Reminder: Membership Changes from 1st September 2026
6th August 2026 - By danelle
Following our email to you on Friday, in July, the Government introduced new Mandatory Technical Competency (MTC) requirements for installers working under a Competent Person Scheme.
They are a sensible step for our industry and reflect a direction of travel that has been clear for some time. However, they also raise what is expected of every installer in our sector and they bring a greater level of oversight with them.
We took a decision early on about how to handle that. Rather than passing the new requirements to you as separate charges, additional paperwork or a fresh set of hoops to clear, we have absorbed as much of the operational weight as we reasonably can into how Certass itself works. The obligations still sit with you, because that is how the regime is built, but the assessment, verification and evidence work that surrounds them is ours to carry, and we would rather carry it than watch fourteen thousand small businesses each solve the same problem separately.
That work has a cost, and it is the main reason our fees will change from 1st September 2026.
Charges from 1st September 2026
Monthly Membership – £26.95 + VAT per month
Building Regulations Compliance Certificate (BRCC) – £1.85 + VAT per registration
Printed Certificate Postage – £1.20 + VAT per certificate
The postage charge, which applies where a printed certificate is sent out, moves from £1.00 to £1.20. That is not a change in what we charge for our service at all. It is simply what it now costs to get a certificate through the post.
Beyond that, you do not need to do anything. Your Direct Debit will adjust automatically from your first collection on or after 1st September, and any certificate registered before that date will be charged at the current rate.
We do not take a decision of this kind lightly, and we have kept the increase to the minimum that allows us to fund the work set out below.
Assurance, spread fairly
The largest part of the increase is assurance. Independent inspection is what gives the Certass mark its meaning, and the new requirements mean more of it, carried out more thoroughly. We could have charged for inspections separately, or asked members to meet the cost in a single payment when their turn came round, but neither approach is fair or predictable. Instead, we spread that cost across the monthly fee so that every member carries the same share, everybody sits at the same level, and nobody receives a bill they were not expecting. We have also kept arguing your case where the decisions are made. Where proposals would have placed unreasonable cost or administration on small installation businesses, we said so, in detail, to the people making them, and a good deal of that argument has been won. Most of this work is invisible from where you sit, which is rather the point, because its value is measured in the disruption you never experience.
More than a certificate
The certificate issued under every Competent Person Scheme carries exactly the same legal standing. That is precisely why what sits behind it matters so much. What separates one scheme from another is the support you receive, the strength of the mark you carry, the visibility it gives your business and the confidence it creates in the homeowners you are trying to win.
Make the most of your membership
One of the most valuable benefits available to every member is your Certified Competent installer profile.
With more than 163,000 verified homeowner reviews and around 3,000 new reviews added every month, your profile is an increasingly powerful way for homeowners to find trusted installers.
To make sure you’re getting the maximum benefit from your membership, we’d recommend checking that your profile includes:
- Your business logo
- The services you offer
- Your service areas
- Recent project photographs
- Up-to-date contact information
- Links to your website and social media channels
A complete profile helps homeowners learn more about your business before they get in touch.
Predictable, flexible payments
We know that running an installation business means watching cash flow carefully. Rather than asking members to sign long contracts or find a large annual payment, we have deliberately kept the monthly model. It gives you a predictable cost through the year and the flexibility to change your arrangements if your circumstances do, which in this market matters more than it used to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to do anything?
No.
The new pricing will take effect from 1st September 2026, and your Direct Debit will update automatically from your first collection at the end of the month.
If any action is required from you regarding Mandatory Technical Competency, we’ll contact you directly and guide you through the process.
Why has my membership fee increased?
The increase reflects the additional assurance and operational work required to meet the Government’s new Mandatory Technical Competency requirements, together with continued investment in the services that support Certass members.
Are all Competent Person Schemes affected?
Yes.
The new Mandatory Technical Competency framework applies to all Government-approved Competent Person Schemes.
Where can I learn more about Mandatory Technical Competency?
Further information on Mandatory Technical Competency (MTC), including links to the official Government and industry guidance, will be published in the Members Area shortly.
Need help?
If you have any questions about the change, or about what the new competency requirements mean for you in practice, the team is on 0191 249 6434 or [email protected] and will be happy to talk it through.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support.
Kind regards,
Jon Vanstone
Chair and Chief Executive, Certass Ltd