Competent person schemes were introduced by the Government to allow individuals and enterprises to self-certify that their work complies with the Building Regulations as an alternative to submitting a building notice or using an approved inspector.

The principles of self-certification are based on giving people who are competent in their field the ability to self-certify that their work complies with the Building Regulations without the need to submit a building notice and thus incurring local authority inspections or fees. It is hoped that moving towards self-certification will significantly enhance compliance with the requirements of the Building Regulations, reduce costs for firms joining recognised schemes, and promote training and competence within the industry. It should also help tackle the problem of 'cowboy builders', and assist local authorities with enforcement of the Building Regulations.

Building work, replacements and repairs to your home leaflet

Available from the Downloads section - read this before starting any work.  Many jobs in the home need to be notified to and approved by your Local Authority Building Control unless carried out by an installer who is registered with a Competent Person Scheme.  Some examples are shown in this leaflet.

Existing Competent Person Schemes

Click on the external link on the right to view the Existing Competent Person Schemes on the Communities and Local Government website.