Sometimes the industry really does make it hard for itself. For example, when the WER scheme became one of the main ways to show energy efficiency compliance, a lot of the industry was under the impression that an installer could use their own supplier’s certificate providing it didn’t have their company name on the certificate. However, in an issue discussed on this site earlier in the year, one of our pals on Twitter got in trouble for doing such a thing.
Apparently something was settled, but the BFRC has insisted that it has always been the case that to use a certificate, whether it is your supplier’s or not, you must sign up to become an authorized retailer. If you sign up you have the ‘privilege’ of using a WER certificate with your company name on the top. Let’s face it, the customer doesn’t care whose certificate it is, as long as they get their A rated windows. So a bit of a dull point if you ask me.
How many of you have actually spent the £150-ish I think it is to sign up to bang your name at the top of that piece of paper? I don’t know personally of any installers that have paid the become a BFRC authorized one. Maybe I’m just not seeing it and loads are. Or maybe not.
What I would like to know if there are any AR’s out there, is if you have seen any marked increase in sales or interest because you are able to use a certificate with your company name on it. Personally, I can’t see the customer really being that bothered about it, but if I am wrong, please leave a comment below and explain what benefits have been.
Just on a side note, how many of you have been using your manufacturer’s certificate being under the impression that this was perfectly fine and you were doing nothing wrong? I’ll be honest, we have been using it forever!
That’s Marketing for you! If you think that it is important to show your customer “your business name” on the certificate… then you need to pay for the privilege of the personalisation and become an authorised retailer. If you don’t think it’s important to personalise the certificate then you can use your trade supplier’s certificate (with his permission). What you can’t do is bastardise your trade supplier’s certificate (even with his permission) and add your name to it. In the same way that you can’t with a driving licence… ;-) Most of our trade customers use our certificates. In fact… Read more »
We have detailed WERs in our own name, out of 20 local FENSA registered companies only 2 of us paid to get this. A couple have ARs but not FENSA members. I would have thought if you were proud to sell WERs you would want it in your company name. Paying £140 is not much if you say 500 jobs per year cost per job is 28p. Any other costs for audits should also be good for your name and quality standards. If more companies got ARs maybe we could stop all the miss selling of so called A Rated… Read more »