If something goes wrong

NICEIC registered contractors are required to ensure they have a robust complaints-handling process. If you have concerns about any works completed by a contractor who is registered with NICEIC, the first step is to make contact with the contractor. You should raise your concerns in writing (WhatsApp/Text messages are not acceptable forms of evidence), and allow a reasonable amount of time for them to be resolved.  

If that doesn’t resolve the situation, NICEIC may be able to step in to investigate. If you believe your contractor has delivered work with clear deviations from industry standards, we’ll discuss the technical nature of your complaint with our registered contractor. We aim to mediate between all parties to reach a resolution. Read more about our resolution process here.

Our role and its limits

NICEIC are a voluntary certification body. We assess and certify contractors for their competency to carry out works in line with industry standards and official regulations. But we are not a regulatory body ourselves – and there is no legislation in the UK requiring contractors to be registered with a certification body such as us.   

That means we have no jurisdiction over the way that a contractor chooses to run their business, as long as the relevant regulations are followed.

We can help through our complaints process, if the contractor is still trading. Should the contractor have ceased trading, we may be able to help through our Platinum Promise (subject to terms and conditions).

The investigation

To enable us to investigate your complaint, you need to follow the Our Code of Conduct and review our complaints resolution process, as illustrated below, which explains our remit for investigations. You can then begin the process by completing the complaints form. Completed forms must be returned to complaints@certsure.com

Upon resolution of your complaint, or in the event that we are unable to assist you any further, our investigation will cease. At that point, we might still deem it necessary to carry out an internal review with the registered contractor. The outcome of internal reviews cannot be shared externally – but they can lead to action being taken against contractors.  

We take all complaints seriously and we are committed to dealing with complaints fairly and impartially. We understand that this can be a difficult and stressful time, but we cannot provide exact timescales for resolving your complaint. We rely on clear evidence being provided to help prevent delays. Other factors that may impact the timeframe for resolving a complaint include a lack of communication, responses from either party, disputes, and failures to provide full details of all concerns in the first instance.  

If you feel that your complaint requires immediate action, you may wish to consider an alternative route, as we are unable to provide an ‘emergency service’ response to complaints. In particular, if there is an immediate safety risk, we recommend that you ensure the installation is made safe by a competent person.