The British Institute of Fitted Interiors Specialists (BIFIS) has been assigned as the official “Code Operators” for the recently announced Approved Code programme, and will help to manage the scheme across the fitted interiors installation sector.
The Approved Code scheme is run by The Chartered Institute of Trading Standards (CTSI), and was announced last month by Prime Minister Andy Burnham as a way of raising standards across the industry in an effort to combat “cowboy tradespeople”.
Tradespeople who meet professional competency standards can sign-up to the Approved Code scheme as a way to help consumers find reputable renovation and construction professionals.
BIFIS’ CEO Damian Walters welcomed the announcement of the Approved Code scheme – as well as a new consumer finance protection plan called Trusted Payments – when it was first announced last month. However, he did also caution that major reform schemes such as these should be designed “with the responsible majority of the industry”, instead of being managed by the Government alone.
At the time, Walters also said it was “disappointing” that the government had not consulted with relevant trade associations prior to the announcement, adding: “If the Government is serious about driving out cowboy builders while supporting professional standards, it must work with organisations that understand the realities of running a legitimate trade business.”
However, BIFIS has now agreed to work with CTSI to “host” the Approved Code register for installers in its sector, which Walters called a “monumental” step forward for competency standards in the industry.
Walters said the scheme will not be mandatory for installers when it launches in the very near future, however it was not out of the question to expect that to happen at some point down the line.
Alongside this, Walters also confirmed that BIFIS was working on a “radical” overhaul of its online register, which the organisation is expecting to launch around the beginning of November. Discussing some of the changes in more detail, Walters said the current register will expand from just being a useful way to connect with trusted installers into a way for homeowners to find installers who are affiliated specifically with the Approved Code.
In addition, Walters said BIFIS will also become a scheme provider for TrustMark. Walters clarified this will be a “non-compulsory” scheme for installers, but did say that professionals who sign up to the TrustMark scheme will be able to further prove they meet industry standards.
Explaining the major change, Walters commented: “We will be working with Chartered Trading Standards Institute as a code provider to deliver the Approved Code specifically to our industry. Trading standards are not just operating within interiors, they operate across all elements of trading, but we will now do the tweaking specifically for the fitted interiors industry.
Walters continued: “The size and the complexity of the problem is so big, and of course it doesn’t just relate to fitted interiors. We have been discussing this with the Government for some time, but Governments change and departments move, and subsequently momentum can be lost in certain areas. But we’re clear now that this is what we need to do, and as such, we’re pleased to be moving forward on our collaboration with CTSI.”
At this year’s BIFIS Conference in June, Walters previously hinted that mandatory licensing for installers was “closer than ever”, and warned the industry it must prepare for a future in which competence is formally regulated.