When you need a plumber or heating engineer, you want more than someone who can simply turn up and complete the job. You want confidence that the person working in your home is qualified, competent and committed to professional standards.
That is where APHC can make a difference. We are a trade association supporting plumbing and heating businesses across the UK. With a heritage spanning 100 years, we provide professional advice, support and standards to our members, helping them operate successfully in an increasingly regulated and competitive industry.
For homeowners, one of the most important things to know about us is that our members are vetted before they are approved. This gives you an additional way to identify professional plumbing and heating businesses when you’re looking for someone to work in your home.
What Is APHC?
We support plumbing and heating contractors across the industry, helping businesses operate professionally and keep up with changing regulations, standards and industry requirements.
For homeowners, one of the most important aspects of our work is our membership and quality-assurance process. Only plumbing and heating businesses that meet our quality-assurance criteria can become APHC members. Our members are expected to meet relevant industry requirements, including Building Regulations, Water Regulations and appropriate British Standards.
This means that when you choose an APHC member, you have an additional indication that the business has been assessed against defined requirements rather than simply presenting itself as a professional contractor.
Why Do Homeowners Trust APHC Members?
1. We vet our members before approval
All our members are vetted before they are approved. Our checks assess technical competency and adherence to our Customer Charter. Our vetting process provides homeowners with another useful layer of reassurance when comparing potential plumbing and heating contractors. We also encourage consumers to carry out any additional checks they consider appropriate before appointing a contractor.
2. Our members must meet professional standards
Our members must comply with relevant Building Regulations, Water Regulations and appropriate British Standards. They must also operate a customer complaints procedure and follow our Customer Charter, which sets out minimum trading standards for dealing with customers.
Our members are required to provide appropriate contact details in communications such as quotations and invoices, maintain specified levels of insurance, and ensure that competent operatives carry out plumbing and heating work. Members must also maintain at least £2 million of public liability insurance and, where staff are employed, at least £5 million of employers’ liability insurance.
3. We understand that competence matters
Plumbing and heating work isn’t always straightforward. Certain installations and alterations can be subject to Building Regulations and may be notifiable.
Examples include the installation of unvented hot water systems, heating appliances or systems affecting energy efficiency, and connecting new drainage or sanitary facilities to a public sewer.
Where applicable, contractors may need to notify Local Authority Building Control or belong to an appropriate Competent Person Scheme that allows them to self-certify qualifying work.
We expect our members to have the technical ability to carry out plumbing and heating work, understand which jobs are notifiable and ensure that applicable requirements are dealt with correctly.
4. We offer access to specialist schemes and accreditations
Our membership can also provide access to specialist schemes and accreditations.
Depending on the contractor and the work being carried out, our membership directory identifies schemes including:
- WaterSafe – demonstrating compliance with the Water Fittings Regulations and competence for relevant mains-water plumbing work.
- Competent Person Scheme (CPS) – enabling qualifying members to self-certify certain work for Building Regulations purposes.
- Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) – covering compliant installation of renewable technology.
- Legionella Scheme – recognising knowledge of Legionella risks and the ability to undertake relevant risk assessments and remedial work.
Not every APHC member will hold every accreditation, so it’s important to check the individual contractor’s credentials and the requirements of your particular project.
5. We have a formal complaints process
Even with careful vetting and professional standards, problems can occasionally arise with building and home-improvement work.
That’s why we provide a consumer complaints process for customers who have had work carried out by an APHC member.
Our complaints process is designed to provide conciliation between the consumer and the member company, with the aim of resolving the complaint and potentially arranging rectification of work where appropriate.
Having a defined complaints process means you have a structured route to follow if something goes wrong.
6. We support our members’ ongoing development
Our role isn’t limited to assessing businesses when they join. We provide members with ongoing professional and business support. Our membership benefits include technical helplines, legal and HR support, business documents, industry updates, training benefits and access to additional certification schemes.
For homeowners, continued professional development matters because plumbing and heating technology, regulations and industry requirements continue to evolve. By supporting our members with access to relevant training, information and professional resources, we help them stay informed and equipped to meet the demands of their industry.
How Can You Find an APHC Member?
Our online member directory allows homeowners to search for approved plumbing and heating contractors by postcode or business name.
You can also see information about relevant schemes and accreditations held by individual members, helping you identify contractors who may be suitable for your particular project.
However, choosing an APHC member shouldn’t replace your own checks. We always recommend asking for a written quotation, checking the contractor’s relevant qualifications and accreditations, confirming insurance where appropriate, and making sure you understand exactly what work is included.
Why Homeowners Choose APHC Members
We believe homeowners deserve confidence when choosing who to trust with their home.
Our membership provides an additional way to distinguish professional contractors from the wider marketplace. Our members are vetted, expected to meet defined standards, required to follow our Customer Charter and must have a customer complaints procedure. For homeowners, that can provide valuable reassurance when choosing a plumbing or heating contractor.
Find an APHC Member
Ready to find a professional plumbing or heating contractor?
Use our member directory to search for approved APHC members in your area.