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Heat pump: the paperwork you should have

Heat pump paperwork mirrors solar: the MCS certificate carries the grant and the resale value, alongside commissioning records and building regulations sign off through the installer's scheme.

England rules, checked against the official sources on 2026-07-17. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland run their own building control regimes.

MCS installation certificate

Who gives it to you: The MCS certified installer generates it at handover.

What it proves: The installation meets the MCS standard. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant (£7,500 for air to water and ground source systems) is only available through an MCS certified installer, who applies on your behalf.

Check it or get a copy: Same routes as solar: free reissue from the installer, or £36 including VAT from MCS with proof of address if the installer has gone. Official page (opens in new tab) · Check a registration number · About this scheme

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 a heat pump?

MCS installation certificate. Heat pump paperwork mirrors solar: the MCS certificate carries the grant and the resale value, alongside commissioning records and building regulations sign off through the installer's scheme.

What if the mcs installation certificate is missing?

Chase the MCS reissue first; the certificate matters for warranties, the grant record and resale. Source: MCS: Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

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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