MCS Redeveloped Installer Scheme

The scheme redevelopment aims to simplify the certification process, focusing on the quality of installations, enhancing consumer protection, and streamlining technical standards. The redeveloped MCS installer Scheme aims to boost customer confidence and increase the focus on the delivered quality of installations, while streamlining processes and simplifying requirements for installers.

Timeline for changes  

We have already begun inviting existing MCS-certified businesses to transition , we are doing this in a phased approach to ensure we can support you every step of the way. We expect to have invited all businesses to transition by June 2026, so don’t worry if you haven’t yet heard from us.. If you have received your invite and have any questions, we are here to support you so please call us on 0333 321 8221 or email [email protected].

Process to transition:

• Business receives invitation email, email will be sent from [email protected] or [email protected], if you want to transfer sooner, please let us know. 
• Access the transition form with the details in the invitation 
• This will then be reviewed by NICEIC and sent to MCS 
• MCS will complete scheme checks 
• If approved, NICEIC will conduct a final review and issue updated certification (including new certificate) 
• Then MCS will send your Installer Agreement, which must be signed directly with them before you can officially begin delivering on the new scheme

Please see this guide to support businesses transitioning to the redeveloped MCS Installer Scheme or listen to our episode of The Wire, where we break down what the changes mean for your business.

Becoming MCS certified   

If you have already begun an application for the now closed scheme, you don’t need to start again,  , we have contacted applicants to advise all applications are now being processed for the redeveloped scheme. 

Redeveloped Installer Scheme – documents  

MCS has published details of the redeveloped Installer Scheme (Jan 2025). This includes the core documents and updated structure. These documents should contain all the information your business will need to make the required changes to your business systems.
 
For now, we recommend you read through the redeveloped scheme documents and, review against current systems, and identify where current changes will be required within your MCS operations.

Outline of MCS aims and a letter from MCS CEO, Ian Rippin

Core documents, the updated structure for the redeveloped MCS Installer Scheme and FAQS. 

The core documents include:

• Installer Operating Requirements – this is the framework for how your business will maintain MCS certification. It outlines the requirements and processes that you need to follow. 
• Customer Commitment – this outlines an installer’s responsibility to protect and safeguard consumers and adhere to consumer protection laws. It ensures that customers are treated fairly, and they know where to turn if they need to complain.  
• MCS Installation Standards – these are the technical standards for how systems should be designed and installed. 
   What is changing? The technical requirements of the current MCS Installation Standards are not changing. They have been restructured and streamlined to be more focussed as “technical truths”. 
• Pre-sale Information and System Performance Estimate Standards – these outline how to carry out system performance estimates and the pre-sale information that must be provided to a customer for an installation.
   What is changing? The requirements are remaining the same. To improve clarity, they have been restructured and streamlined into their own technology-specific standards. 
• Also available: a diagram of the redeveloped scheme structure.

The core documents include: 

Installer Operating Requirements – this is the framework for how your business will maintain MCS certification. It outlines the requirements and processes that you need to follow.  

Customer Commitment – this outlines an installer’s responsibility to protect and safeguard consumers and adhere to consumer protection laws. It ensures that customers are treated fairly, and they know where to turn if they need to complain.   

MCS Installation Standards – these are the technical standards for how systems should be designed and installed.  
What is changing? The technical requirements of the current MCS Installation Standards are not changing. They have been restructured and streamlined to be more focussed as “technical truths”.  

Pre-sale Information and System Performance Estimate Standards – these outline how to carry out system performance estimates and the pre-sale information that must be provided to a customer for an installation.
What is changing? The requirements are remaining the same. To improve clarity, they have been restructured and streamlined into their own technology-specific standards.  

Also available: a diagram of the redeveloped scheme structure. 

Summary of changes 

There are 4 new main areas that have changed: 

Enhanced protections to boost consumer confidence and grow your reputation 

• Centralised complaints Management: MCS is now the single point of contact for complaints about MCS certified installers or installations. Further information available here: Centralised complaints Management 
• Customer Commitment: Outlines an installer’s responsibility to protect consumers and adhere to consumer protection laws, ensuring customers are treated fairly. You must give the Customer Commitment to your customer at the first point of contact, before entering a contract with them. 
• New financial protection products: Every installer will need to purchase an MCS approved financial protection product on behalf of their customer. This will provide a financial safety net for consumers who are unable to secure a resolution to an installation issue via their original installer, supporting the cost of remediation.  

More focus on delivered quality, less on administration

• Assessments in the redeveloped Scheme will focus more on how you have delivered quality to your customer – rather than how well you have met administrative requirements. 
• While you still need to show evidence of the processes and controls in place to consistently deliver quality, the emphasis of assessments will shift toward the actual outcomes achieved for your customers. 
• A risk-based assessment model determines the frequency of assessments undertaken by Certification Bodies – rewarding consistently compliant installers with fewer assessments and taking action on installers not meeting required standards and expectations. 

Clearer standards, simplified requirements

• The MCS technical standards have been updated and streamlined to make them easier to follow – providing a single source of “technical truth” that can be applied to any installation.
• MCS 001 and MCS 002 have been withdrawn, instead Installers must adhere to: Installer Operating Requirements and Conformity Assessment Guidelines 

A direct partnership with MCS

• Every certified installer will be assigned an MCS account manager, they will guide you through the MCS scheme checks and provide practical support, guidance, and resources to help you maintain compliance  
• Installer Agreement signed directly with MCS, this replaces the previous ‘Sub-Licence’ you signed with Us when becoming certified
• MCS Scheme Checks – these checks will be completed by MCS who will ensure you meet scheme requirements and understand the credibility and integrity of your business. 

Additional guidance

In addition to the documentation, guidance and FAQs provided by MCS, we’ve also provided additional FAQs on this page to assist with common questions.

You may also find it helpful to watch the webinars hosted by MCS and Installer Magazine (February and June 2025) about the redevelopment including questions from installers answered by MCS.

Redeveloped MCS: your questions answered.

MCS answers FAQs on its redeveloped Installer Scheme.

FAQs