OFTEC registrations director Adrian Lightwood has responded to the release of the Bonfield Report, an independent review of consumer advice, protection, standards and enforcement for domestic energy efficiency and renewable energy, on the 16th December.

Mr Lightwood said: “OFTEC is pleased to see the Bonfield Report has finally been published following a lengthy delay, although we are little surprised at the timing just before the Christmas break.

“We will read and digest the full findings of the Report before it is discussed at the next Competent Persons Forum meeting, which will be hosted by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) on 20 January 2017.

He continued: “It is likely that the Forum, which includes representatives from all the competent person schemes operators and is also attended by UKAS, LABC and DCLG, will agree and submit a joint response to the Report.

“OFTEC supports the need for high standards within the heating industry and for consumers to have confidence in the tradespeople they use. However, we would be concerned at any proposals that increase the already onerous bureaucratic or financial burden on heating businesses, or that could potentially confuse the public.

He concluded: “We already have a very well established and run heating sector with high levels of compliance, so we must look carefully at any proposals for change, particularly if they are designed to solve problems that have mainly occurred in other building trade sectors.”