MCS has published details of the redeveloped Installer Scheme. This includes the core documents and updated structure. These contain all the information your business will need to effect the required changes within your business systems.
Becoming MCS certified
If your business would like to gain MCS certification, you can still do so on the current scheme. If you are ready to gain certification, we advise applying now.
Redeveloped Installer Scheme – documents
Key documents which are now available include:
- Installer Operating Requirements
- Customer Commitment
- MCS Installation Standards
- Pre-sale Information
- System Performance Estimate Standards
- An overview of the redeveloped scheme structure in a diagram to show how they fit together.
Keep up to date
Below are updates and FAQS to keep you updated on this redevelopment.
We are working closely with MCS on their plans and will continue to send email updates to all NICEIC MCS Approved Contractor Scheme businesses on a regular basis.
This page was last updated: 30 January 2025.
There are no immediate changes
Please ensure your business continues to maintain the requirements of the current NICEIC MCS Approved Contractor Scheme.
We recommend you read through the documents and where you can commence changes within your MCS operations. NICEIC will follow up with technical support on how your business can implement these changes. We will keep you informed through webinars, regular emails and supporting documents.
Redeveloped scheme documents
You can read the scheme documents in full below. They include:
- Installer Operating Requirements – these are the framework for how you’ll maintain MCS certification. It outlines the requirements and processes that you need to follow.
- Customer Commitment – this outlines an installer’s responsibility to protect and safeguard consumers and adhere to consumer protection laws. It ensures that customers are treated fairly and that they know where to turn if they need to complain.
- MCS Installation Standards – these are the technical standards for how systems should be designed and installed. The technical requirements aren’t changing from what is in the MCS Installation Standards today, but they have been restructured and streamlined to be more focussed as “technical truths”.
- Pre-sale Information and System Performance Estimate Standards – these outline how to carry out system performance estimates and the pre-sale information that must be provided to a customer for an installation. These requirements exist today, but we’ve restructured and streamlined into their own technology-specific standards to improve clarity.
Timeline for changes
NICEIC, and other MCS certification bodies will attain the updated accreditation during 2025 – 2026. After this we will transition your business to the redeveloped scheme. At present, MCS is unable to confirm the timeline for this process as its set by UKAS. However, we will provide timely updates as additional information becomes available.
FAQs
MCS has designed the risk-based assessment model to consider how much surveillance is needed for each business.
A certified installer with over two years tenure, where no non-conformities are raised at assessment, a stable business operation (personal, location, structure), consistent volume and scope of work and no complaints may benefit from a reduced assessment requirement of a site assessment every three years with a submission annually of documents such as insurance to confirm compliance.
An installer business with significant change (i.e. technical personnel, increased reliance on a subcontractor network), changes to volume of installation, or complaints/nonconformities could see an increased requirement of 20% of all MCS business related activities to be assessed by your certification body.
NICEIC will be providing guidance in the coming months to ensure your business is fully prepared for the redeveloped scheme.
It’s also important for you to familiarise yourself with all the scheme documentation and the requirements contained within it.
It is expected that smaller installers will, on joining the redeveloped scheme, identify their current NTP as their Technical Supervisor.
It is important that this individual is directly involved in supervising the quality of each installation, as they are essentially signing it off as compliant with MCS requirements.
MCS research, as well as that published by organisations such as Citizens Advice, has found that IBGs do not provide the cover consumers expect them to.
The presence of more effective consumer financial protection is a key driver of consumer confidence, encouraging consumers to invest in low carbon technologies for their homes, and giving lenders the confidence to offer finance to fund such installations.
The development of new financial protections for the sector is distinct from the development of the rest of the new scheme. MCS intends that the first installers able join the new scheme will have access to new financial protection products that meet the MCS Requirements for Financial Protections.
Until the new requirements document is published and new financial protection products are available, installers will still need to purchase an IBG. A current list of IBG providers can be found here: https://mcscertified.com/ibg/.
MCS has advised from 16 December 2024, you will no longer be able to purchase an IWA Insurance Backed Guarantee (IBG) through the MCS Installation Database (MID).
However, your business must still purchase an IBG for each installation you register on the MID. This remains essential to comply with current MCS Standards.
We recommend contacting your IBG provider directly to arrange cover.