Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ page includes all of the Frequently Asked Questions that our team get from members. This FAQ aims to answer any questions you may have about APHC.
We have categorised the questions into consumers, prospective members and members.
Consumers
The APHC office is open Monday – Friday, 9am until 5pm. The office is closed on bank holidays and the period between Christmas and the New Year.
APHC members are qualified and professional businesses who are committed to high standards of workmanship and high levels of customer service.
You can find an APHC approved plumber or heating contractor at any time using our ‘Find an APHC member’ tool. Just type in your postcode to find those closest to your area.
You can also speak to one of our team during opening hours who would be happy to help on 0121 711 5030.
Only those plumbing and heating businesses that have passed our quality assurance criteria are accepted as an APHC member.
Core requirements against which an APHC member is vetted:
- The business must comply with the requirements laid down in the ‘APHC Membership Schemes Rules’
- The business will carry out its trading activities to the minimum standards laid down in the ‘APHC Customer Charter’
- The business will investigate any customer complaints to the minimum standards laid down in the ‘APHC Minimum Requirements for a Customer Complaints Procedure’.
- The business will provide full contact details on all relevant communications with customers including written correspondence, quotations, invoices and electronic communication.
- The business will ensure that appropriate levels of insurance are in place commensurate with the business activities – minimum £2M of public liability must be maintained at all times and minimum £5M of employer’s liability must be maintained at all times (if staff are employed).
- The business will ensure that only competent operatives are employed to undertake plumbing & heating work.
We don’t offer bespoke technical advice to the public as this is only for APHC members. However, we have put together numerous consumer advice guides to provide basic information to homeowners on a range of plumbing and heating topics. The guides have been written specifically for consumers in a user-friendly language and can be downloaded, saved and printed for free here.
The APHC Consumer Complaints Process is only for customers who have had work undertaken by an APHC member.
APHC Certification is a voluntary certification body. Essentially this means we assess businesses against technical and scheme standards to ensure work is undertaken competently and that trading practices comply with our Consumer Code.
The APHC Consumer Complaints Process is designed to act as a conciliation between a consumer and the APHC member company carrying out work, with a view to resolving the complaint.
You can view our full complaints process here.
Members
Your membership runs annually so you will be due for renewal at the same time each year. The APHC finance team will send you a renewal letter via email and in the post a month prior to your renewal date and this outlines your fees for the year, the date of your renewal and any other information you need to know.
You can update your details by contacting our membership team via email certification@aphc.co.uk or call 0121 711 5030.
Your APHC Membership fee is dependent on the type of membership you require and the turnover of your business. You can find details of our fees on our membership application forms.
You can also find any additional charges associated with certification accreditation here.
If you would like to change how your pay or your bank details, please contact our finance team on 0121 711 5030 or email finance@aphc.co.uk
If you are already a member of ours but want to swap to another scheme then please contact our membership team on 0121 711 5031
APHC members get free advice on any technical enquiry.
The telephone number for our Technical team can be found within the members area of our website.
Log in to our members area here.
APHC membership offers a comprehensive range of exclusive benefits and discounts that have been designed to help you save time and money, expand your knowledge and skills, improve your sales and enhance your professional image.
A full list of our core and exclusive benefits can be found here.
You can log in to the members area to find out more about each benefit and how to use them.
APHC members can access all of their membership benefits in the APHC members area.
Log in to our members area here.
Yes, it is a legal requirement that you notify MCS and CPS for building regulations via our notification portal. This is a legal requirement. The MCS database does not link up with building regulations, so you need to notify both.
You can log in to the portal here.
You are not able to access you membership certificates or copies of invoices online.
If you would like a copy of your membership certificate or an invoice then please contact our finance team on 0121 711 5030 or email finance@aphc.co.uk
Members can find a copy of the APHC Licensed member in the Members area of the website.
Log in to our members area here.
Only approved members can use our Competent Persons Scheme and Microgeneration Certification Scheme logos so please contact our marketing team on 0121 711 5030 or email marketing@aphc.co.uk to request the logo.
You need to sign off your installs using our notification portal.
You can log in to the portal here.
Our sister company APHC Training Ltd., which is a registered charity, operates a training reward scheme for all plumbing & heating companies, not just APHC members.
Plumbing and heating companies can claim up to £150 towards the cost of a certificated training course completed through a recognised provider such as APHC, BPEC, City & Guilds, LCL Awards, NICEIC and all UKAS approved ACS providers.
Members can apply for a training reward here.
Prospective Members
You can become a member of APHC by submitting an application form for the relevant scheme you want to join.
Certification Schemes (MCS and CPS)
In order to fully process your application we need a completed application form alongside all the relevant extra documents and certificates outlined in the application form.
If you need any support with your application form or the application process, you can contact a member of our team who will be happy to support you 0121 711 5030.
For our certification schemes, following the initial application form completion you will be assessed in the following areas before approval: Desktop evaluation of the company Quality Management System (QMS) and On-site installation assessment of work areas applied for.
Yes, there is a fee to become a member of APHC. The fee is dependent on the type of membership you require and the turnover of your business. You can find details of our fees on our membership application forms.
You can also find any additional charges associated with certification accreditation here.
You can submit an application at any point and it will go to our membership team who will review it. Our team move quickly on applications and if we need more information or any extra documents/certificates we will communicate this to you and guide you through the process. We work in partnership with those in application to get you signed off and in membership.
We no longer offer the Green Deal scheme.
Unfortunately not, our work areas cover:
- Installation of Oil Fired Appliances covering:
– Oil Fired, Pressure Jet Appliances
– Oil Fired, Vapourising Appliances
– Oil Storage Tanks & Supply Pipelines
• Solid Fuel Appliances
• Woody Biomass Boilers
• Ground and Air Source Heat Pumps
• Solar Thermal Hot Water Systems - Installation of Heating & Hot Water Supply Systems, inc.
Innovative Hot Water Systems
• Installation of Plumbing & Water Supply Systems, inc.
Water Efficient Taps & Showers covering:
– Wholesome & Softened Wholesome Water Supply
– Installation of Non-Wholesome Water Supply & Sanitary Conveniences inc. Flush Mechanism
– Sanitary Conveniences, Sinks, Washbasins, Fixed Baths, Showers or Bathrooms in Dwellings
Our sister company APHC Training Ltd., which is a registered charity, operates a training reward scheme for all plumbing & heating companies, not just APHC members.
Plumbing and heating companies can claim up to £150 towards the cost of a certificated training course completed through a recognised provider such as APHC, BPEC, City & Guilds, LCL Awards, NICEIC and all UKAS approved ACS providers.
You can apply for a training reward here.
APHC offer high quality and cost-effective training courses, open to both members and non-members.
All plumbing and heating engineers can now undertake our Legionella Cold Water Risk Assessment & Disinfection Course, Domestic Hot Water Storage Systems (Unvented) Course and our Sanitary & Above Ground Drainage Course remotely via a desktop or laptop computer.
Book your place using the booking form or email training@aphc.co.uk
Becoming an APHC member gives you access to a range of exclusive benefits that have been designed to help you save time and money, expand your knowledge and skills, improve your sales and enhance your professional image.
A full list of our core and exclusive benefits can be found here.
If you still have any outstanding questions we have not answered, please get in touch with the APHC team who will be happy to assist you with any queries.
Contact us here.
