Following an internal investigation, The British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation (BiKBBI) says it has terminated the registration of one of its members, after discovering they had used a “fraudulently amended document as part of their professional credentials”.
The fraudulent behaviour from the ex-member – who is only referred to as “JS from West Yorkshire”, by the organisation – was reportedly discovered by a combination of BiKBBI’s staff, its technology, and collaboration with its strategic partners.
BiKBBI says the issue came to light during a detailed review procedure, which is designed to ensure the authenticity of all documentation submitted by registered businesses.
“Our responsibility is to protect both businesses and consumers by ensuring that every registered business meets our strict professional requirements in accordance with registration criteria,” commented BiKBBI CEO, Damian Walters.
“The detection of this deliberate act of fraud clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of our safeguarding processes and the importance of collective vigilance.”
While not disclosing the identity of the terminated member, Walters clarified: “In this instance, the person in question worked for a number of retail businesses, both national and independent, and we know this as he is/was working for a number of our partners.”
Walters also confirmed that the individual was no longer working with the organisation’s partners as a result of their actions, but said, “the risk still remains with those retailers that we don’t have a relationship with”. He also concluded that the incident was “a great example of how retail partnership with BiKBBI helps to reduce risk across the entire industry”.
In related news, The BiKBBI announced last year that it was launching its new AiM accreditation scheme, designed to set, acknowledge and elevate the standards of installation services across the KBB retail and construction sectors. The first of these accredited businesses – Signature Projects, Christian Andrews Interiors and Wickes – were officially recognised at a formal ceremony last month, which took place at Westminster’s Portcullis House.