Tools · Paperwork checker

Oil boiler, oil tank or solid-fuel stove: the paperwork you should have

A new or replacement oil boiler, oil tank or solid-fuel stove should leave a building regulations compliance certificate. The issuing scheme depends on the fuel and installer, so start with the certificate that matches the work.

England rules, checked against the official sources on 17 July 2026. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland run their own building control regimes.

OFTEC building compliance certificate

Who gives it to you: An OFTEC registered installer can self-certify covered oil-heating or oil-tank work and notify it through the scheme. GOV.UK says competent-person scheme work should produce a compliance certificate within 30 days of completion.

What it proves: The covered oil-heating or oil-tank installation was notified through the competent person scheme as building regulations work.

Check it or get a copy: Search OFTEC by postcode and house number or certificate number. A replacement costs £40 excluding VAT and is emailed after payment. If you do not know the certificate number, OFTEC asks for the full address and completion date. Official page (opens in new tab) · About this scheme

HETAS certificate of compliance

Who gives it to you: A HETAS registered installer notifies the solid-fuel installation through HETAS. HETAS sends the record to the local authority and says the certificate is posted within 2 weeks.

What it proves: The solid-fuel or biomass installation was self-certified as complying with the relevant building regulations.

Check it or get a copy: Search HETAS by postcode or reference number, verify your email address, then order a copy. The certificate costs £36 and HETAS says the paid copy and invoice arrive by email within 30 minutes. Official page (opens in new tab) · About this scheme

When no paperwork is expected

This checker covers new or replacement appliances and oil tanks. Repairs and maintenance can follow different rules, so check with building control if the work does not clearly fit one of those categories.

Worth knowing

  • The rules on unauthorised building work changed in 2023 and many guides are still wrong about it. A council can now serve a section 36 notice requiring work to be pulled apart or fixed for 10 years after completion (it used to be 12 months), and prosecution for breaching building regulations carries an unlimited fine and up to 2 years with no time limit. Missing paperwork does not quietly expire. Building Act 1984, sections 35 and 36, as amended by the Building Safety Act 2022 (opens in new tab)
  • When you sell, the Law Society TA6 property information form asks you to disclose alterations and attach the paperwork: planning permissions, building regulations approvals, completion certificates and scheme certificates such as FENSA. The TA6 6th edition becomes mandatory for accredited firms on 30 March 2026. Law Society: TA6 6th edition (opens in new tab)
  • Indemnity insurance is a product solicitors sometimes discuss for missing certificates (roughly £20 to £300). Whether it applies is a question for your solicitor: it does not make the work compliant or safe, and because contacting the council about the work can affect eligibility, talk to your solicitor before making any calls. HomeOwners Alliance: no building regulations approval (opens in new tab)
  • Planning permission and building regulations are separate systems. A Lawful Development Certificate covers planning only and does not remove the need to comply with building regulations, and a building regulations certificate is not planning permission. GOV.UK: lawful development certificates (opens in new tab)

If the work still needs doing, or redoing

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Common questions

What paperwork should I have for an oil boiler, oil tank or solid-fuel stove?

OFTEC building compliance certificate; HETAS certificate of compliance. A new or replacement oil boiler, oil tank or solid-fuel stove should leave a building regulations compliance certificate. The issuing scheme depends on the fuel and installer, so start with the certificate that matches the work.

What if the oftec building compliance certificate is missing?

Search OFTEC first. A missing result can mean the work was not notified through OFTEC or that the address was entered incorrectly, so ask the original installer what route they used. Source: OFTEC: order a building compliance certificate.

What if the hetas certificate of compliance is missing?

For recent work, contact HETAS support promptly. HETAS says a certificate that has not arrived within 2 weeks can be replaced without the duplicate fee when raised within 2 months. Source: HETAS: certificates of compliance.

Does missing paperwork stop me selling the house?

Not by itself, but the TA6 property information form asks sellers to disclose alterations and attach the paperwork, and buyers' solicitors chase gaps. Reordering a lost certificate is usually cheap and fast; where work was never signed off, regularisation and other options exist to discuss with your solicitor.

This is guidance from the public rules, not legal or conveyancing advice. Your council, the scheme body and your solicitor have the final say on your situation.

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