Building Regulations.
In practice, when they have undertaken work, they will need to notify CORGI.
CORGI will then notify Local Building Control on the member's behalf and issue the customer with a certificate.
From June 2007, any homeowner in England and Wales who wishes to sell their home will need to include such certificates in their Home Information Pack.
What will it cost to join CORGI's Schemes?.
As an incentive to sign up to the new schemes, for those who choose to apply for more than one scheme at the same time, CORGI will reduce the cost of the assessment fee per scheme applied.
For CORGI Registered Gas Installers: Annual Registration Fee (Inclusive of VAT) One-off Assessment Fee (Inclusive of VAT) First scheme:.
£123.38.
£235.00.
Second scheme:.
£82.25.
£235.00 (£176.25 if carried out at the same time as first scheme).
Third Scheme:.
£41.12.
£235.00 (£117.50 if carried out at the same time as first two scheme).
If your assessment covers more than one scheme, you will receive a discount on your Assessment Fee.
Companies and their operatives who already belong to CORGI's gas registration scheme will not need to pay an additional operative fee for any existing operatives.
However, any additional operatives will need to pay £62.28 (inclusive of VAT).
For non-CORGI registered trades people:.
Annual Registration Fee (Inclusive of VAT) .
One-off Assessment Fee (Inclusive of VAT) .
First scheme: £205.63.
£235.00.
Second Scheme: £123.37.
£235.00 (£176.25 if carried out at the same time as first scheme).
Third Scheme £82.25 £235.00 (£117.50 if carried out at the same time as first two schemes) For non-gas businesses, operatives must pay an operative fee if they wish to join any of the new Competent Persons Schemes.
This is the case regardless of whether or not they hold the relevant competencies for each Competent Persons Scheme.
Note all CORGI Fees are subject to VAT @ 17.5%.
When do the Schemes go live?.
The new plumbing and ventilation schemes go live from 6th April.
Scheme members can self-certify their work from this date.
Because the electrical scheme is already live, new members can self-certify their electrical work as soon as they are on the scheme.
How do people apply?.
People can request an application pack by visiting www.corgi-group.com/competent or by calling 0870 401 2300.
The Scheme Logos.
Why has CORGI created new logos for the schemes?.
When developing its Competent Persons Schemes, a key question CORGI asked was should the schemes carry the CORGI brand? To answer this question CORGI conducted high-level research among registered installers, plumbers and electricians as well as landlords and the general public.
Focus groups were held all over the country and an omnibus questionnaire was conducted with over 1000 homeowners.
It was found that installers welcomed CORGI running the new Competent Persons Schemes, feeling this would help them with the government changes.
However they also felt it was important that the registered gas installer shield should never be used by someone who doesn't belong to a gas safety registration scheme.
That's why CORGI has created new logos for the schemes.
The new logos complement the existing CORGI orange shield and yet are quite distinctive making it easy for customers to identify each of the individual trades.
Isn't there a risk that people who have qualified to carry one of the other logos will try to use it to pass themselves off as gas installers? Corgi has worked hard to make the logos quite distinctive.
They are trade-specific, using shapes which reflect quite clearly the individual trades.
Each logo has wording which specifies what the badge covers.
Each logo has its own colour.
In line with this CORGI has modified the gas shield logo - incorporating the word gas - making it obvious that it represents gas installers.
Added to this, CORGI will soon start to promote the new logos to consumers.
This intensive campaign will not only raise awareness of the new trades which come with the seal of approval, they will also make it very clear to consumers exactly what each logo stands for.
Is there a real advantage carrying a CORGI logo if you aren't doing gas work? Although closely associated with gas, the CORGI logo also represents ideals that encompass professionalism, high standards and quality work.
The name is so powerful among consumers that three-quarters of them said they would choose a CORGI registered installer over someone who wasn't registered - and not just for gas work.
That means installers or other trades people who join the CORGI plumbing, electrical and ventilation schemes can expect to have a real advantage getting work in these areas over non-CORGI members.
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