Competent Person Calculator — Scheme Registration Guide

A competent person scheme (CPS) allows registered installers to self-certify that their work complies with Building Regulations, without needing a separate building control application. Examples include FENSA for windows, Gas Safe for gas, NICEIC for electrics and HETAS for solid fuel. The installer notifies the local authority and issues a certificate directly.

No, but the alternative is a building control application (costing £200–£500 per job) and inspection. For gas work, Gas Safe registration is a legal requirement — there is no alternative. For other work types, using a CPS installer is faster, often cheaper overall, and provides direct certification.

Uncertified notifiable work is a Building Regulations offence. It can cause problems when selling the property, as solicitors will identify the lack of certificates. You may need to apply for retrospective building control regularisation (costing more than the original certification) or the buyer may negotiate a price reduction.

Annual registration fees range from £200–£700 depending on the scheme and work type. Gas Safe is approximately £350–£500/year. FENSA is £300–£600/year. NICEIC electrical ranges from £400–£700/year. These fees cover unlimited self-certifications, making them very cost-effective for businesses doing regular work.

For notifiable electrical work (new circuits in a dwelling, consumer unit replacement, work in special locations such as bathrooms), you need registration with an approved Part P competent person scheme: NICEIC, NAPIT or Stroma (the ELECSA brand was retired, with operations transferred to NICEIC). Non-notifiable work (like-for-like replacements, adding sockets to existing circuits outside special locations) does not require CPS registration but must still comply with BS 7671.