What is the NFRC Competent Person Scheme?

Operated by NFRC (National Federation of Roofing Contractors), the roofing Competent Person Scheme is a UKAS-accredited, government-licensed scheme which allows roofing contractors in England and Wales to self-certify certain types of roof refurbishment work as compliant with Building Regulations.

 

What types of roofing work are covered?

CPS registered contractors can self-certify their domestic, commercial and industrial roofing work where 50% or more of the roof is being refurbished. This includes all pitched works (slating, tiling, shingles and shakes etc), metal works and flat roofing disciplines (full list here) including the replacement of roof lights under certain circumstances. Self-certification must ensure that the works comply with the latest Building Regulations' Approved Documents, in particular Part L's requirements for the conversation of fuel and power.

 

How does this help local authority building control departments?

  1. Reduces inspection pressure 

Competent Person Schemes are designed to alleviate some of the inspection pressure for local authorities, particularly on certain skilled trades such as roofing.. By allowing competent roofing contractors to self-certify some of their roofing work under strict skilled trades such as roofing.. By allowing competent roofing contractors to self-certify some of their roofing work under strict parameters, building control departments can focus their resources where they're needed - on higher risk work and new builds etc.

  1. Alleviates administrative burden

The Competent Person Scheme automatically issues Building Regulation Compliance Certificates (BRCCs) to property owners upon completion of roofing works and feeds this information directly to local area building control offices via an electronic LABC link.

  1. Simplifies compliance 

NFRC Competent Person Scheme registered contractors are rigorously vetted upon application, and inspected at least annually by NFRC inspectors. Any work submitted that is not covered by the scheme is redirected to the local authority building control department.

  1. Supports consumer protection

NFRC CPS registered contractors' work comes with an Insurance-Backed Guarantee from reputable providers (see our full list here), meaning property owners are protected if the contractor goes into liquidaton.

In the rare event of non-compliance, NFRC CPS offers robust complaints procedures and works with property owners and registered contractors to rectify work to acceptable standards.

How can Local Authority Building Control Departments verify compliance?

All CPS registered contractors are inspected annually or every 50 works registered with the Scheme (whichever is sooner). This includes a witnessed site inspection, ad-hoc contractual review and sampling, probity checks and office policy/operational reviews by a qualified and experienced NFRC inspector. 

All CPS registered contractors are issued with a membership number and added to our directory, allowing online verification of a registered contractor. Local Authorities are also welcome to contact our Support Team directly to verify a specific CPS registered contractor.