Blue Flame Certification - Review

[7029 dave]

Its the same with lorry driving, gave my class1 up last year, could not be bothered with the medical, because don't have driver's CPC, you have to complete 35hrs in class room to get your blue card which has to be renewed every 5 years, no pass or fail but it's the money element just another money making scam, so with 23yrs of holding the license and experience it's gone and they wonder why there is a shortage of drivers.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Scams exist for one reason and one reason alone to extract money ...

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Great post @Pretty Mouth , detailed and relevant.

It's unfortunate you didn't join with a scheme a few years back after completing your course as you would have been accepted. Page 28 of the EAS document then says it is permitted to accept new QS from existing schemes, although there's a load of 'and' and 'ands' required!!

I have kept the spec of my EAS domestic installers course which specifically says it meets the requirements to become registered (at least it did at the time, I don't believe it would now as it is level 2). However, If you really need to become registered then I would contact each of the bodies and ask them all if your qualifications are sufficient. Hopefully you have something in writing with regards the spec of the course which says it is, basically get as much ammunition as you can.

If that fails then I guess you have 2 options, ask @telectrix (discreetly) for as much info as possible about how he still installs CU's, new circuits etc without being registered. Do the level 3 course, not as difficult to access as it may seem, there are on line courses I believe, with a small amount of classroom attendance required (ask @happysteve as I think he did one).

 

[Pretty Mouth]

Great post @Pretty Mouth , detailed and relevant.

It's unfortunate you didn't join with a scheme a few years back after completing your course as you would have been accepted. Page 28 of the EAS document then says it is permitted to accept new QS from existing schemes, although there's a load of 'and' and 'ands' required!!

I have kept the spec of my EAS domestic installers course which specifically says it meets the requirements to become registered (at least it did at the time, I don't believe it would now as it is level 2). However, If you really need to become registered then I would contact each of the bodies and ask them all if your qualifications are sufficient. Hopefully you have something in writing with regards the spec of the course which says it is, basically get as much ammunition as you can.

If that fails then I guess you have 2 options, ask @telectrix (discreetly) for as much info as possible about how he still installs CU's, new circuits etc without being registered. Do the level 3 course, not as difficult to access as it may seem, there are on line courses I believe, with a small amount of classroom attendance required (ask @happysteve as I think he did one).

Yeah, I probably should have got on it a bit sooner really. TBH, it's not that big a problem for me, not being registered. My 3rd party certifier now charges me very little, and doesn't even bother coming out to see the job now. He knows my work as I work for him regularly. I just send him the EIC, he notifies it, and I get charged a token amount. Unless I start doing loads of notifiables, it's cheaper this way too.

I might do the 2391, or EAL equivalent, anyway. I think it would be a good thing to have, and doesn't take all that long to complete

 

[vintageleccy]

Pretty Mouth is not the only one! I left one certifier due to their money-grabbing ethics, and have now been with the main two (plus the short-lived Stroma) for over 18years. I too thought I would try Blue Flag, all seemed to be rocking up quite well, had a positive telecon with their electrical guy and duly paid up £516 (VAT inc). the silence after paying was deafening, and at the end of the second week I withdrew my application and asked for my money back, which was paid rapidly when I hinted at litigation.
Another outfit is OFTEC, which is primarily concerned with oil-fired boiler techs, but they do a 'Part P' entry, which I went for, but but to get a positive outcome has been like pushing water uphill.
I know it is far-fetched, and possibly I'm barking up the wrong tree, but I am of the opinion that just maybe someone is either cajoling, or even greasing the palm not to accept anymore sparkies.

 

[DPG]

Pretty Mouth is not the only one! I left one certifier due to their money-grabbing ethics, and have now been with the main two (plus the short-lived Stroma) for over 18years. I too thought I would try Blue Flag, all seemed to be rocking up quite well, had a positive telecon with their electrical guy and duly paid up £516 (VAT inc). the silence after paying was deafening, and at the end of the second week I withdrew my application and asked for my money back, which was paid rapidly when I hinted at litigation.
Another outfit is OFTEC, which is primarily concerned with oil-fired boiler techs, but they do a 'Part P' entry, which I went for, but but to get a positive outcome has been like pushing water uphill.
I know it is far-fetched, and possibly I'm barking up the wrong tree, but I am of the opinion that just maybe someone is either cajoling, or even greasing the palm not to accept anymore sparkies.

Probably just incompetence rather than a conspiracy.

 

[Dustydazzler]

I have often thought that we need lots of PartPee / Domestic Installers Scams to keep each other honest and the fees down.

I am now leaning toward having 1 big PartPee Scam much like GasSafe (CORGI) which is instantly recognisable to the average home owner as the gold standard for Domestic installs

 

[Rockingit]

The only reason that I'm with a scam (and.... actually looking at taking on a Napit scheme as well as my existing NICEIC AC) is purely for marketing and 'credence'.

 

[Pretty Mouth]

As @DPG says, probably just incompetence. With Blueflame, they seem to be mainly aimed at gas and oil, and I suspect with few members on the electrical side of things, they're not properly set up for it. I'm still unregistered btw, and probably never will be.