TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT

Last update: 26.06.2026

ABOUT US

Simply Certification Limited (SC) is an independent certification body for:

Installation of Energy Efficiency Measures (PAS 2030)
Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS)
Flexi-Orb
Building Information Modelling – BIM (ISO 19650- 2)
Quality (ISO 9001)
Environmental (ISO 14001)
Occupational Health and Safety Management systems (ISO 45001)
Information Security Management (ISO 27001)
Energy Management (ISO 50001)
Business Continuity (ISO 22301)

We operate under the direction of a Governing Board in compliance with ISO 17021, ISO 17065 and associated EAC Guidelines and our procedures are administered in a non-discriminatory manner.

We are a self-funded business that generates our own funds to operate.

CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The client will:

Have a fully operational management system in line with the standard you are being assessed against, including controlled and up-to-date documents.
Provide Simply with a copy of the Management System Manual and other documentation as requested.
Grant permission for the conduct of an assessment by competent assessors carried out in multiple stages according to the agreed program.
Grant access to relevant parties for the purpose of conducting internal and external audits, training, and reporting activities. This includes permission to access necessary data and to attend assessment audits as agreed. Relevant parties may include, but are not limited to, employees and subcontractors of Simply Certification Limited, as well as representatives from UKAS, TrustMark, MCS, Flexi-Orb, OFGEM, DESNZ, and other relevant government bodies or regulatory authorities.
Ensure the appropriate people are available during assessments to enable a smooth and successful audit. It is beneficial for the persons chosen to support the audit to understand the business’s processes and have access to all systems and documentation relating to the relevant standard(s). This can include, but is not limited to (relevant to the standard being assessed) the Quality Manager, Team Leader, Installer, Retrofit Co-Ordinator, Director, Office Manager, etc.
Ensure they are available for the full duration of the audit.
Ensure they have a good internet connection so that any online documentation/systems are readily available, or if any meetings are virtual, for example, on Teams, a poor connection does not impact the quality of the call.
Ensure that there is adequate space for audits to be carried out while on site, such as a quiet, distraction-free room for the full duration of the audit.
Ensure that access to any other sites and locations identified in the assessment plan is accessible during the times agreed upon.
The client will ensure the safety of themselves and our representatives while they are at your premises or associated sites, ensuring any Health and Safety requirements are in place and communicated.

EVIDENCE REQUIREMENTS AND SAMPLING

Assessments for all schemes require you to provide evidence demonstrating your compliance with the standard being assessed. The required evidence will differ between standards; however, it can include, but is not limited to:

Processes
Policies
Work instructions
Standards
Certification
Software

Any evidence provided must be correct, relevant and of sufficient volume to instil confidence that the standard is being met.

GAP ANALYSIS

A Gap Analysis is an optional pre-assessment service designed to help organisations understand their current level of readiness before undertaking a formal certification assessment against the selected standard(s) or scheme(s).

The Gap Analysis is completed remotely and typically consists of:

A review of documentation and records submitted by the organisation;
An online assessment with one of our assessors to discuss the submitted evidence;
An independent review of the organisation’s documented arrangements against the requirements of the selected standard(s); and
A feedback session to discuss the findings and answer questions relating to the requirements of the standard(s).

Following completion of the Gap Analysis, the organisation will receive a written report summarising the findings. The report will identify areas where objective evidence demonstrates conformity, areas where evidence is absent or insufficient, and areas where further work may be required prior to a formal certification assessment.

The purpose of the Gap Analysis is to provide an independent indication of an organisation’s current level of preparedness and to help organisations better understand the requirements of the selected standard(s). It is intended as a readiness review only and is not a consultancy service.

Simply Certification will identify gaps against the requirements of the relevant standard(s) and explain the requirements where clarification is needed. However, to maintain impartiality, Simply Certification will not advise organisations how to rectify identified gaps, recommend specific solutions, develop management systems, create or amend documentation, write procedures or records, or otherwise act as a consultant. Responsibility for determining, implementing and evidencing any corrective actions remains entirely with the organisation.

A Gap Analysis is not a certification assessment and does not constitute certification, approval, validation, verification or any other form of conformity assessment. No certificate, accreditation, recommendation or approval will be issued as a result of a Gap Analysis.

The findings of the Gap Analysis are based solely upon the documentation, records, information and explanations made available to Simply Certification at the time of the assessment. Simply Certification does not verify the implementation or effectiveness of systems through on-site assessment, witnessing of activities or sampling of operational practices as part of the Gap Analysis. Additional findings may therefore be identified during any subsequent certification assessment.

Completion of a Gap Analysis does not guarantee that an organisation will achieve certification, nor does it guarantee that no nonconformities or observations will be identified during any future certification assessment.

A Gap Analysis is entirely optional, is charged separately from certification activities and does not form part of the formal certification process. Organisations may proceed directly to certification without undertaking a Gap Analysis.

A Gap Analysis may be undertaken regardless of which certification body an organisation intends to use for its formal certification assessment. There is no requirement for organisations completing a Gap Analysis with Simply Certification to proceed with certification through Simply Certification, and organisations remain free to select any certification body of their choice.

Likewise, organisations seeking certification through Simply Certification are not required to undertake a Gap Analysis beforehand. The service is offered solely as an independent readiness review to help organisations understand their current level of conformity and prepare for certification, irrespective of the certification body ultimately selected.

Simply Certification will conduct all Gap Analysis activities impartially and objectively. The outcome of a Gap Analysis will not influence the outcome of any subsequent certification assessment, and organisations will be subject to the same certification processes, assessment criteria and certification decision-making arrangements as any other applicant.

FEES AND PAYMENTS

Contractual Obligation

Upon signing the certification agreement, application form, or any contractual documentation issued by Simply Certification Limited, the client enters into a legally binding agreement for the provision of certification and associated services.

By entering into this agreement, the client acknowledges and accepts that:

fees become payable in accordance with the terms set out in this agreement
payment obligations apply whether or not the client proceeds to utilise the services
outstanding fees remain payable even if the client chooses to delay, cancel, or withdraw from the certification process

Failure to settle invoices issued under this agreement constitutes a breach of contract.

Simply Certification Limited reserves the right to pursue recovery of unpaid fees through debt recovery procedures and legal enforcement where necessary.

Simply Certification Limited – Standard Fees and Charges

Fee Description	Cost (+ VAT)	Applies To
Application Fee	£299	All Schemes
Scheme Administration Fee (Annual)	£299	All Schemes
Audit / Assessment Day Rate	£1,100 per day	All Schemes
TrustMark & SurePath Registration	£399	PAS 2030, MCS, Flexi-Orb (where applicable)
TrustMark Licence Plus	£225	PAS 2030, MCS, Flexi-Orb (where applicable)
Generic Service Delivery Check – Scenario A	£555	MCS
Generic Service Delivery Check – Scenario B	£555	MCS
Generic Service Delivery Check – Scenario C	£1,100	MCS
Generic Service Delivery Check – Scenario D	£1,100	MCS
Minimum Technical Compliance Check (Per Technology)	£555	MCS / Flexi-Orb
Technical Inspection (Per Inspection)	£275	PAS 2030
Capability & Competence Additional Evaluation Activities	£283	PAS 2030 (where applicable)
Review of non-conformances	£107 per review	All Schemes
Appeal Review (where original decision is upheld)	£275 – £1,100	All Schemes
Additional Evaluation Activities	Quoted as required	All Schemes
Mileage	£0.45 per mile	All Schemes
Assessor Expenses	At Cost	All Schemes
Notification of Change	£169	All Schemes
Gap Analysis – Half Day	£550	All Schemes (if required)
Gap Analysis – Full	£1100	All Schemes (if required)

Scheme Administration Fee Includes

Certification administration and support.
Technical updates and scheme communications.
Certificate management and maintenance.
Ongoing customer support.
Certification database and record management.
Annual scheme and certification oversight.
Surveillance planning and certification programme management.
Access to compliance resources, templates and guidance documents.

Appeals and Review Charges

Clients have the right to appeal certification decisions, including the raising of non-conformities. All appeals will be reviewed impartially by a suitably competent individual who was not involved in the original decision.

Where an appeal is upheld, no charge will be made.

Where the impartial review confirms the original decision was correct, Simply Certification Limited reserves the right to recover the costs associated with the review. Charges will be based on the time and resources required and will be charged in units of £275 + VAT, with a minimum charge of £275 + VAT and a maximum charge of £1,100 + VAT.

Immediate Payment Terms

All invoices issued by Simply Certification are due immediately upon issue unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Payment is a strict precondition to the delivery of any services.

Simply Certification will not:

Book assessments
Conduct assessments
Review non-conformances
Carry out surveillance activities
Issue certification
Release certificates or confirmation letters
Process administrative amendments
Maintain certification status

Unless full payment has been received in cleared funds.

Pre-Payment Requirement for Services

Assessments

100% of assessment fees must be paid before booking.
No assessment dates will be allocated or confirmed without cleared payment.

Certification & Documentation

Certification will only be issued once all outstanding sums are paid in full.
No certificates, documentation, or formal confirmation of status will be released until accounts are fully up to date.

Non-Conformance Reviews & Surveillance Activities

Payment for non-conformance reviews, surveillance audits, and compliance activities must be settled before review.
Failure to make payment may result in delays to review and closure of non-conformances.
Delayed payment may prevent scheme deadlines from being met.
This may place certification at risk.

Certification Maintenance & Financial Compliance

All fees charged by Simply Certification are directly associated with:

The maintenance of certification
Ongoing compliance monitoring
Scheme participation
Regulatory and industry standards

Maintaining an up-to-date payment status is a mandatory condition of certification.

Any account more than 30 days past the invoice date will be considered overdue and non-compliant.

Overdue Accounts & Suspension

If payment is not received within 30 days:

Certification may be suspended.
No further work will be undertaken.

Certification will remain suspended until:

All outstanding balances are paid in full, and
Any applicable administrative or reinstatement fees are settled.

Continued non-payment may result in the withdrawal of certification.

Impact of Non-Payment

Clients acknowledge and accept that failure to make timely payment may result in:

Suspension of certification
Inability to trade under the scheme
Breach of scheme requirements
Non-compliance with regulatory obligations
Commercial and reputational impact

Simply Certification accepts no liability for any losses arising from suspension due to non-payment.

Expiry of Paid Fees

Any certification fees paid for assessments not booked within 12 months will be forfeited.

If the client chooses to re-engage after this period:

· Full fees will be payable again.

· Previous payments will not be transferable.

This applies to initial, surveillance, and recertification assessments.

Recovery & Enforcement

Simply Certification reserves the right to:

Apply fixed debt recovery costs
Recover legal costs incurred in the recovery of outstanding debts

CANCELLATION POLICY

The following table explains our cancellation policy.

Please note that any changes to a confirmed booking will be treated as a cancellation. For example, to change the address for an assessment, the booking will be cancelled in accordance with the terms below. This is due to the administrative cost of changing the addresses of pre-booked assessments.

Cancellation of a booked assessment within two working days of the assessment	100% fees non-refundable
Cancellation of a booked assessment three to thirty working days before the assessment	50% non-refundable
Application withdrawal within 14 days of the application being accepted	Please refer to the Cooling Off Period Policy details above
Voided Assessments, covering any issues that may arise during a booked appointment, such as assessment failures, which include but are not limited to: Failure to be present or available when the assessor/auditor has attended the scheduled appointment, which includes no access to on-site inspections. Being unreasonably late to an assessment. The assessment environment is deemed unsafe. The environment and/or welfare facilities are unsuitable or inadequate. The relevant measures/technologies are inadequate for inspection. Any required contracts/documentation has not been provided by the required deadline. Failure to co-operate during an assessment. Failure to respond to non-conformances within the agreed time frame.	100% fees non-refundable

REFUND POLICY

As our services are provided exclusively to business customers, no statutory consumer cooling-off period applies.

Fees paid for certification assessments, audits, evaluations and related services are non-refundable except where:

a refund is expressly required under these Terms and Conditions;
we are unable to provide the contracted services for reasons within our reasonable control; or
an administrative error has occurred, including duplicate payments or overpayments.

Any request for a refund will be assessed on a case-by-case basis in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.

Where a refund is approved, the customer may be required to provide bank account details and any supporting documentation reasonably requested to enable payment.

Approved refunds will be processed within a reasonable period following approval and payment of any refund will be made using the original payment method where practicable, or by bank transfer where agreed between the parties.

SAFETY

Safety is important to us, and we ask that you inform us of any safety requirements before the initial visit.

Should protective equipment be required, you must supply it to us for our assessment(s) at your premises.

CODE OF CONDUCT

All members of the Simply Certification team adhere to a Code of Conduct to ensure our clients are treated with the respect they deserve. We expect our clients to treat us the same way. This includes, but is not limited to:

Do not use foul, unprofessional, abusive, racial or inciteful language nor engage in innuendos or sexually explicit language.
Do not make any derogatory comments.
Be on time for appointments.
Health and Safety polices should be followed at all times.
No smoking except in designated smoking areas.
Treat all workspaces, offices and properties with respect.
Do not use threats, blackmail or intimidation.

Any actions that breach the Code of Conduct will be investigated and may result in consequences, which could include, but are not limited to:

Your application for certification has been rejected.
Your certification is suspended.

We record all online assessments for training and monitoring purposes.

IMPARTIALITY AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Simply Certification provides an objective and fair assessment and certification process. Impartiality is at the core of our business ethos. We have an Impartiality Terms of Reference and an Impartiality Committee in place to safeguard the impartiality of all activities.

We recognise the following as threats to our impartiality:

Self-interest
Self-review
Familiarity
Intimidation

Any actions that breach our Impartiality and Conflicts of Interest policy will be investigated and may result in, but not limited to:

Your application for certification has been rejected.
Your certification is suspended.

COMMUNICATIONS AND ENQUIRIES

To ensure we retain top levels of customer service, all customers going through the certification process or with a live certification need to use the agreed-upon, appropriate, and monitored channels to ensure the best level of responsiveness and audit trail. We have a helpful, experienced Customer Team who will log every event and can assist with any enquiries. Further information regarding relevant contact information is listed below:

All emails should be sent to your designated Account Manager, or hello@simplycertification.co.uk
Our phone number for all telephone enquiries is 0191 323 3960
If you are not satisfied with the service you are receiving, we have a formal complaints procedure to follow
Our directors and shareholders do not get involved with the certification process to ensure there is a point of escalation
Contacting our employees, directors or shareholders via social media platforms, text messaging and other methods could be seen as attempting to influence the outcome and impact impartiality, so run the risk of breaching our Code of Conduct, which may result in sanctions.

CONTRACT

Certification Agreement

As the client, you will always fulfil the certification requirements, including implementing appropriate changes when Simply Certification communicates them.
If the certification applies to ongoing production, the certified product must continue to fulfil the product requirements for the duration of the certification period.
As our client, you will make all necessary arrangements for
- the conduct of the evaluation and surveillance (if required), including provision for examining documentation and records, and access to the relevant equipment, location(s), area(s), personnel, and subcontractors.
- investigation of complaints.
- the participation of observers, upon notification.
Our clients will only make claims regarding certification consistent with the scope of certification granted by Simply Certification.
The client will not use its product certification in such a manner as to bring Simply Certification into disrepute and will not make any statement regarding its product certification that Simply Certification may consider misleading or unauthorised.
Upon suspension, withdrawal, or termination of certification, the client will discontinue its use of all advertising matter that contains any reference thereto and will take action as required by the certification scheme (e.g. the return of certification documents) and will take any other required measures requested by Simply Certification.
When our client provides copies of the certification documents to others, the documents shall be reproduced in their entirety or as specified in the certification scheme.
In referring to its product certification in communication media such as documents, brochures or advertising, the client complies with the requirements of Simply Certification or as specified by the certification scheme.
The client will comply with any requirements that may be prescribed in the certification scheme relating to the use of marks of conformity, and on information related to the product.
The client will keep a record of all complaints made known to it relating to compliance with certification requirements and make these records available to SC when requested, and will;
- take appropriate action with respect to such complaints and any deficiencies found in products that affect compliance with the requirements for certification.
- document the actions taken.
The client will inform Simply Certification, without delay, of changes that may affect its ability to conform to the certification requirements.
- the legal, commercial, organisational status or ownership,
- organisation and management (e.g. key managerial, decision-making or technical staff),
- modifications to the product or the production method,
- contact address and production sites,
- major changes to the quality management system.

Termination of agreement

Both parties shall have the right to terminate the agreement at any time by giving three months’ notice in writing, or immediately should:

The other party breach any of the conditions of certification and fails to remedy that breach within 30 days of being required to do so, or such other period as may be specified in writing.
The other party repeat a material breach of the conditions of certification which it has been previously required to remedy.
The other party become insolvent or enters into liquidation, or has a receiver appointed or suffers any similar action as a consequence of debt.
Upon such termination, all fees and other payments shall become immediately payable, and any certificate of registration issued by us shall be invalidated with effect from the date of termination.
Upon withdrawal of certification, the client will discontinue its use of all advertising matter that contains reference to the relevant certification issued by SC.
Both the certificate and the rights to use the SC registered symbol remain our property.

Expired Certification

Certification and registration are valid for the period stated on the certificate. The certification is only valid when ongoing surveillance assessments and/or renewals are up to date.

If at any point the surveillance or renewal process is not complied with, or has not been carried out before the certificate expiry, then your certificate and/or registration will automatically expire. This includes, but is not limited to, the withdrawal of your certificate, memberships and registrations on portals and systems.

We will not be held responsible for any losses incurred with a customer’s failure to follow the surveillance or renewal process.
We will not put our own accreditation or commitment to impartiality at risk by bending or breaking the certification process.

Remember – your certificate is your responsibility.

Changes to your organisation

The client will inform us in writing, without delay, of matters affecting the management system’s capability to continue fulfilling the requirements of the standard used for certification.

These include, for example

Changes relating to the legal, commercial, organisational status or ownership, organisation and management (e.g. key managerial, decision-making, or technical staff).
Contact address and additional sites.
Scope of operations under the certified management system.
Major changes to the management system and processes.
Information on incidents such as a serious accident or a serious breach of legislation necessitating the involvement of the competent regulatory authority.

Circumstances beyond your/our control

Simply Certification shall be relieved of liability should either or both parties become unable to carry out their obligations as a result of any matter beyond their reasonable control and which was not reasonably foreseen.

Should Simply Certification be liable, such liability shall be limited to the amount of the payment made by Simply Certification’s insurer. If, in any given case, the insurer makes no payment, Simply Certification’s liability will be limited to the amount charged by Simply Certification to the client during the last three months for the activities to which the liability relates, subject to a maximum of £10,000.

Confidentiality

All information obtained by either party due to mutual involvement in the certification process shall be held as confidential and not disclosed to any other party unless required as part of the certification process and agreed to by both parties.

This confidentiality undertaking shall continue for 90 days after termination of this agreement.

Data Protection

To aid us in assessing your business, we collect evidence about your organisation, its employees, contracts and subcontractors during the assessment process. This evidence is vital to ensuring we have a record of how we reached our certification decision. We ensure that all collected data is protected and shared only with those who require it.

Data Security

We are committed to ensuring that your data is protected from unauthorised access, loss, or damage. We use various methods, including access control and secure storage, to safeguard your information.

Data Storage

Your data is securely stored using industry-standard methods. We store data in secure data centres that implement physical, technical, and administrative safeguards to protect against unauthorised access. Data is retained only for as long as necessary for the purposes it was collected.

Access Control

We limit access to your data to authorised individuals only. This ensures that only those with the proper permissions can view or modify your information. Data may be shared with external parties to satisfy our accreditation requirements; for example, we may share your data with UKAS or the certification scheme you have applied for. We may be requested to share your data with government bodies or the police to support investigations.

Additional Security Measures

We employ additional security features, such as firewalls and multi-factor authentication, to prevent unauthorised access and protect against potential threats.

Data Protection Laws Compliance

We comply with all applicable data protection laws and regulations, including GDPR, to ensure your privacy is respected and your data is handled securely.

Data Availability and Integrity

We strive to ensure that your data remains intact, secure, and accessible only to the authorised parties for the duration of its storage.

USE OF MARKS OF CERTIFICATION/REGISTRATION

Rules governing the use of the SC registration mark and certification icons will be included with the certificate and must be followed.

Simply Certification has the right to exercise control over the use and display of licenses, certificates, marks of conformity, and any other mechanisms for indicating a product is certified.

Incorrect references to the certification scheme, or misleading use of licenses, certificates, marks, or any other mechanism for indicating a product is certified, found in documentation or other publicity, shall be dealt with by suitable action.

COMPLAINTS AND FEEDBACK

We have a customer complaint policy in place, and being a customer-focused organisation, your feedback is exceptionally important to us.

Any complaints should be raised immediately with our head office team so they can log your complaint and ensure any appropriate actions will be followed up on.

We ask that every client complete the short post-service online feedback form that will be issued to help us identify areas of improvement.

CERTIFICATION

How Long Certification Takes

The time required to achieve certification can vary significantly due to a number of factors. While we aim to complete the process as efficiently as possible, timelines depend on the installer’s responsiveness and other variables, including but not limited to:

Timely submission of contracts and required documentation to the Certification Body
Submission of assessment details and supporting evidence
Prompt responses to any identified non-conformances
Availability of assessors to carry out audits or inspections

As a result, it is not possible to provide a fixed timeline for certification. Installers are encouraged to respond promptly to requests from Simply Certification to help ensure a smooth and timely certification process.

Suspension or Withdrawal of Certification

The Certificate may be withdrawn or suspended for any of the following reasons:

Breach of any of the Terms and Conditions.
The client’s certified management system has persistently or seriously failed to meet certification requirements.
Failure to apply corrective action of non- conformities found at assessment or surveillance visits within the relevant timeframe.
Continued logo misuse.
At the request of Scheme Owners.
Failure of the customer to settle any outstanding invoices within the required invoicing term.
Failure to comply with the requirements of certified/registered Standards or Scheme Owners

In the event of withdrawal or suspension of certification, the client shall discontinue any reference to their certification across their platforms.

The client shall return all certification documentation to our Head Office address.

Simply Certification will make public to all interested parties the status of the certification.

Special Assessment Visit

We reserve the right to make an additional chargeable Special Assessment Visit in the following circumstances:

Where assessment is required, verify the closure of non-conformances.
At initial evaluation, the condition of the management system or scope of certification is not as described during the application stage.
Significant modifications to the management system have taken place.
Significant changes to the organisation, scope, or processes have occurred, which were not notified to us in sufficient time before the standard assessment visit.
Where instructed by Scheme Owners, UKAS or Government to increase assessments.
Where we are required to investigate information on serious incidents, accidents or a breach of legislation resulting in the involvement of the regulatory authority or Government.
A series of events, such as a high number of non-conformances and complaints raised over 12 months.
If TrustMark is registered, a TrustMark notification is sent to us that highlights concern.

Installer of Interest Plan

We operate an Installer of Interest Plan for businesses that are of interest to us. This may be optional or mandatory depending on the circumstances.

We have designed this programme to provide installers who have been identified as problematic with a chance to improve so that they can retain certification if they demonstrate improvement, rather than move to an immediate removal of their certification and registrations.

The client will be required to:

Attend regular assessments with a Head Office assessor to help identify the root cause of their issues.
Submit corrective actions through an improvement plan to demonstrate how the business intends to improve moving forward.
Evidence through further assessment that the improvement plan has been implemented and is working.
There is an additional fee to be moved onto the plan to cover the additional assessment and administration time required to closely monitor the installer organisation.
- £1100 + VAT per Head Office Assessment
- £275 + VAT per Technical Inspection (if required)

Certification and registration will be removed if the client:

- Is not willing to move onto the Installer of Interest Plan when required.
- Fails to comply with the agreed corrective actions from any assessments.
- Becomes uncooperative and unresponsive.

Once we are satisfied that the organisation has demonstrated a change in their procedures to address the root cause to reduce risk, they will be moved back onto our standard surveillance programme in line with the requirements of the schemes and/or standards they are certified/registered to.

Customer Complaints about your Organisation

If we receive a complaint about your organisation, we have a process in place to be followed:

The complaint will be logged on our system, and we will acknowledge receipt of the complaint within 3 working days, and notify the client of the receipt also.
We will ask you to contact the complainant directly in the first instance to resolve the issue.
Within 28 working days, we would expect, in most cases, for the complaint to be resolved with the client and complainant direct and we will ask you to provide evidence of this.
If, within the 28 working days, the issue is still outstanding, we may deem it necessary to conduct an on-site inspection at the expense of the client.
Following the on-site inspection, if the client does not close out any non-conformances raised within a timely manner, you may face sanctions such as suspension.
If you are a TrustMark-registered business, and the complainant feels the issue still has not been resolved, then we will provide them with an option to escalate the dispute to the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman (DRO) when all steps above have been exhausted.

As part of your certification agreement, we reserve the right to:

Carry out a special visit to the complainant’s property and/or your head office to investigate the complaint. Failure to comply with this could result in suspension of certification and registration.
Ask the client to provide evidence of how they have dealt with the complaint to demonstrate that the process has been followed. Failure to comply with this could result in suspension of certification registration.
Increase risk of the business (resulting in an increase in surveillance inspections) where we find that the client has failed to meet their own process.

Appeals

In the event of a dispute or because of an unsuccessful application, you have the right to appeal the decision made. The appeal must be made in writing for Simply Certification to review.

Simply Certification’s procedure for complaints, disputes and appeals can be made available on request.

Sharing Data

Please refer to our Privacy Policy – This policy forms part of our Terms and Conditions.

PAS 2030

FEES AND CHARGES

Separate quotations are provided for the various stages of certification which will include:

Initial Certification and Recertification

Processing of your application for certification
Capability & Competence charge for additional evaluation activities if required
Head Office Assessment
On-Site Technical Inspection for each measure applied for during the initial application, and during recertification assessment if not previously covered within surveillance
Quotes do not include assessor expenses which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals.
Includes first certificate, Simply Certification marks of registration to use on your company collateral.
There will be an administration charge for any changes or additional certifications requested.

Surveillance Visits

Each year we will carry out one Head Office Assessment and On-Site Inspections of between 1-10% of your installations
The percentage detailed above is based on the risk of your business and the risk of the measures installed in line with PAS 2031.
The risk will initially be set as high until sufficient evidence is available to justify a reduced risk rating. Where certification has been transferred from another Certification Body, we will take account of the information available relating to the existing certification, including previous audit and certification records, when conducting our risk evaluation. Any decision to apply a lower risk rating will be fully documented.
Quotes do not include assessor expenses which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals

Increase of Scope

The processing of your application for certification to increase your scope.
Capability & Competence charge for additional evaluation activities if required
Head Office Assessment.
On-Site Technical Inspection for each measure applied for.
Quotes do not include assessor expenses which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals.
Includes first certificate, Simply Certification mark of registrations to use on your company collateral.
There will be an administration charge for any changes or additional certifications requested.

CERTIFICATION

Application Review

All applications are subject to an Application Review prior to any assessments taking place. During the application review, we will carry out background checks on your business to ensure that there is no evidence of Phoenixing. A Phoenix Company suggests there are previous non-compliance issues that have not been addressed and are being avoided by the applicant. These checks include but are not limited to:

Identifying companies that have changed their name.
Identifying company Directors that have set up multiple companies in the same industry.
Reviewing related companies, dissolved companies and non-trading companies.
Reviewing companies already certified with us that may have compliance issues.
Identifying if the company has moved from another certification body.

We may find that evidence shows that the company is already certified with another Certification Body for the same measures, we will contact the other Certification Body to check your previous compliance with their requirements. These include, but not limited to:

Ensuring surveillance assessments are up to date.
All complaints are closed.
Payments are up to date.
Outstanding non-conformances are closed.

If the evidence collected suggests the company, related companies and company directors have previous non-compliance issues with Simply Certification, their previous certification body, TrustMark or any other source of intel, the application may be rejected or put on hold until issues are resolved. Monies will be refunded, minus the Application Review fee.

If the evidence shows there are no outstanding issues, the application will proceed however certification with the current Certification Body must end prior to issue of a certificate from Simply Certification.

Certification

Following satisfactory assessments, closure of non-conformances, internal verification of the assessment reports and internal certification decision making, we will issue a certificate, which is valid for 1 year.

Subsequent certificates are issued subject to continued achievement of satisfactory performance throughout surveillance assessments.

Technical Inspections

For Technical Inspections of a property, all installations must comply with the latest applicable standards. We recommend submitting a recent installation so we can assess the quality of your most up-to-date work. This also reduces the risk of any access issues with the homeowner, as well as risk of any alterations being made by the homeowner or other parties which increases the risk of non-conformance.

Based on this, we strongly advise that any installation submitted for inspection is no more than 12 months old.

Non-Conformance

Non-conformance is the absence or failure to implement and maintain one or more requirements of the reference standard under assessment. Corrective action, root cause analysis, preventative action and supporting evidence must be submitted within eight (8) weeks of the assessment or inspection date.

Where non-conformities are not satisfactorily addressed within eight (8) weeks, Simply Certification Ltd shall undertake further review and determine appropriate action.

Where non-conformities remain unresolved after twelve (12) weeks from identification, sanctions may be applied including:

increased surveillance;
additional assessment activity;
suspension of certification;
withdrawal of certification.

Where certification is not suspended or withdrawn, the justification for that decision shall be documented.

Observation/Recommendation

An Observation is a finding within a report which details where there is a possibility of moving towards a non-conformity if not reviewed and corrected. This will often be followed by a Recommendation.

Surveillance Agreement

To maintain certification, each year we will carry out one Head Office Assessment and conduct Technical Inspections of between 1-10% of the client’s installations. The percentage is based on the risk of your business and the risk of the measures the client installs.

Surveillance activities shall be completed within twelve (12) months of the previous certification or surveillance activity.

In exceptional circumstances, and where justified and documented by Simply Certification Ltd, surveillance activities may be delayed. Under no circumstances shall the interval exceed sixteen (16) months from the previous certification or surveillance activity.

Delays caused by the client’s failure to cooperate, provide access, submit required information or facilitate assessments may result in sanctions, including suspension or withdrawal of certification.

The process is as follows:

The client’s surveillance requirements will be calculated using their risk rating as well as data of all installs carried out.
Simply Certification will contact the client with details of the addresses we will be inspecting.
The client is required to provide all Technical Inspection Paperwork associated with each install and confirm these inspections with the homeowner.
It is a contractual requirement that the client submits installation figures to your Simply Certification. Failure to do this could lead to PAS 2030 Certification and/or TrustMark registration suspension.

Transfer of Certification

Certified organisations may apply to transfer their certification from another Certification Body (CB) to Simply Certification Limited.

All transfer applications will be subject to a documented, evidence-based, and risk-based review to confirm continued conformity with applicable scheme requirements, accreditation obligations, and any associated regulatory or industry framework requirements. Certification will not be transferred automatically and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

As part of the transfer process, Simply Certification Limited will liaise with the previous Certification Body to obtain sufficient information to evaluate the status and integrity of the certification. This may include, but is not limited to:

The current scope and status of certification
Details of initial, surveillance, recertification, or other audits conducted
Any outstanding, overdue, or scheduled audits
Open non-conformities and corrective action plans
Details of suspensions, withdrawals, sanctions, or enforcement actions
Outstanding complaints, investigations, or compliance concerns
Any required remedial works or scheme-specific compliance matters
Any other information relevant to risk assessment and scheme integrity

Simply Certification Limited reserves the right to conduct additional assessment activities, including audits or technical reviews, where deemed necessary based on the outcome of the risk evaluation.

Certification may be refused where there are unresolved major non-conformities, active sanctions, or other issues that may compromise compliance or confidence in certification.

Post-Transfer Discovery of Non-Compliance

Where a complaint, non-compliance, remediation requirement or other compliance issue relating to activities undertaken prior to transfer is identified after certification has transferred to Simply Certification Ltd, the organisation shall cooperate fully in resolving the issue.

Simply Certification Ltd reserves the right to require corrective action, remediation activities, additional assessments, increased surveillance, suspension or withdrawal of certification where appropriate.

Applicant Responsibilities During Transfer

The organisation applying for transfer must:

Cooperate fully throughout the transfer process;
Provide all requested documentation within specified timescales;
Provide written authorisation permitting the release of certification records by the previous Certification Body (where required);
Disclose all relevant information relating to non-conformities, complaints, sanctions, investigations, or outstanding remedial actions.

Failure to provide complete, accurate, and timely information may result in delays, additional assessment activities, refusal of transfer, or application of sanctions.

Certification Body to Certification Body (CB to CB) Transfers

Simply Certification Limited may accept Certification Body to Certification Body (CB to CB) transfers, where another Certification Body transfers some or all of its certified organisations.

In such cases:

A documented review will be undertaken in accordance with applicable scheme and accreditation requirements.
Organisations must disclose any outstanding non-conformities, sanctions, complaints, investigations, or required remedial works associated with their previous certification.
Any identified non-conformities or compliance gaps must be rectified within timescales determined by Simply Certification Limited.

Failure to resolve outstanding issues may result in the application of sanctions, including suspension or withdrawal of certification.

Provision of Information to Other Certification Bodies

Where a certified organisation wishes to transfer from Simply Certification Limited to another Certification Body, Simply Certification Limited will provide relevant certification information upon receipt of appropriate written authorisation and in accordance with applicable data protection and scheme requirements.

Signed Declaration Regarding Previous Certification

As part of any application for certification or certification transfer, the applicant shall sign a declaration confirming:

all information relating to previous or current certification is complete and accurate;
any outstanding non-conformities, complaints, sanctions, remediation actions or compliance issues have been disclosed;
the organisation agrees to rectify any outstanding non-compliance or requested remediation associated with certification held with a previous Certification Body;
failure to rectify such non-compliances may result in sanctions including increased surveillance, suspension or withdrawal of certification.

MCS

MCS FEES AND CHARGES

Separate quotations are provided for the various stages of certification, which will include:

Initial Certification

Process of your application for certification
A document review of your existing system and a visit
Head office visit
Technical inspections for each technology
An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9 am-5 pm)
- Quotes do not include assessor expenses, which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals. Mileage is charged at £0.45 per mile
- Includes first certificate, SC mark of registration to use on your company collateral (there will be a small admin charge for any changes or additional certifications)
Upon initial certification, clients are required to complete a monthly installation log of all measure-specific work to enable us to produce accurate surveillance costings for the maintenance of certification
Where certification cannot be recommended at an initial Compliance Assessment visit, a Compliance Re-assessment will be considered and may be required at additional cost.
Where MCS Contractors do not engage in the design of microgeneration systems but work solely for a client who has already formally agreed a system design, then the MCS Contractor must be competent to review and verify that the design would satisfy the design requirements set out in the appropriate MCS Installation Standards.
Where the MCS Contractor uses subcontractors who are not themselves certified MCS Contractors, the SC will audit the verification process used by the MCS Contractor to ensure compliance with MCS 001-1 Clause 4.11. The extent of assessment shall take account of the number of subcontractors and the range of work undertaken by them.
Where an MCS Contractor operates from multiple offices, then each office shall be subject to an assessment visit within 3 years.

Surveillance Visits

A technical inspection on each technology will be required once per year
Quotes do not include assessor expenses, which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation, and meals. Mileage is charged at £0.45 per mile
Assessment of the MCS Contractor’s management systems to satisfy Section 4 may be undertaken remotely for up to 2 out of every 3 years. At least every third year, an assessment shall be undertaken during a physical visit to the Contractor’s trading address.
Where the MCS Contractor is also certified to ISO 9001 by a Certification Body accredited to certify against that standard by UKAS, then assessment of the MCS Contractor’s management systems can be undertaken remotely for up to 4 out of every 5 years.
The option for assessment to be undertaken remotely shall be at the sole discretion of the SC and only where all of the following conditions are met:
The MCS Contractor is not running complex management systems to satisfy Section 4, such as would be the case with larger organisations, wide geographic coverage or significant use of subcontractors
There is evidence from an earlier assessment that the MCS Contractor’s management systems are operating effectively.
There have been no significant changes in the organisation of the MCS Contractor.
There have been no complaints resulting in non-conformities relating to the MCS Contractor’s management systems.
There are no unresolved non-conformities.
There have been no significant changes.
The MCS Contractor agrees to a remote assessment.
No major non-conformities are found during the on-site assessment.
SC will review the information provided and, where necessary, shall ask for supplementary information.
SC will identify any non-conformities and set appropriate improvement actions, and if several areas are subject to non-conformity or significant change, SC will conduct a physical audit at the MCS Contractors trading address.

Increase in scope

Process of your application for the increase in scope
A document review of your existing system and a visit
Assessment for extension to scope must include a site assessment covering all technologies applied for. The office records and systems supporting the extension to scope may be assessed either by remote review or a visit to the MCS Contractor’s office.
Technical inspections for each technology
An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9 am-5 pm)
Quotes do not include assessor expenses, which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals. Mileage is charged at £0.45 per mile
Includes first certificate, SC mark of registration to use on your company collateral (there will be a small admin charge for any changes or additional certifications)

In the event of the client cancelling any planned visits within 30 days of the appointment, the full amount will be payable.

A Void Fee of 100% of our fee will be applicable for:

Failure to be present or available when the assessor/auditor has attended the scheduled appointment
If a location-specific retrofit design for the relevant technology has not been received 24 hours before the technical assessment
If the installer does not have all relevant paperwork, i.e. the installer pack
The site is unsuitable, this includes unsafe conditions, home owner/tenant is uncooperative or has not been informed or can’t access the property
The installer/installation team are unreasonably late or not available
The installer/installation team are uncooperative
The measures booked to inspect are the incorrect measures, or the installation is not at the right stage (pre/mid/post) for the inspection
The installation materials have not turned up, delaying the installation

CERTIFICATION

Application Review

All applications are subject to an application review prior to any assessments taking place. During the application review, we will carry out background checks on your business to ensure that there is no evidence of ‘Phoenix Companies’. A Phoenix Company suggests there are previous non-compliance issues that have not been addressed and are being avoided by the applicant. These checks include, but are not limited to:

Identifying companies that have changed their name
Identifying company Directors that have set up multiple companies in the same industry
Reviewing related companies, dissolved companies and non-trading companies
Reviewing companies already certified with us that may have compliance issues
Identifying if the company has moved from another certification body

If the evidence suggests the company, related companies and company Directors have previous non-compliance issues with their previous certification body, TrustMark or any other source of intel, the application will not proceed. Monies will be refunded, minus the application review fee.

If the evidence shows that the company, related companies and company Directors have current non-compliance issues with us, the application will be put on hold until issues are satisfactorily resolved.

Certification

The MCS Contractor shall use the Certification Mark(s) only in accordance with their Accredited Certification Body’s instructions. An example of the Certification Mark that can be used for this Scheme.

Following a satisfactory assessment, technical inspections, verification of the assessment report, and completion of any corrective actions, we shall issue a certificate, which is valid for one year.

For each of the MCS technologies for which certification is being sought, a Contractor may use the following process for one installation per technology only.

The Contractor applies to SC for certification under MCS.
Compliance Assessment of the Contractor is undertaken by SC and includes assessment of an installation for which the Contractor has been fully responsible and has commissioned in accordance with the applicable MCS Installation Standard.
At this stage, the Contractor is not MCS certificated for that technology. The Contractor proposes corrective actions for any non-conformities raised by SC.
SC assesses the corrective actions that have been implemented and, once fully satisfied that the relevant requirements of MCS have been met, certifies the Contractor.
The MCS Contractor then re-commissions the installation used for this Compliance Assessment and issues a new commissioning certificate.
The MCS Contractor registers the installation on the MCS Installation Database (MID) and generates an MCS certificate, which must use the date of re-commissioning.

Subsequent yearly certificates are issued subject to continued satisfactory performance being achieved through surveillance assessments, which shall be carried out one inspection per technology.

If a major non-conformance is found during the initial assessment process, a recommendation for certification shall not be made until either corrective action has been verified by a site visit (which may be chargeable) or appropriate documentary evidence of corrective action has been submitted and approved by us.

If a major non-conformance is found during surveillance assessment, you shall be required to carry out corrective action within an agreed timescale, which shall normally be no greater than 21 days following the assessment.

Technical Inspections

For technical inspections of a property, all installations must comply with the latest applicable standards. We recommend submitting a recent installation so we can assess the quality of your most up-to-date work. This also reduces the risk of the original homeowner still occupying the property, ensuring easier access, and reduces the risk of any alterations being made by the homeowner or other parties, which increases the risk of non-conformance.

Based on this, we strongly advise that any installation submitted for inspection is no more than 12 months old.

Non-Conformance

Where non-conformities cannot be resolved within 6 weeks of the original visit date, certification of the Contractor may be suspended or withdrawn.

Observation: A finding from which there is a possibility of moving towards a non-conformity if not corrected. We would identify this as a ‘recommendation’. This would not prevent certification from being issued; we would expect to see this addressed by the next assessment.
Minor non-conformity: either a failure to meet one requirement of a clause of the reference standard or a single observed lapse in following one item of a company procedure.
Major non-conformity: the absence or the total breakdown of a system to meet the requirements of a clause of the reference standard, or several minor non-conformities listed against one clause, can represent a systematic breakdown of the requirement and thus be considered a major non-conformity.

Special Assessment Visit

We reserve the right to make an additional chargeable Special Assessment Visit in the following circumstances:

Where assessment is required, verify the closure of Major non- conformances
At initial evaluation, the condition of the management system or scope of certification is not as described during the application stage
Significant modifications to the management system have taken place
Significant changes to the organisation, scope, or processes have occurred, which were not notified to us in sufficient time before the standard assessment visit
Where we are required to investigate information on serious accidents or a breach of legislation resulting in the involvement of the regulatory authority
If you are a TrustMark registered business, a TrustMark notification to us that highlights concern as an Installer of the Interest Assessment Plan

MCS Certification Agreement and Surveillance

CLIENT CHANGES

The client will inform us in writing, without delay, of matters affecting the capability of the management system to continue to fulfil the requirements of the standard used for certification.

These include, for example.

The MCS Contractor shall give notice in writing to the Accredited Certification Body of any change to any significant particulars. These include, but are not limited to
Director(s)
Trading status, title or address
Nominee
Nominated Technical Person(s)
Changes relating to the legal, commercial, organisational status or ownership, organisation and management (e.g. key managerial, decision-making, or technical staff).
Contact address and additional sites.
Information on incidents such as a serious accident or a serious breach of legislation necessitating the involvement of the competent regulatory authority.

Such notice shall be given to the Accredited Certification Body within 30 days of any change becoming effective.

Where the changes are such that the conditions under which certification was granted are significantly affected, the MCS Contractor will be advised of the actions and any associated fees that will be required to be completed to maintain certification.

Please note that all details of applicants and certificate holders may be shared by the Certification Body with

The MCS Service Company Ltd
The operators of any Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) ‘code of conduct’ for complaints handling and for compiling statistics on this Scheme
UK government departments and their agencies

HEAD OFFICE ASSESSMENT AND TECHNOLOGY INSPECTIONS

For initial certification or a scope extension, technical inspections MUST be conducted on the same day or days following the head office assessment to ensure that the validity of the assessment is maintained for the chosen technologies.

MCS:2025 FEES AND CHARGES

Separate quotations are provided for the various stages of certification, which will include:

Transition Assessment

Processing of your application for certification
Includes first certificate, SC mark of registration to use on your company collateral (there will be a small admin charge for any changes or additional certifications)

Initial Certification

Processing of your application for certification
MCS registration fee
Generic Service Delivery Checks
Minimum Technical Compliance Checks
An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9 am-5 pm)
Quotes do not include assessor expenses, which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals
Includes first certificate, SC mark of registration to use on your company collateral (there will be a small admin charge for any changes or additional certifications)

Surveillance Visits

An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9 am-5 pm)
Each year, we will carry out Generic Service Delivery Checks and Minimum Technical Compliance Checks in line with the requirements detailed in the Conformity Assessment Guidelines provided to Certification Bodies by MCS
The number of assessments are conducted annually, and calculated on the installer’s complexity, outcome of the risk model
Quotes do not include assessor expenses, which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals

Increase of Scope

The processing of your application for certification to increase your scope
Generic Service Delivery Checks
Minimum Technical Compliance Checks
An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9 am-5 pm)
Quotes do not include assessor expenses, which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals
Includes first certificate, SC mark of registration to use on your company collateral (there will be a small admin charge for any changes or additional certifications

CERTIFICATION

Transfer of Certification

Certified organisations may apply to transfer their certification from another Certification Body (CB) to Simply Certification Ltd.

As part of the transfer process, Simply Certification Ltd will liaise with the previous Certification Body to obtain sufficient information to evaluate the status and integrity of the certification. This may include, but is not limited to:

The current scope and status of certification
Details of initial, surveillance, recertification, or other audits conducted
Any outstanding, overdue, or scheduled audits
Open non-conformities and corrective action plans
Details of suspensions, withdrawals, sanctions, or enforcement actions
Outstanding complaints, investigations, or compliance concerns
Any required remedial works or scheme-specific compliance matters
Any other information relevant to risk assessment and scheme integrity

Simply Certification Ltd reserves the right to conduct additional assessment activities, including audits or technical reviews, where deemed necessary based on the outcome of the risk evaluation.

Certification may be refused where there are unresolved major non-conformities, active sanctions, or other issues that may compromise compliance or confidence in certification.

Post-Transfer Discovery of Non-Compliance

Applicant Responsibilities During Transfer

The organisation applying for transfer must:

Cooperate fully throughout the transfer process;
Provide all requested documentation within specified timescales;
Provide written authorisation permitting the release of certification records by the previous Certification Body (where required);
Disclose all relevant information relating to non-conformities, complaints, sanctions, investigations, or outstanding remedial actions.

Failure to provide complete, accurate, and timely information may result in delays, additional assessment activities, refusal of transfer, or application of sanctions.

Certification Body to Certification Body (CB to CB) Transfers

Simply Certification Ltd may accept Certification Body to Certification Body (CB to CB) transfers, where another Certification Body transfers some or all of its certified organisations.

In such cases:

A documented review will be undertaken in accordance with applicable scheme and accreditation requirements.
Organisations must disclose any outstanding non-conformities, sanctions, complaints, investigations, or required remedial works associated with their previous certification.
Any identified non-conformities or compliance gaps must be rectified within timescales determined by Simply Certification Ltd.

Failure to resolve outstanding issues may result in the application of sanctions, including suspension or withdrawal of certification.

Provision of Information to Other Certification Bodies

Where a certified organisation wishes to transfer from Simply Certification Ltd to another Certification Body, Simply Certification Ltd will provide relevant certification information upon receipt of appropriate written authorisation and in accordance with applicable data protection and scheme requirements.

Signed Declaration Regarding Previous Certification

As part of any application for certification or certification transfer, the applicant shall sign a declaration confirming:

all information relating to previous or current certification is complete and accurate;
any outstanding non-conformities, complaints, sanctions, remediation actions or compliance issues have been disclosed;
the organisation agrees to rectify any outstanding non-compliance or requested remediation associated with certification held with a previous Certification Body;
failure to rectify such non-compliances may result in sanctions including increased surveillance, suspension or withdrawal of certification.

Certification Transition

Companies may be able to transition their existing certification to the 2025 version of the MCS scheme. To begin this process, companies will be required to complete a self-assessment questionnaire. The information provided will be reviewed by Simply Certification Ltd to confirm full compliance and will also be shared with MCS.

Following the review, Simply Certification Ltd and MCS will determine whether the transition is approved or declined. Successful transitions will be subject to ongoing surveillance activities in line with scheme requirements.

Application Review

Identifying companies that have changed their name
Identifying company Directors that have set up multiple companies in the same industry
Reviewing related companies, dissolved companies and non-trading companies
Reviewing companies already certified with us that may have compliance issues
Identifying if the company has moved from another certification body

Companies are not permitted to hold dual certification — that is, MCS certification with more than one certification body for the same technologies. Every effort will be made to ensure that we only certify companies for technologies not already held with another certification body. In cases where a company is transferring certification, we will take appropriate steps to confirm this and ensure that certification with the existing body is formally ended before new certification is granted by Simply. If the evidence shows that the company is already certified with another Certification Body for the same technologies, we will contact the other Certification Body to check your previous compliance with their requirements. These include, but are not limited to:
Ensuring surveillance assessments are up to date
All complaints are closed
Payments are up to date
Outstanding non-conformances are closed

If the evidence shows any outstanding issues, the application will be rejected. Monies will be refunded, minus the application review fee. If the evidence shows there are no outstanding issues, the application will proceed however, certification with the current Certification Body must end.

Once the application review is complete, it will be shared with MCS. MCS have 5 working days to review the evidence submitted to them and determine if they reject or accept your application. If at any point during this process the application is rejected, monies will be refunded, minus the application review fee.

Certification

Subsequent certificates are issued subject to continued satisfactory performance being achieved through surveillance assessments.

Minimum Technical Compliance Checks

For technology inspections, all installations must comply with the latest applicable standards. We recommend submitting a recent installation so we can assess the quality of your most up-to-date work. This also reduces the risk of the original homeowner still occupying the property, ensuring easier access and reducing the risk of any alterations being made by the homeowner or other parties, which increases the risk of non-conformance.

Based on this, we strongly advise that any installation submitted for inspection is no more than 12 months old.

Non-Conformance

Non-conformance is defined as the absence or failure to implement and maintain one or more requirements of the reference standard under assessment.

In line with MCS requirements, installers are required to address identified non-conformities within six (6) weeks of their identification. Corrective action, preventive action, root cause, along with supporting evidence, must be submitted to Simply Certification within this timeframe.

For any non-conformities that present a safety risk to people and/or property, they will be required to be ‘made safe’ within 24 hours, and then fully remediated within six weeks. Please note that any risks of this severity will be notified to MCS and the System Owner.

In exceptional circumstances where non-conformities cannot be fully addressed within six weeks, Simply Certification will take further action to ensure they are resolved. Such actions may include, but are not limited to, suspension or withdrawal of the installer’s certification.

If the submitted response is not accepted by Simply Certification within six weeks of the assessment date, the installer will be required to undergo a full reassessment at their own cost.

Observation/Recommendation

A finding from which there is a possibility of moving towards non-conformity, if not corrected. This is often followed by a recommendation.

ISO 19650-2

CERTIFICATION SCHEME

ISO 19650-2 BIM – Certification Scheme

FEES AND CHARGES

Your first quote covers your first certification cycle, including your Initial Certification and first two Surveillance Audits. Subsequent quotes will cover Recertification and two Surveillance Audits.

Certification Transfer

Certification transfer is free of charge.

Initial Certification

The initial certification fees covered on your quote include;

Processing of your application for certification.
Stage 1 audit.
Stage 2 audit.
An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9 am-5 pm).
Includes first certificate, Simply Certification marks of registration to use on your company collateral.
There will be an administration charge for any changes or additional certifications requested.

Please note that quotes do not include assessor expenses, which may consist of travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals.

Surveillance

The surveillance fees covered on your quote include;

Surveillance audit.
An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9 am-5 pm).

Please note that quotes do not include assessor expenses, which may consist of travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals.

Recertification

Recertification audit
An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9 am-5 pm)

Please note that quotes do not include assessor expenses, which may consist of travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals.

Increase of Scope

The processing of your application for certification to increase your scope.
An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9 am-5 pm).

Please note that quotes do not include assessor expenses, which may consist of travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals.

CERTIFICATION

Application Review

All applications are subject to an application review before any audits occur. We use this information to;

Confirm we can deliver the audits within the required scope.
Ensure any differences in understanding are resolved.
Help us develop the audit programme.
Ensure all information is considered to deliver a well-planned audit.

Following the application review, we will either;

Accept the application and issue a quote for certification.
Decline the application and inform the client of the reasons why.

Audit Programme

The client will be provided with an Audit Programme that clearly defines the audit requirements.

The Initial Certification Audit Programme will include a 2-stage initial audit and 2 surveillance audits for the first and second years.

Subsequent Audit Programmes will be issued after the 2^nd surveillance. They will cover the next three years of certification, i.e. recertification audit and 2 surveillance audits.

Certification

Following satisfactory audits, closure of non-conformances, internal technical verification and certification decision making, Simply Certification will issue a certificate, which is valid for 3 years.

Subsequent certificates are issued subject to continued satisfactory performance achieved through surveillance and recertification audits.

It is important to understand that Simply Certification’s certification evaluation is not limited to specific departments, teams, or segments of the business. We will assess the full scope of the business activities to ensure compliance with ISO 19650 certification standards.

Stage 1 Audit

The objective of this audit is to;

Review the client’s management system’s documented information integration for Information Management using BIM (ISO 19650-2).
Evaluate the client’s location conditions and determine preparedness for stage 2.
Review the client’s understanding regarding the requirements of the standard.
Obtain necessary information regarding the scope of the services and process for information management.
Review the allocation of resources and agree on the details of stage 2.
Understand the systems, services, processes and project operations in context.

After this audit, Simply Certification will provide you with the assessor’s conclusion of the fulfilment of the stage 1 objectives and confirm readiness for stage 2. We will also include any areas of concern that could be classified as a non-conformity during stage 2.

The outcome may impact the stage 2 audit. For example, a significant change in the management processes and services is required. In that case, a repeat of the stage 1 audit may be appropriate.

The interval between the stage 1 and stage 2 audit will be planned to allow the client to resolve any areas of concern identified during the stage 1 audit. Please note that there will be a minimum time frame of 10 working days and a maximum time frame of 6 months between the stage 1 and stage 2 audit.

Stage 2 Audit

The purpose of this audit is to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of the client’s information management services and processes and appropriateness of their systems, including but not limited to;

Information and evidence about conformity to all requirements.
Performance monitoring, measuring, reporting and reviewing against key performance objectives and targets.
The information management process and services ability and performance regarding the meeting of applicable statutory, regulatory and contractual requirements.
Operational control of the processes.
Internal auditing and management systems integration.
Management responsibility for your policies relating to information management services and processes.

After this audit, the assessor will analyse all information and audit evidence gathered during stages 1 and 2 to review the audit findings and agree on audit conclusions. The audit findings are presented in a written audit report identifying the recommendation for certification, opportunities for improvement and areas of non-conformity.

Please note that this assessment must be completed no more than 6 months after the stage 1 assessment. If stage 2 is not completed within the 6-month time frame, a repeat of stage 1 will be required.

Surveillance Audit

Surveillance audits will be conducted at least once a calendar year, except in recertification years. The date of the first surveillance audit following initial certification shall not be more than 12 months from the certification decision date.

This audit is designed to show that the client continues fulfilling the information management services and process requirements. This audit includes;

Internal audits and management review.
A review of actions taken on nonconformities identified during the previous audit.
Complaints handling.
Effectiveness of the information management services and process regarding the scope of certification.
Progress of planned activities aimed at continual improvement.
Continual operational control.
Review of any changes.
Use of marks and/or any other reference to certification.

Please note that this assessment must be completed before the annual anniversary of the certification. If this assessment is not completed within this timeframe, the certification will be suspended. Simply Certification will allow an additional 3 months for this assessment to take place, in turn restoring the audit program. If the assessment is not completed within the additional 3 months provided, the client must reapply for certification.

Recertification Audit

Recertification audits must be carried out promptly before the certification expiry date.

This audit aims to confirm the continued conformity and effectiveness of the information management services and process as a whole, and its continued relevance and applicability for the scope of certification.

This audit includes;

A review of previous surveillance audit reports.
The effectiveness of the information management services and process in its entirety, in the light of internal and external changes and its continued relevance and applicability to the scope of certification.
Demonstrated commitment to maintaining the effectiveness and improvement of the Information management services and processes to contribute to the overall performance of management systems.
The information management services and processes procedures effectively achieve the objectives and intended results.
If there have been significant changes to the information management services and process documented procedures, the organisation, or the context in which the information management services operate, a stage 1 audit may be required.

If the recertification audit did not happen, or the assessor cannot verify the implementation of corrections and corrective actions for any major non-conformity before your certification expiry date. In that case, recertification shall not be recommended, and certification will not be extended.

Please note that this audit must be completed prior to the expiry of the certification. If this assessment is not completed within this timeframe, the certification will be suspended. We will allow an additional 3 months for this assessment to take place, in turn restoring the audit program. If the assessment is not completed within the additional 3 months provided, the client must reapply for certification.

Non-conformity

A non-conformity is a non-fulfilment of a requirement set out within the standard.

Major non-conformity – A non-conformity that affects the capability of the information management system and process to achieve the intended results. Non-conformities could be classified as major in the following circumstances;

If there is significant doubt that effective process control is in place or that services will meet specified requirements.
Several minor non-conformities associated with the same requirement or issue could demonstrate a systematic procedural failure and thus constitute a major non-conformity.
A major non-conformity would also be raised if the organisation breached a legal requirement.

If a major non-conformity is found during an initial assessment process (stage 1 or stage 2 assessment), surveillance and/or recertification audit corrective action will need to be verified by a site visit or appropriate documentary evidence of corrective action submitted by the client and approved by the assessor.

Major non-conformities must be responded to within 8 weeks of the assessment, and must be fully closed out within a further 4 weeks. Failure to meet those requirements will result in the assessment being invalid. To continue with certification, the assessment must be completed again. Please note that for surveillance and recertification audits, if non-conformities are not closed and a reassessment is needed, certification may be suspended as per the certification guidelines.

Minor non-conformity – A nonconformity that does not affect the capability of the information management services and process to achieve the intended results.

If a minor non-conformity is found during the initial assessment process (stage 1 or stage 2 assessment), recertification and/or surveillance audit process, a recommendation for certification shall not be made until a corrective action plan has been submitted by the client and approved by the assessor.

Minor non-conformity action plans must be responded to within 8 weeks of the assessment, and must be fully closed within a further 4 weeks. Failure to meet those requirements will result in the assessment being invalid. To continue with certification, the assessment must be completed again. Please note that for surveillance and recertification audits, if non-conformities are not closed out and a reassessment is required, certification may be suspended as per the certification guidelines.

Observation/Recommendation

This is a finding from which there is a possibility of moving towards non-conformity if not corrected. This is often followed by a recommendation.

Review

The review is a process we carry out internally to quality check the evaluation evidence. This is a vital part of the process that ensures the evidence collected, which proves compliance with the relevant standard, is robust enough to demonstrate your compliance. The review enables any gaps to be identified and addressed before moving on to the next stage of the process. This review is carried out by an independent, impartial and competent person.

Certification Decision

Certification Decision is a process that we carry out internally to grant, refuse, expand or reduce the scope of certification, suspend or restore certification, withdraw certification or renew certification. Certification will not be granted until this process has been successfully carried out.

Certification Transfers

If the client already holds a certificate from another certification body with a UKAS-accredited certification scheme, they may be eligible to transfer their current certification to Simply Certification and pick up the Audit Programme where this was left off. If the client wishes to do this, they can apply for a transfer via our application form. The client will be required to provide Simply Certification with the information listed in the application form. The information will be used to carry out a ‘Pre-Transfer Review’ to check the eligibility for a transfer. If the transfer is approved, the client will be issued a new certificate and a new audit programme. Simply Certification will not accept direct transfers.

From unaccredited certification bodies.
If the current certification is suspended.

Languages

Simply Certification requires all assessments to be carried out in English; this includes verbal and written evidence. If a client is unable to carry out the assessment/provide evidence in English, this will need to be discussed and agreed upon before your assessment. If an interpreter is required for an assessment, this will incur additional cost that will be passed on to the client.

ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001

FEES AND CHARGES

Certification Transfer

Free of charge

Your first quote covers your first certification cycle, which includes your Initial Certification, first 2 Surveillance Audits and Recertification. Subsequent quotes will include 2 Surveillance Audits and Recertification.

Initial Certification

Processing of your application for certification
Stage 1 audit
Stage 2 audit
An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9 am-5 pm)
Quotes do not include assessor expenses, which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals
Includes first certificate, SC mark of registration to use on your company collateral (there will be a small admin charge for any changes or additional certifications)

Surveillance

Surveillance audit
An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9 am-5 pm)
Quotes do not include assessor expenses, which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals

Recertification

Recertification audit
An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9 am-5 pm)
Quotes do not include assessor expenses, which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals

Increase of Scope

The processing of your application for certification to increase your scope
An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9 am-5 pm)
Quotes do not include assessor expenses, which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals

CERTIFICATION

Application Review

All applications are subject to an application review prior to any audits taking place. We use this information to:

Confirm we can deliver the audits to your required scope
Ensure any differences in understanding are resolved
Help us develop your audit programme
Ensure all information is taken into account to deliver a well-planned audit

Following the application review, we will either:

Accept your application and send you a quote for certification or
Decline your application and inform you of the reasons why

Audit Programme

You will be provided with an Audit Programme that clearly defines the audit requirements.

Your Initial Certification Audit Programme will include a 2-stage initial audit, surveillance audits for the first and second years and a recertification audit in the third year before the expiration of your certification.

Subsequent Audit Programmes will be issued after your recertification and will cover the next three years of certification, i.e. 2 surveillance audits and a recertification audit.

Certification

Following satisfactory audits, closure of non-conformances and internal certification decision making, we shall issue a certificate, which is valid for 3 years.

Subsequent certificates are issued subject to continued satisfactory performance being achieved through surveillance and recertification audits.

Expired certificates can be restored within 6 months, provided outstanding recertification activities are completed.

Stage 1 Audit

The objective of this audit is to:

Review your management system and documented information
Evaluate your site-specific conditions and determine preparedness for stage 2
Review your understanding regarding the requirements of the standard
Obtain necessary information regarding the scope of the management system
Review the allocation of resources and agree on the details of stage 2
Gain understanding of your management system and site operations in context
Evaluate if the internal audits and management reviews are being planned and performed, and the level of implementation substantiates that you are ready for stage 2.

After this audit, we will provide you with our conclusion on the fulfilment of the stage 1 objectives and confirm readiness for stage 2. We will also include any areas of concern that could be classified as a non-conformity during stage 2.

The outcome may impact the stage 2 audit. For example, if a major change of the management system is required, a repeat of the stage 1 audit may be appropriate.

The interval between the stage 1 and stage 2 audit should be planned to allow you to resolve any areas of concern identified during the stage 1 audit.

Stage 2 Audit

The purpose of this audit is to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of your management system, including but not limited to:

Information and evidence about conformity to all requirements
Performance monitoring, measuring, reporting and reviewing against key performance objectives and targets
The management system’s ability and performance regarding meeting of applicable statutory, regulatory and contractual requirements
Operational control of your processes
Internal auditing and management review
Management responsibility for your policies.

After this audit, we will analyse all information and audit evidence gathered during stage 1 and stage 2 to review the audit findings and agree on audit conclusions. This will be presented to you in a written audit report identifying your recommendation for certification, opportunities for improvement and areas of non-conformity.

Surveillance Audit

Surveillance Audits will be conducted at least once a calendar year, except in recertification years. The date of the first surveillance audit following initial certification shall not me more than 12 months from the certification decision date.

This audit is designed to show that you are continuing to fulfil the management system requirements. This audit includes:

Internal audits and management review
A review of actions taken on nonconformities identified during the previous audit
Complaints handling
Effectiveness of the management system regarding your objective and intended results of the respective management system
Progress of planned activities aimed at continual improvement
Continual operational control
Review of any changes
Use of marks and/or any other reference to certification.

Recertification Audit

Recertification Audits must be carried out promptly before the certification expiry date.

The purpose of this audit is to confirm the continued conformity and effectiveness of the management system as a whole, and its continued relevance and applicability for the scope of certification.

This audit includes:

A review of previous surveillance audit reports
The effectiveness of the management systems in its entirety in the light of internal and external changes, and its continued relevance and applicability to the scope of certification
Demonstrated commitment to maintain the effectiveness and improvement of the management system to enhance overall performance
The effectiveness of the management system in achieving your objectives and the intended results of the respective management reviews.

If there have been significant changes to the management system, the organisation, or the context in which the management system is operating, a stage 1 audit may be required.

If the recertification audit did not happen or we are unable to verify the implementation of corrections and corrective actions for any major non-conformity before your certification expiry date, recertification shall not be recommended, and certification will not be extended.

Nonconformity

A nonconformity is a non-fulfilment of a requirement.

Major nonconformity – A nonconformity that affects the capability of the management system to achieve the intended results. Nonconformities could be classified as major in the following circumstances:

If there is significant doubt that effective process control is in place, or that products or services will meet specified requirements
Several minor nonconformities associated with the same requirement or issue could demonstrate a systematic failure and thus constitute a major nonconformity

If a major nonconformity is found during the initial assessment process, a recommendation for certification shall not be made until either corrective action has been verified by a site visit or appropriate documentary evidence of corrective action has been submitted and approved by us. We must be able to verify the implementation of corrections and corrective action within 6 months of the last day of the stage 2 audit. If this is not achieved, then another stage 2 audit must be carried out.

If a major nonconformity is found during a surveillance audit, corrective action will need to be verified by a site visit or appropriate documentary evidence of corrective action has been submitted and approved by us. We must be able to verify the implementation of corrections and corrective action within 3 months of the last day of the audit. If this is not achieved, then certification will be suspended.

If a major nonconformity is found during a recertification audit, the corrective action must be implemented and verified prior to the expiration of certification. If we cannot verify this, certification will not be extended, and you will be informed of the consequences.

A major nonconformity would also be raised if the organisation breached a legal requirement.

Minor nonconformity – A nonconformity that does not affect the capability of the management system to achieve the intended results.

If a minor nonconformity is found during the initial assessment process, a recommendation for certification shall not be made until a corrective action plan has been submitted, verified, and approved by us. We must be able to verify the plan within 6 months of the last day of the stage 2 audit. If this is not achieved, then another stage 2 audit must be carried out.

If a minor nonconformity is found during the recertification audit process, a recommendation for certification shall not be made until a corrective action plan has been submitted, verified, and approved by us. We must be able to verify the plan before the certification expires.

If a minor nonconformity is found during a surveillance audit, correct actions will be verified and approved by us during the following audit.

Observation/Recommendation – A finding from which there is a possibility of moving towards a non-conformity, if not corrected. This is often followed by a recommendation.

Certification Decision

Certification Decision is a process we carry out internally to grant, refuse, expand or reduce the scope of certification, suspend or restore certification, withdraw certification or renew certification. Certification will not be granted until this process has been successfully carried out.

Certification Transfers

If you already hold a certificate with another Certification Body, you may be eligible to transfer your certification to us and pick up the Audit Programme where you left off. If you wish to do this, you can apply for a transfer via our application form. You will be required to provide us with the information listed in the application form. The information will be used to carry out a ‘Pre-Transfer Review’ to check your eligibility for a transfer. If the transfer is approved, we will issue you a new certificate and send you your new audit programme. We will not accept transfers if your current certification is suspended.

ISO 27001, ISO 22301, ISO 50001

FEES AND CHARGES

Certification and assessment

You will receive a quotation for the initial assessment process and surveillance visits over a three-year period, which will include:

Initial Certification

Process of your application for certification
A document review of your existing system and visit
An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9am-5pm)
Quotes do not include assessor expenses are subject to costs in relation to travelling, overnight accommodation and meals at a reasonable rate. Milage is charged at £0.45 per mile.
Includes first certificate, Simply mark of registration to use on your company collateral (there will be a small admin charge for any changes or additional certifications)

Surveillance Visits

An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9am-5pm)
Quotes do not include assessor expenses which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals. Milage is charged at £0.45 per mile

In the event of the client cancelling any planned visits within 30 days of the appointment the full amount will be payable

CERTIFICATION

We always advise time between Stage one and Stage two assessments to allow the system to become fully operational and resolve any weaknesses identified in Stage one.

Following a satisfactory assessment, verification of the assessment report, and completion of any corrective actions, we shall issue a certificate, which is valid for three years.

The certificate is issued subject to continued satisfactory performance being achieved through surveillance assessments, which shall be carried out at least once a year, with a re-assessment carried out after three years.

Where a system has been only implemented recently, an additional assessment may be required.

If a major non-conformance is found during the initial assessment process a recommendation for certification shall not be made until either corrective action has been verified by a site visit or appropriate documentary evidence of corrective action has been submitted and approved by us.

If a major non-conformance is found during surveillance assessment the client shall be required to carry out corrective action within an agreed timescale, which shall normally be no greater than six weeks following the assessment

Non-Conformance

Non-conformance is the absence or failure to implement and maintain one or more requirements of the reference standard under assessment.

There are two grades of non-conformance, namely major and minor.

Major Non-Conformance

The absence or failure to implement and maintain one or more requirements of the management system reference standard, or a situation which would, based on objective evidence, raise significant doubt as to the capability of the system to achieve the policy and objectives of the system.

A major non-conformance would also be raised if the organisation breached a legal requirement.

Certification shall not be granted or continued to be certified until all major non-conformities have been corrected and the corrective actions verified.

Minor Non-Conformance

A vague or unrevealing element of the management system, which may result in a small discrepancy that could be corrected with minimal organisational, operational, or technical change and within a reasonable time frame, (as opposed to a major non-conformance where the facility has not addressed or adequately addressed the criterion).

Observation/Recommendation

A finding from which there is a possibility of moving towards a non-conformity, if not corrected. This is often followed by a recommendation.

Special Assessment Visit

We reserve the right to make an additional Special Assessment Visit in the following circumstances:

Where assessment is required verify the closure of Major non- conformances
At initial evaluation the condition of the management system or scope of certification is not as described during the application stage
Significant modifications to the management system have taken place
Significant changes to the organisation, scope or processes have occurred which were not notified to us in sufficient time prior to the standard assessment visit
Where we are required to investigate information on serious accidents or a breach of legislation resulting in the involvement of the regulatory authority

Flexi-Orb

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT FLEXI-ORB

The Flexi-Orb Scheme Rules Our terms and conditions also require you to comply with the certification requirements and scheme rules

FEES AND CHARGES

Separate quotations are provided for the various stages of certification which will include:

Initial Certification

The processing of your application for certification
On-site Office Compliance Assessment
On-site Technical Inspections for each technology applied for
An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9am – 5pm)
Quotes do not include assessor expenses which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals
Includes first certificate, SC mark of registration to use on your company collateral (there will be a small admin charge for any changes or additional certifications)

Surveillance Visits

An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9am – 5pm)
The number of surveillance visits required is based on the requirements of INS-001 clause 5.5
Quotes do not include assessor expenses which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals

Increase of Scope

The processing of your application for certification to increase your scope
On-site Office Compliance Assessment
On-site Technical Inspections for each technology applied for
An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9am – 5pm)
Quotes do not include assessor expenses which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals

CERTIFICATION

Application Review

Identifying companies that have changed their name
Identifying company Directors that have set up multiple companies in the same industry
Reviewing related companies, dissolved companies and non-trading companies
Reviewing companies already certified with us that may have compliance issues
Identifying if the company has moved from another certification body

If the evidence shows that company, related companies and company Directors have current non-compliance issues with ourselves, the application will be put on hold until issues are satisfactorily resolved.

Certification

Following satisfactory assessments, closure of non-conformances, internal verification of the assessment report and internal certification decision making, we shall issue a certificate, which is valid for 3 years. Please note, a 6 month certificate may be issued (see Moving Certification Body section for further information).

Subsequent certificates are issued subject to continued satisfactory performance being achieved through surveillance assessments.

We will not allow a certificate to remain valid if you do not provide us with installation to inspect for 2 consecutive years. Your certificate will be removed unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Technical Inspections

For technical inspections of a property, all installations must comply with the latest applicable standards. We recommend submitting a recent installation so we can assess the quality of your most up-to-date work. This also reduces the risk of the original homeowner still occupying the property ensuring easier access, and reduces the risk of any alterations being made by the homeowner or other parties which increases the risk of non-conformance.

Based on this, we strongly advise that any installation submitted for inspection is no more than 12 months old.

Non-Conformance

Non-conformance is the absence or failure to implement and maintain one or more requirements of the reference standard under assessment. Corrective action, preventative action and supporting evidence must be submitted to us no more than 4 weeks from the inspection date. If your response is not accepted by us within 6 weeks of the assessment date, you will be required to be reassessed in full at a cost to yourself.

Observation/Recommendation

A finding from which there is a possibility of moving towards a non-conformity, if not corrected. This is often followed by a recommendation.

Surveillance Visits Agreement

It is part of the Flexi-Orb scheme that Surveillance Visits are carried out in line with INS-001 clause 5.5.

If no installations have been carried out in the preceding year and there are unlikely, from the evidence, that any installations are likely to be carried out within 6 months of the surveillance due date, and you want to continue with certification, we will carry out a Office Assessment only, with the condition that as soon as you starts to install, we are notified and we will then carry out the Technical Inspections within 2 months of the commissioning of the first installation. If you do not inform us of your installs, we will suspend certification until the assessment have be carried out and non-conformities are closed.

We reserve the right to carry out random sampling in addition to surveillance visits if we have any concerns about your business.

Moving Certification Bodies

Should you be moving to from another Certification Body, we will require you and your previous Certification Body to declare:

Why you are moving Certification Bodies
If you have any outstanding non-conformities, and if applicable, the reason for them not being closed out
If you have any outstanding complaints with your current certification body or an ADR provider, if so, why are they still open
That all payments are settled with your previous certification body
You have no outstanding CCJ’s with your previous certification body
You are not in or about to go into receivership
You do not present any reputational risks to the scheme

You and your current Certification Body will also be required to send us copies of your last assessment reports to support the above criteria.

If your current Certification Body does not supply us with the above information, we will only be able to provide you with a 6 month certificate. Should the information not be received within 4 months, we will contact you to arrange a Desktop Review. (Please see the Desktop Review Section for further information).

Desktop Review

If you are moving Certification Bodies and we have not been provided with the requested documentation, we are required to carry out a Desktop Review to review the evidence against the missing information to ensure the integrity of the scheme. This is chargeable (See the Fees section for further information).

Flexi-Orb Certification Agreement

As the client you will always fulfil the certification requirements including implementing appropriate changes when they are communicated by SC.

If the certification applies to ongoing production, the certified product continues to fulfil the product requirements.

As our client you will make all necessary arrangements for the conduct of the evaluation and surveillance (if required), including provision for examining documentation and records, and access to the relevant equipment, location(s), area(s), personnel, and subcontractors;

investigation of complaints;
the participation of observers, if applicable;
The client makes claims regarding certification consistent with the scope of certification;
The client does not use its product certification in such a manner as to bring SC into disrepute and does not make any statement regarding its product certification that SC may consider misleading or unauthorised;
Upon suspension, withdrawal, or termination of certification, the client discontinues its use of all advertising matter that contains any reference thereto and takes action as required by the certification scheme (e.g. the return of certification documents) and takes any other required measure;
If the client provides copies of the certification documents to others, the documents shall be reproduced in their entirety or as specified in the certification scheme;
In making reference to its product certification in communication media such as documents, brochures or advertising, the client complies with the requirements of SC or as specified by the certification scheme;
The client complies with any requirements that may be prescribed in the certification scheme relating to the use of marks of conformity, and on information related to the product;
The client keeps a record of all complaints made known to it relating to compliance with certification requirements and makes these records available to SC when requested, and
takes appropriate action with respect to such complaints and any deficiencies found in products that affect compliance with the requirements for certification;
documents the actions taken;
The client informs SC, without delay, of changes that may affect its ability to conform with the certification requirements.
the legal, commercial, organisational status or ownership,
organisation and management (e.g. key managerial, decision-making or technical staff),
modifications to the product or the production method,
contact address and production sites,
major changes to the quality management system.

TrustMark

Any applicants wishing to gain TrustMark registration are advised to read their downloadable guidance found via this link to ensure the scheme requirements are fully understood. Please note all applications will be audited against its standards to confirm compliance before registration is granted:

Helpful Information, Guidance & Advice For Work Done Around Your Home (trustmark.org.uk)

Any installer who does not declare their outstanding Technical Monitoring fails during the application process, runs the risk of being automatically removed from the TrustMark scheme.

Portal Access (LAP)

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide our customers with access to the TrustMark portal (LAP) when they are no longer a member of the scheme. Providing access to a

customer who is not a member of ours can cause a variety of issues that could put both of our businesses at risk.

If you require access after your membership has ended, we have a few suggestions you could try:

Speak to TrustMark and ask them for access
Renew your scheme membership with us
If you have moved scheme providers, ask your new provider for support.

SurePath

Definitions

“Simply Certification” or “the CB” means Simply Certification Limited.
“SurePath” means the remediation and accountability framework embedded within Simply Certification’s TrustMark Scheme.
“Installer” means the certified contractor responsible for installations under the TrustMark scheme.
“SurePath Approved Contractor” means a vetted and approved contractor authorised by Simply Certification to carry out remedial works when an installer fails to do so.
“Remediation” refers to corrective work required to address non-conformances or verified complaints.
“IOI Plan” means the “Increased Oversight and Intervention” Plan issued to underperforming or non-compliant installers.
“IBG” means the Insurance Backed Guarantee provided to homeowners, ensuring protection in the event the installer cannot fulfil remedial obligations.

Scope

These Terms and Conditions apply to all contractors engaged with or operating under the Simply SurePath Framework, including certified installers and SurePath Approved Contractors.
By registering with Simply Certification, the contractor agrees to abide by these Terms in full.

Installer Obligations

Installers must:

Maintain valid certification relevant to the measures they install or remediate.
Comply with all TrustMark, PAS, and Simply Certification scheme requirements.
Complete all remedial works within the required timeframes as outlined under the SurePath Framework.
Engage professionally and promptly with Simply Certification and homeowners.
Allow assessments, audits, and performance monitoring as required.
Maintain a valid Insurance Backed Guarantee (IBG) for all covered works.

Remediation Requirements

4.1 Major Non-Conformance CAT 1

Immediate notification will be issued to the installer.
If attendance cannot be achieved within 24 hours, a SurePath Approved Contractor will be deployed.
All costs (subcontractor rate + 30% administration fee) will be invoiced to the original installer.
Payment is due within 24 hours.
Failure to pay will result in immediate suspension of TrustMark registration and placement on the IOI Plan.

4.2 Other Remediation (Non-CAT 1)

Installer has 8 weeks to complete corrective actions verified by a Simply Certification Assessor.
If ignored, a SurePath Approved Contractor will carry out the works within 5 working days.
Costs are passed to the installer, payable within 24 hours of invoice issue.
Non-payment results in suspension and placement on the IOI Plan.

4.3 Customer Complaints

Where an installer fails to engage, an Assessor will investigate the issue.
If validated, the installer has 2 weeks to rectify the issue.
If ignored, remediation will be carried out by a SurePath Approved Contractor within 5 working days, and the costs will be recharged to the installer.
Where there is evidence that the homeowner has reported aggressive, intimidating, or unprofessional behaviour by the installer, and they do not wish the installer to return to their property, Simply Certification reserves the right to immediately appoint a SurePath Approved Contractor to complete the works. The installer remains financially liable for all associated costs.
Non-payment results in immediate suspension and placement on the IOI Plan.

SurePath Approved Contractor Requirements

Must undergo the New Supplier Process and compliance checks.
Must hold relevant certifications with an alternative certification body to maintain impartiality.
Must only perform works for which they are demonstrably competent.
Are subject to periodic reassessment by Simply Certification.
Must uphold homeowner protection, professionalism, and data confidentiality.

Financial Terms

IBG Renewal and Reissue:
- Where remediation work affects the validity of the original Insurance Backed Guarantee, the installer must renew and reissue the IBG to protect the homeowner’s coverage.
- This process will be carried out via Quality Mark Protection and recharged to the installer at cost, plus any applicable administration fees.
Payment Terms: 24 hours from invoice issue unless otherwise stated.
Late or Non-Payment: Immediate suspension of TrustMark registration and/or SurePath approval status.

Impartiality and Conduct

All contractors must act with integrity, avoid conflicts of interest, and comply with Simply Certification’s impartiality policy.
Unethical, aggressive, or dishonest behaviour may result in suspension or permanent removal from the SurePath Framework.

Suspension and Termination

Simply Certification reserves the right to suspend or terminate participation in the SurePath Framework where:

Payment terms are breached.
Timelines for remediation are not met.
Misconduct or unprofessional behaviour occurs.
Certification becomes invalid or is withdrawn.
Reinstatement is subject to review and additional fees.

Liability

Simply Certification’s role is limited to oversight, verification, and administration of the SurePath Framework.

Contractors remain fully liable for their work, workmanship, and compliance with regulatory requirements.

Data Protection

Contractors agree to the processing and sharing of data in accordance with the UK GDPR and Simply Certification’s Privacy Policy for purposes including compliance management, remediation coordination, and reporting to TrustMark or relevant authorities.

Amendments

Simply Certification reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions at any time. Notice will be provided via email and published on the Simply Certification website. Continued participation constitutes acceptance of any amendments.

Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT

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