When we advised you of the changes resulting from SER’s re-appointment as a Scheme Provider we noted that there was considerable focus on the role of Approved Bodies during that process and that as part of this Approved Bodies will now be required to upload copies of their PI insurance certificate and Complaints Policy to their records on the SER website.

You are able to upload these documents at any time via the Update Complaints Policy and Update PII certificate options available under Update Details on your Account Information page but note that from 16 November 2021 you will be required to upload the documents when renewing your Approved Body membership.

Please note also that when we recommence auditing, any Approved Body selected for audit will be required to upload these two documents to their record before the audit takes place.

PI insurance certificate

You will be required to upload a copy of your current PI insurance certificate when completing your next renewal and to keep this up to date each year.

This will be checked at audit, but note that this will not be a check of the level of insurance held, only that insurance exists. It is up to the Approved Body to ensure that they have adequate professional indemnity insurance in place for the projects certified by their Approved Certifiers.

Complaints Policy

As stated in section 4.5.7 of the 2021 Scheme Guide, Approved Bodies are now required to have a Complaints Policy in place to ensure that any complaints made against the Approved Body and any of its Approved Certifiers in relation to certification of design under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 are handled fairly, consistently and wherever possible resolved to the complainant's satisfaction. The policy must allow for the submission of a complaint to SER in respect of any matter that directly concerns certification of design under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 that cannot be resolved with the Approved Body. The Complaints Policy will be checked at audit to ensure it meets these requirements.

Most firms who are registered as an Approved Body will already have an existing client Complaints Policy and it is not necessary to have a separate policy in relation to certification activities; this can be included in your existing policy. With particular regard to Certification of Design under the SER Scheme, Complaints Procedures should align with normal good practice for dealing with complaints and should:

  • confirm the ways in which a complaint regarding any aspect of Certification of Design undertaken by the Approved Body/Approved Certifier can be made to the Approved Body
  • indicate how a complaint will be handled fairly and consistently
  • confirm that where a complaint relating to Certification of Design cannot be resolved by the Approved Body it may then be submitted to SER and note the process for this
Return to Blog