Installer hasn't supplied certificates: what now?
Identify the missing document, then ask the installer for the certificate, notification reference and issuing body. Check the record with the scheme operator or building control body, and ask what remains outstanding. Ask the building control body what installation approval is needed alongside factory reports. Cambridge China Bridge can help gather matching factory documents.
Identify which document is missing
Separate factory declarations, product test reports and instructions from records covering the work at your property. Ask the building control body which installation approval route applies and how factory certificates fit into it. Our construction materials guide explains product evidence; the task here is to identify the missing installation record.
Ask the installer to name each document relevant to the actual work: installation or test records, commissioning records, a scheme compliance certificate or a building control completion record. Ask which they issue themselves and which comes from another body. Do not assume every fitted item needs the same paperwork.
Establish the route used for your property
This guide focuses on an ordinary home project in England. For Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, ask the local building control body which route applies. Our windows and building control guide covers agreeing the route before ordering; now establish what route was actually used.
Ask for the scheme name, installer registration details, notification reference and submission date, or the building control application reference and responsible body. Ask the scheme operator to confirm the installer's registration and relevant scope when the work was carried out. A logo on an invoice is a starting point for checking.
Send the installer a specific written request
Send the property address, work description, completion date, invoice and copies of the documents already received. Write: “Please supply the outstanding installation records and compliance or completion certificate, confirm whether the work was notified, and provide the reference and issuing body. If anything prevents issue, please explain what remains outstanding and who will resolve it.”
Ask for a written response by a date you specify. Check email attachments, spam folders, postal delivery details and the name used for the property. If the installer blames missing factory evidence, request the exact document and product identifier. Use our test-report coverage guide to match the evidence to the fitted goods.
Check with the scheme operator
England's home-improvement guidance says a relevant scheme installation should receive a compliance certificate within 30 days of completion. Treat this as a point to chase missing paperwork, and confirm the particular scheme's timetable with its operator rather than assuming it is a universal deadline.
Give the operator your address, installer details, completion date and correspondence. Ask whether it holds a notification, whether a certificate has been issued and how to obtain a copy or correct an address error. Competent person schemes have complaints procedures for problems with the work. Ask how to raise your unresolved case, including if the installer has stopped responding.
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Approach building control and close the file
If a building control application exists, contact the body handling it with the reference. Ask whether the final inspection, documents or remedial work remain outstanding and what is needed for the applicable completion record. If nobody can identify a notification or application, contact local authority building control for advice. Ask whether retrospective approval is available for your work and what assessment it would involve.
Request a written list of outstanding matters before commissioning further work. Do not treat missing paperwork alone as proof that the installation is safe or unsafe; ask a suitable specialist to assess any suspected defect. Keep the final certificate, notification correspondence and matching product evidence together. Cambridge China Bridge's staff in China can gather factory documents for the identified evidence gaps.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Chinese factory certificate replace an installation certificate?
No. Keep product evidence and installation records separately. Ask the installer or building control body which record covers the work at your property.
How long should I wait for an installer certificate?
England's home-improvement guidance gives 30 days for a relevant scheme compliance certificate. Chase missing paperwork and confirm the operator's timetable for your scheme.
What if my installer says the work was notified?
Ask for the submission date, reference and receiving body. Contact that body to check the property details, notification status and whether a certificate has been issued.
What if the installer has disappeared?
Send your records to the scheme operator or the building control body handling the work. If the route is unknown, ask local authority building control what checks and approval options are available.