BIFIS chief executive Damian Walters has claimed the fitted interiors sector is “closer than ever” to mandatory licensing for tradespeople, warning the industry it must prepare for a future in which competence is formally regulated.
Speaking at today’s annual BIFIS Conference, held alongside InstallerSHOW 2026 at the NEC Birmingham, Walters said the industry should take the lead in shaping any future regulatory framework rather than waiting for government intervention.
“My own view is that mandatory licensing within the fitted interiors sector is no longer a distant possibility,” he told delegates. “I believe we are closer than ever to government introducing licensing for tradespeople.”
He added: “The question for us is whether we wait for licensing to be imposed on us, or whether we lead, prepare and help shape what responsible regulation should look like.”
Walters linked the issue to the post-Grenfell regulatory landscape, noting that government has accepted the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s recommendations and is proposing reforms including a single construction regulator and licensing requirements for contractors working on higher-risk buildings.
The warning came as Walters outlined BIFIS’ Vision 2030 strategy, which focuses on four priorities: skills, standards, compliance and sustainability. He described the manifesto as “a blueprint for sustainable excellence and growth” and a “call to action” for the wider fitted interiors sector.
Skills emerged as a central theme of the address, with Walters highlighting forecasts that construction will require more than 251,000 additional workers by 2028. He called for greater investment in apprenticeships, continuing professional development and retraining programmes to address labour shortages across the industry.
He also raised concerns about the growing threat of AI-enabled fraud, revealing that BIFIS has seen “a noticeable rise in applications to register that contain AI altered documents”, including identity, training and insurance records.
Setting out BIFIS’ response, Walters said the organisation was building the foundations for a more accountable and professional sector.
“Through our standards work, our core competency framework, our compliance systems, our skills activity and our engagement with partners across the supply chain, we are building the foundations for a sector that can demonstrate competence, not merely claim it.”
This year’s conference also marked the 20th anniversary of BIFIS, formerly known as BiKBBI.
