Terms & Conditions

Licence Plus

Assessment & Certification Requirements

1. The client should have a fully operational management system including controlled and up to date documents.
2. The client will provide NetRet with a copy of the Management System Manual and other documentation as requested.
3. The client will grant permission for the conduct of an assessment by qualified assessors carrying out an assessment in two stages according to the agreed program.
4. The client will grant permission for UKAS or other nominated personnel to attend assessment audits as required, to verify the competence of NetRet assessors.
5. The client will grant permission for SC to share private and confidential company information with UKAS, TrustMark and Green Deal Orb when there is a requirement to do so.

Logo and Certification Icon

Rules governing the use of the NetRet Group Ltd registration mark and certification icons will be issued with the certificate and must be complied with

Complaints and Feedback

We have a customer compliant policy in place and being a customer focused organisation, your feedback is exceptionally important to us.

Any complaints should be raised immediately with our head office team so they can log your complaint and appropriate actions will be followed up.

We ask that every client completes our short post service feedback form to help us identify areas of improvement.

Follow link Complaints Procedure

TrustMark (Licence Plus) Fees and Charges

Separate quotations are provided for the various stages of certification which will include:

Initial Certification

• Process of your application for certification
• A document review of your existing system and visit
• Head office visit
• Technical inspections for each measure (note that these MUST be carried out within 90 days of a head office visit.)
• An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9am-5pm)
• Quotes do not include assessor expenses which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation, and meals. Milage is charged at £0.45 per mile
• Includes first certificate, NetRet mark of registration to use on your company collateral (there will be a small admin charge for any changes or additional certifications)
• Upon initial certification clients are required to complete a monthly installation log of all measure specific work to enable us to produce accurate surveillance costings for the maintenance of certification

Surveillance Visits

• An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9am-5pm)
• 1-10% of your installations will be inspected after the first year and initial certification
• The percentage is based on a risk assessment that is carried out during the initial certification assessments
• Quotes do not include assessor expenses which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals. Milage is charged at £0.45 per mile

Increase of scope 

• Process of your application for increase of scope
• A document review of your existing system and visit
• Head office visit
• Technical inspections for each measure
• An assessor-day rate based on normal working hours (9am-5pm)
• Quotes do not include assessor expenses which may include travelling, travel time, overnight accommodation and meals. Milage is charged at £0.45 per mile
• Includes first certificate, NetRet mark of registration to use on your company collateral (there will be a small admin charge for any changes or additional certifications)

In the event of the client cancelling any planned visits within 30 days of the appointment the full amount will be payable

Certification

Following a satisfactory assessment, technical inspections, verification of the assessment report, and completion of any corrective actions, we shall issue a certificate, which is valid for one year.

Subsequent yearly certificates are issued subject to continued satisfactory performance being achieved through surveillance assessments, which shall be carried out on 1-10% of your installations.

If a major non-conformance is found during the initial assessment process a recommendation for certification shall not be made until either corrective action has been verified by a site visit (which may be chargeable) or appropriate documentary evidence of corrective action has been submitted and approved by us.

If a major non-conformance is found during surveillance assessment you shall be required to carry out corrective action within an agreed timescale, which shall normally be no greater than 21 days following the assessment.

Where there are a high number of non-conformances (i.e. more than 5), there will be additional charges to review these due to the time it takes for additional assessment.

Conformance Levels

Non-Conformance

Non-conformance is the absence or failure to implement and maintain one or more requirements of the reference standard under assessment.

There are two grades of non-conformance:

Major Non-Conformance

The absence or failure to implement and maintain one or more requirements of the management system reference standard, or a situation which would, based on objective evidence, raise significant doubt as to the capability of the system to achieve the policy and objectives of the system.

A major non-conformance would also be raised if the organisation breached a legal requirement.

Certification shall not be granted or continued to be certified until all major non-conformities have been corrected and the corrective actions verified.

Minor Non-Conformance

A vague or unrevealing element of the management system, which may result in a small discrepancy that could be corrected with minimal organisational, operational, or technical change and within a reasonable time frame, (as opposed to a major non-conformance where the facility has not addressed or adequately addressed the criterion).

TrustMark Surveillance Visits Agreement

It is part of the Licence Plus requirement that Surveillance Visits commence as soon as your initial certification is granted. These are calculated as a % of your total number of installs; which will be between 1-10% dependant on your score.

These have to be completed before your next yearly head office assessment.

As part of your certification agreement, you must:

• Submit your weekly installation numbers so that the number of required visits can be monitored and calculated against the percentage required.
• As soon as the total number of % of surveillance visits need hits three, a list of properties will need to be submitted so that technical inspections can be arranged.
• Agree to a monthly surveillance assessment program to keep on top of the number of technical assessments required.
• It is a contractual requirement with Green Deal Orb that you submit your weekly installation figures to your Certification Body. Failure to do this could lead to both PAS 2030 Certification and TrustMark to be suspended. 

Special Assessment Visit

We reserve the right to make an additional chargeable Special Assessment Visit in the following circumstances:

• Where assessment is required verify the closure of Major non- conformances
• At initial evaluation the condition of the management system or scope of certification is not as described during the application stage
• Significant modifications to the management system have taken place
• Significant changes to the organisation, scope or processes have occurred which were not notified to us in sufficient time prior to the standard assessment visit
• Where we are required to investigate information on serious accidents or a breach of legislation resulting in the involvement of the regulatory authority
• A TrustMark notification to us that highlights concern as an Installer of Interest Assessment Plan

TrustMark Applicants

Any applicants wishing to gain TrustMark registration are advised to read their downloadable guidance found via this link to ensure the scheme requirements are fully understood. Please note all applications will be audited against its standards to confirm compliance before registration is granted:

Helpful Information, Guidance & Advice For Work Done Around Your Home (trustmark.org.uk)

Any installer who does not declare their outstanding Technical Monitoring fails during the application process, runs the risk of being automatically removed from the TrustMark scheme.

Installer of Interest Assessment Plan

Where there is an occasion that TrustMark have highlighted a high percentage of fails via their Technical Monitoring we reserve the right to move the organisation onto our “Installer of Interest Assessment Plan”.

We have designed this programme to provide Installers who have been identified as problematic with a chance to improve so that they can retain certification if they demonstrate improvement, rather than move to an immediate removal of their TrustMark registration.

• This is a short-term assessment programme in which the Installation Organisation will have the opportunity to demonstrate their move to reduce TM fails so that they can continue to retain their certification and TrustMark registration.
• The programme has been designed to ensure that the Installation Organisation is moving towards sustainable improvement and reduce risk of TM fails.
• The installer organisation will be required to:
  • Evidence corrective actions via a Special Assessment Visit to address the root cause of the TM fails.
  • Submit corrective actions through an improvement plan to demonstrate how the business intends to improve moving forward as agreed during the Special Assessment Visit
  • Evidence to show an improvement in technical fails.
• There is an additional fee to be moved onto the “Installer of Interest Assessment Plan” to cover the additional assessment and administration time required to closely monitor the installer organisation.
  • £995 + VAT (inclusive of expenses) for a Special Assessment Visit
  • £595 +VAT administration management fee per month
  • Once the improvement plan is in place a technical inspection will be required against each measure. We will offer for Special Assessment Inspections to coincide with your surveillance assessments.
  • If this can’t be coordinated to coincide with surveillance visits each Special Assessment Technical Inspection will be £500 +VAT

• PAS 2030 Certification and TrustMark Registration will be removed where an organisation is
  • Not willing to move onto the Installer of Interest Assessment Plan when required.
  • Fails to comply with the agreed corrective actions from the Special Assessment Visit
  • Becomes uncooperative and unresponsive.

Once we are satisfied that the Installation Organisation has demonstrated a change in their procedures to address the root cause to reduce risk, they will be moved back onto our standard surveillance programme.

Customer Complaints about your Organisation

If we receive a complaint about your organisation, we have a process in place that will need to be followed:

1. The complaint will be logged on our system and we will acknowledge receipt of the complaint within 72 hours to the complainant.
2. We will ask you as the installation company to provide details around the complaint so we can carry out an investigation.
3. We will ask that you – as the installation organisation – to contact the complainant direct in the first instance to try and resolve the issue.
4. Within four weeks we would expect in most cases for the complaint to be resolved with the installation company and complainant direct and we will ask you to provide evidence of this.
5. If within the four weeks, the issue is still outstanding the complainant may be given an option to access ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution)
6. If you are a TrustMark registered business, and the complainant feels the issue still has not been resolved, then we will provide them with an option to escalate the dispute to the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman (DRO) when all steps above have been exhausted.

As part of your certification agreement, we reserve the right to:

1. Carry out a special visit to the complainant’s property and/or your head office to investigate the complaint. This will be at cost to the installation organisation. Failure to comply with this could result in suspension of certification and TrustMark registration.
2. Ask for the installation organisation to provide evidence of how they have dealt with the complaint to demonstrate that process has been followed. Failure to comply with this could result in suspension of certification and TrustMark registration.
3. Increase risk scoring of the business (resulting in an increase of % for Surveillance Inspections) where we find that the installation organisation has failed to meet their own process.

TrustMark (Licence Plus) Certification Agreement

• As the client you will always fulfil the certification requirements including implementing appropriate changes when they are communicated by NetRet Group Ltd
• If the certification applies to ongoing production, the certified product continues to fulfil the product requirements.
• As our client you will make all necessary arrangements for
  • the conduct of the evaluation and surveillance (if required), including provision for examining documentation and records, and access to the relevant equipment, location(s), area(s), personnel, and subcontractors;
  • investigation of complaints;
  • the participation of observers, if applicable;
• The client makes claims regarding certification consistent with the scope of certification;
• The client does not use its product certification in such a manner as to bring NetRet Group Ltd into disrepute and does not make any statement regarding its product certification that NetRet Group Ltd may consider misleading or unauthorised;
• Upon suspension, withdrawal, or termination of certification, the client discontinues its use of all advertising matter that contains any reference thereto and takes action as required by the certification scheme (e.g. the return of certification documents) and takes any other required measure;
• If the client provides copies of the certification documents to others, the documents shall be reproduced in their entirety or as specified in the certification scheme;
• In making reference to its product certification in communication media such as documents, brochures or advertising, the client complies with the requirements of NetRet Group Ltd or as specified by the certification scheme;
• The client complies with any requirements that may be prescribed in the certification scheme relating to the use of marks of conformity, and on information related to the product;
• The client keeps a record of all complaints made known to it relating to compliance with certification requirements and makes these records available to NetRet Group Ltd when requested, and
  • takes appropriate action with respect to such complaints and any deficiencies found in products that affect compliance with the requirements for certification;
  • documents the actions taken;
• The client informs NetRet Group Ltd, without delay, of changes that may affect its ability to conform with the certification requirements.
  • the legal, commercial, organisational status or ownership,
  • organisation and management (e.g. key managerial, decision-making or technical staff),
  • modifications to the product or the production method,
  • contact address and production sites,
  • major changes to the quality management system.

How Long Certification Takes

There are many factors that impact the certification timeline, these are largely on our customer side as we have set timeframes that we work within that ensures we provide the excellent customer service and to manage your expectations.

The time frames are detailed below:

• Once you have paid, we will contact you within 72 hours to arrange your assessment dates.
• Assessment Reports will be submitted no more than 48 hours after the event. This is also when you will receive details of any non-conformances found.
• When you respond to a non-conformance, we will review your evidence no later than 10 working days.
• When all non-conformances are closed, we will send your reports for independent Technical Verification. We will complete this within 5 working days.
• Once the Technical Verification is complete, we will complete our Certification Decision Making Report. We aim to have this completed within 5 working days.
• Upon the decision to grant certification, we will produce your certificate which must pass our quality checks. We aim to have this completed within 5 working days.

The above time frames will be longer for the following reasons:

• Poor evidence is submitted to us against any raised non-conformance resulting in these being rejected and having to be re-submitted.
• Additional non-conformances are raised during Technical Verification and Certification Decision Making.

Use of our Mark of Registration

NetRet Group Ltd have the right to exercise the control the use and display of licenses, certificates, marks of conformity, and any other mechanisms for indicating a product is certified.

Incorrect references to the certification scheme, or misleading use of licenses, certificates, marks, or any other mechanism for indicating a product is certified, found in documentation or other publicity, shall be dealt with by suitable action.

A document explaining the use of certificates and logos is issued along with the certificate.

Head Office Assessment and Technical Inspections

For initial certification or a scope extension, technical inspections MUST be conducted within 90 days of the head office assessment to ensure that the validity of the assessment is maintained for the chosen measures.

Where the technical inspections have exceeded the 90 day period from the head office assessment, the head office  assessment will need to be repeated and is chargeable to the installation organisation.

Termination of Agreement

Both parties shall have the right to terminate the agreement at any time by giving three months’ notice in writing, or immediately should:

• The other party breach any of the conditions of certification and fail to remedy that breach within 30 days of being required to do so, or such other period as may be specified in writing.
• The other party repeat a material breach of the conditions of certification which it has been previously required to remedy.
• The other party become insolvent or enter into liquidation or has a receiver appointed or suffer any similar action as a consequence of debt.
• Upon such termination all fees and other payments shall become immediately payable and any certificate of registration issued by us shall be invalidated with effect from the date of termination.
• Upon withdrawal of certification, the client will discontinue its use of all advertising matter that contains reference to the relevant certification issued by Simply.
• Both the certificate and the rights to use the Simply registered symbol remain our property.

Suspension or Withdrawal of  Certification

The Certificate may be withdrawn or suspended for any of the following reasons

• Breach of any of these terms.
• The client’s certified management system has persistently or seriously failed to meet certification requirements
• Failure to apply corrective action because of non- conformities found at assessment or surveillance visits.
• Continued logo misuse.
• Failure of the customer to settle any outstanding invoice’s within the required invoicing term.

In the event of withdrawal or suspension of certification the customer shall discontinue any reference to their certification across their platforms.

The customer shall return all certification documentation to our offices.

NetRet Group Ltd will make public to all interested parties the status of the certification.