If you have moved into a property with a wood-burning or multi-fuel stove and cannot find the installation certificate, the first step is to establish whether the installation was notified through a competent person scheme or through Building Control. A missing piece of paperwork does not necessarily mean the stove was never certified.
In This Guide
What is a stove installation certificate?
Installing or replacing a solid-fuel stove is work that falls within the Building Regulations. One route is to use an installer who is registered for the relevant work through an authorised competent person scheme. A suitably registered installer can self-certify that their work complies with the Building Regulations and notify the installation through their scheme.
Alternatively, the work can go through Building Control rather than a competent person scheme.
The important point is that the paperwork relates to the installation of the stove. It is different from the sweeping certificate you receive when a chimney is professionally swept.
What if you have lost your stove installation certificate?
Start by finding out who installed the stove and whether the installation was registered through a competent person scheme. Previous owners, old invoices, guarantees and other property paperwork may help identify the installer or scheme.
If the work was notified through a competent person scheme, contact the relevant scheme operator to find out whether it has a record of the installation and whether replacement documentation is available. If the work instead went through Building Control, contact the Building Control body that dealt with the work.
Missing paperwork does not automatically mean the stove was never certified
The original certificate may simply have been lost, particularly when a property has changed hands. Establish how the installation was notified before assuming that it was installed without Building Regulations approval.
What if you have lost your HETAS certificate?
HETAS is a widely used competent person scheme for solid-fuel installations. If a HETAS-registered installer notified the installation through HETAS, the best starting point is HETAS itself. It can advise whether a record exists and what options are available for obtaining replacement documentation.
This is different from asking another HETAS-registered professional to issue a new certificate for somebody else’s old installation. A missing certificate cannot simply be replaced by having the chimney swept or the stove serviced.
Does it have to be a HETAS certificate?
No. HETAS is not the only competent person scheme through which a stove installation can be self-certified. GOV.UK currently lists APHC, BESCA, Certsure, HETAS, NAPIT and OFTEC as schemes authorised for solid-fuel combustion appliances. However, an individual installer must be specifically registered with their scheme for this type of work — membership or registration for other types of work does not qualify them to self-certify a stove installation.
This means that not finding a HETAS certificate does not, by itself, prove that the stove installation was never properly notified. If you know who installed the stove, find out which competent person scheme they were registered with for solid-fuel work at the time of the installation. You can also check the current GOV.UK list of authorised competent person schemes, as the schemes and the types of work they cover can change over time. If the installation was dealt with directly through Building Control, the relevant documentation may instead be held there.
What if the stove installation was never certified?
If you cannot find any record that the installation was notified through a competent person scheme or Building Control, that is different from simply losing the certificate.
Do not assume that a chimney sweep, stove service or CCTV survey can retrospectively certify the installation. If you need to establish the Building Regulations position for existing work, contact your local Building Control body for advice on the appropriate route for the property and installation.
If you are buying or selling the property, your conveyancer may also advise what documentation is required for the transaction.
What can Ablewight help with?
Ablewight does not retrospectively certify stove installations. We can, however, help with the ongoing maintenance of the stove and chimney.
When we sweep a chimney and it is safe to do so, we issue a Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps sweeping certificate. This provides dated evidence of professional sweeping, but it is not a substitute for the original stove installation or Building Regulations documentation.
We also provide stove servicing and, where there is a genuine reason to investigate the condition of an accessible flue, CCTV chimney surveys. A CCTV survey is not routinely required simply because an installation certificate is missing.
Need Your Stove or Chimney Swept?
If the installation paperwork is sorted but the stove and chimney need routine maintenance, you can request appointment availability with Ablewight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a retrospective HETAS certificate?
You cannot simply ask a different HETAS-registered professional to issue a HETAS installation certificate for work they did not carry out. If you believe the original installation was notified through HETAS but the certificate has been lost, contact HETAS to check what records and replacement-document options are available. If there is no record of certification, contact Building Control for advice on the appropriate route.
Is a chimney sweeping certificate the same as a stove installation certificate?
No. A sweeping certificate records professional chimney sweeping and relevant findings at that appointment. It does not certify the original installation of the stove or replace Building Regulations documentation.
What should I do if I am buying a house and the stove certificate is missing?
Ask the seller for the installation paperwork and try to establish who installed the stove and how the work was notified. If the documentation cannot be found, your conveyancer can advise what is required for the purchase, while the relevant competent person scheme or Building Control body may be able to confirm whether the installation was recorded.
Does a missing HETAS certificate mean my stove is illegal?
Not necessarily. HETAS is not the only route by which solid-fuel installation work can be notified, and paperwork can also be lost. First establish whether the installation was registered through another authorised competent person scheme or dealt with through Building Control.
