Question 1

1. What is a Professional Consultants Certificate?

Accepted Answer

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) now called UK Finance has created the PCC on behalf of the banks to formalise and standardise the certification of newly built or newly converted residential property.

The UK Finance standard PCC certificate needs to be administered and signed off by a chartered professional consultant such as a Surveyor who must be registered with the Chartered Institute of Builders (CIOB), Royal institute of Chartered Surveyors  (RICS), Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE) or an Architect who is registered with the Architects Registration Board (ARB) in order for it to be valid.

Professional Consultants Certificates were previously called Architects Certificates and this name is still commonly used around the UK. This certification confirms that a professional consultant has monitored the progress of the building work. During the construction period, the provider of the certificate will give you a letter confirming that they will be supervising the construction. In some cases, this letter is required by mortgage lenders.

Question 2

Why do I need a Professional Consultants Certificate?

Accepted Answer

To access lending to either develop a property or to buy a property which has been developed in the last 10 years, lenders require assurances that the development work has been completed to industry standards. The Professional Consultants Certificate provides this assurance.

Question 3

When Should I Take a Professional Consultants Certificate?

Accepted Answer

A PCC will be essential in cases where the owner of the property needs to sell the building, and the buyer needs a mortgage to afford the house. You may also need this certificate if you want to rent out the property and wish to release equity by taking out a mortgage. PCCs are usually issued at the end of the construction period.

Question 4

What is Covered by a Professional Consultants Certificate?

Accepted Answer

A PCC isn’t a warranty. It doesn’t provide cover for structural defects in the property. This document only offers peace of mind to the homeowner and mortgage lender as it shows that the project was properly constructed. In the case of a structural defect, the architect may be liable. It is important to note that negligence must be proven in court for the architect to cover the cost of repairs. Note that they will only be liable if they are solvent and trading at the time. Also, the architect must maintain a sufficient level of professional indemnity insurance for the entire time that the certificate will be valid.  PCCs are only issued after satisfactory completion of a building, and they are valid for 6 years from the date of completion. After these 6 years, you won’t be protected by a PCC.  For a more comprehensive cover, you can consider getting a structural warranty. This cover lasts for 10 years and covers the cost of repairs or even a complete rebuild of the property. In case the building develops structural issues, you will get immediate compensation without having to prove negligence. While structural warranties have many benefits over PCCs, PCCs are a good alternative for homeowners who don’t have money to spare. You should note that both covers can be used to obtain a mortgage.

Question 5

How Much Does a Professional Consultants Certificate Cost?

Accepted Answer

The cost of a PCC will vary depending on the build cost and gross internal floor area (GIFA) of the unit, but is cheaper than a structural warranty. You can contact our team to get a quote for your project.

Question 6

Should You Take a Warranty or Professional Consultants Certificate?

Accepted Answer

If you have a newly-built property, you can either take out a warranty or a PCC. Most people choose PCCs because they are cost-effective. You may even receive generous discounts if you have a number of properties to certify. Additionally, architects offer flexible payment options for the PCCs.  While they can be great for people who wish to save money, architect’s certificates won’t be suitable for everyone.  First, you should remember that PCCs aren’t insurance policies. That means they won’t automatically cover any repair costs of your home. Claims against the consultant will only be for negligence and will be covered by the architect’s professional indemnity insurance. If the architect becomes insolvent, the insurance may lapse, and this will leave you without any cover.

Question 7

Who Can Issue Professional Consultants Certificates?

Accepted Answer

PCCs are most commonly issued by architects, but other consultants with the necessary qualifications can also issue the certificate. These qualifications are listed in the CML handbook here: https://lendershandbook.ukfinance.org.uk/lenders-handbook/pcc/

It is worth noting that the consultants will usually need to have been involved in the construction of the buildings. This way, they can be certain that everything was done in the right way. This is one reason why retrospective PCCs are rarely issued.

Question 8

Which lenders accept Professional Consultants Certificates?

Accepted Answer

More than 80% of lenders accept the Professional Consultants Certificate. A full list of these lenders can be found here: https://lendershandbook.ukfinance.org.uk/lenders-handbook/pcc/

Professional Consultants Certificates