Please read on for more information as to why we are passionate about the need for accrediation of Electrical contractors and how the many benefits can help you when you make sure you use a fully accredited company like AKD.

Why use an NICEIC member company?

The NICEIC has been assessing the technical competence of Contractors for over 50 years. Their aim is to protect anyone who uses electricity from unsafe electrical installations in their homes, places of work and leisure. To achieve this, they maintain a register of Electrical Contractors, that they assess as complying with the various standards, codes of practice and Scheme rules.

Contractor assessment covers a representative sample of the Contractors work, their premises, documentation, equipment, and the competence of their key supervisory staff. Once Contractors become registered with NICEIC, they are re-assessed on a regular basis to ensure continued compliance.

Enrolment with NICEIC is voluntary, but Electrical Contractors that are competent and conscientious about the service they offer customers, would consider it a priority to enrol.

It is believed that approximately 90% of Local Authorities in the UK restrict work to NICEIC Approved Contractors on safety grounds, and householders can be assured that all work undertaken by an NICEIC registered contractor will be safe and conform to the current Electrical Regulations (known as BS: 7671)

The main benefits of using a Contractor registered by NICEIC include:

Safety and competence

Contractors registered by NICEIC are assessed on a regular basis to ensure that they are competent and capable of meeting the relevant technical and safety standards, codes of practice and rules of the Schemes they are registered to. Each Scheme has a defined set of competence criteria that contractors must meet to achieve and maintain registration.

Compliance with building regulations

Contractors registered to NICEIC Building Regulations Schemes are authorised to self-certify their work without hindrance from Local Authority Building Control. This saves you both time and money when undertaking work that requires notification under the Building Regulations.

Insurance Backed Warranty

The NICEIC Insurance Backed Warranty covers work undertaken by Contractors registered to the NICEIC Domestic Installer Scheme that is notifiable to Building Control. The purpose of the Warranty is to protect Consumers should any work be found not to comply with the Building Regulations under circumstances where the contractor is no longer in business to undertake the necessary remedial work.

The financial limit placed on the remedial work is £25,000 in respect of any one installation per period of insurance and the warranty is valid for a period of six years from the date of completion of the original work.

Independent Complaints Procedure

NICEIC operates an independent complaints procedure governing the technical standards of electrical installation of its Approved Contractor and Domestic Installer Schemes. If the electrical work of a registered Contractor is found to be below the accepted technical standard, NICEIC requires the Contractor to correct the work, at no additional cost to the customer. NICEIC is concerned solely with the safety and technical standard of the electrical work carried out by Approved Contractors, and the standard of certification and periodic inspection reports which Approved Contractors are responsible for producing.

Guarantee of Standards Scheme

NICEIC expects its registered Contractors to provide a quality service to their Customers and, therefore, endeavour to resolve all complaints about the technical standard of their electrical work. If a Customer and an Approved Contractor are unable to resolve an alleged deficiency in the technical standard of electrical work, the Customer can make a formal complaint to NICEIC.

As described above, the NICEIC Complaints Procedure requires the NICEIC registered contractor to resolve the technical deficiency without additional cost to the Consumer. However, if the Contractor does not undertake the required remedial work, NICEIC’s Guarantee of Standards Scheme ensures it will be done by another NICEIC registered Contractor, at no cost to the Customer.

Scotland’s trade association for the electrical industry

Founded in 1900, SELECT is an independent and autonomous association representing the interests of Members, driving up industry standards, ensuring that work carried out by Member companies is of the highest quality and training the electricians of the future.

Be Safe – Be Sure – Be SELECT

  • Every SELECT Member undergoes a rigorous technical assessment on a regular basis. This assessment is conducted by SELECT’s own team on UKAS accredited electrical engineers who have many years of experience in the electrical industry.
  • SELECT members work across a range of disciplines. These include commercial and domestic wiring installations; fire detection and fire alarm systems, emergency lighting systems, control panels and building control systems, work in hazardous areas, security systems, voice and data systems and the in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment.
  • SELECT members are kept updated on technical developments, changes to regulations and standards, health and safety best practice, environmental matters, sustainable technologies and technology issues.
  • All work carried out by SELECT members is required to comply with relevant British or European Standards, the Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations and other relevant regulations including Health and Safety legislation.
  • SELECT members ensure that, where required, their operatives carry an appropriate Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) card, the sole ID and competence card scheme for electrotechnical operatives in the UK. ECS cards enable operatives to confirm their identity, competence and qualification levels.

SELECT Contract Completion Guarantee Scheme

If you accept a quote and conditions of trading from a SELECT member, the work is covered by SELECT’s Contract Completion Guarantee Scheme. If any work undertaken by a SELECT member cannot be completed because of that members insolvency then SELECT will pay for another member company to completion of that work (conditions apply).

SELECT Scottish Government Certification of Construction (Electrical Installations to BS7671)

Scottish Building Standards legislation, allows for the appointment of Approved Certifiers of Design and Approved Certifiers of Construction. Properly qualified electricians can become Certifiers and have the authority to certify work for building warrant purposes.

What are the benefits?

  • Quicker acceptance of completion certificates by local authorities. Certified installations are not inspected at completion.
  • A discount on the building warrant application fee is given if the local authority is notified of the intended use of an Approved Certifier of Construction and a Certificate of Construction is submitted with the completion certificate.
  • Approved Certifiers are able to provide a quality service, and ensure compliance of work with building regulations.
  • A firm employing at least one Approved Certifier must meet criteria to be appointed as an Approved Body.
  • Approved Bodies hold adequate insurance cover for any project to be certified.
  • Members of a certification scheme have their work audited by the scheme provider.
  • Construction professionals and trades-people must have met high levels of qualifications and experience necessary to be accepted into certification schemes.
  • The skills and experience of construction professionals and trades-people are recognised.

CLE operates a licensing scheme for traders in the construction industry. The CLE scheme promotes higher standards of workmanship and customer service in construction companies. By providing information to consumers, to help them to find and appoint such reputable traders, we aim to protect them from rogue traders in the industry.

The MCS is an internationally recognised quality assurance scheme which demonstrates to your customers that your company is committed to meeting rigorous and tested standards. It was designed with input from installer and product representatives. Similar to the Gas Safe Register, the MCS gives you a mark of competency and demonstrates to your customers that you can install to the highest quality every time.

Installer certification entails assessing the supply, design, installation, set-to-work and commissioning of renewable microgeneration technologies.

The REA was established in 2001, as a not-for-profit trade association, representing British renewable energy producers and promoting the use of renewable energy in the UK. The REA endeavours to achieve the right regulatory framework for renewables to deliver an increasing contribution to the UK’s electricity, heat and transport needs.

The UK’s largest register for pre-qualified contractors and consultants. Its aim is to improve efficiencies for buyers and suppliers in the construction industry, specifically by reducing the duplication of work and administration relating to the process of pre-qualifying suppliers for construction contracts.