Find a HETAS-Registered Log Burner Installer Near You
Request up to 3 free quotes from vetted HETAS-registered installers in your postcode area. HETAS lists installers in England, Wales and Scotland, but its building-regulations self-certification route applies only in England and Wales.
Why HETAS registration matters
HETAS is the Competent Person Scheme specialising in solid-fuel and biomass installations. In England and Wales, a registered installer can self-certify eligible work against the applicable national Building Regulations and notify the local authority through HETAS. That normally means:
- No separate advance Building Control application for eligible work covered by the scheme
- The registered business remains responsible for commissioning and self-certifying its own work
- You receive a Certificate of Compliance that can evidence the notified work to an insurer or conveyancer
- HETAS sends the installation record to the relevant local authority
HETAS registration can still demonstrate installer competence in Scotland, but Competent Person Scheme notification does not replace the Scottish building-standards process. It does not replace the district-council process in Northern Ireland either.
Check the approval route for your nation
- England and Wales: eligible HETAS-registered work can be self-certified and notified through the Competent Person Scheme.
- Scotland: check the local-authority building warrant and completion-certificate process against the current Domestic Technical Handbook.
- Northern Ireland: contact your district council’s building-control service and consult Technical Booklet L before work starts; HETAS notification is not a substitute.
How to verify a HETAS installer
- Ask for their 4-digit HETAS Company ID — this can be checked against the registered business name
- Verify the ID on hetas.co.uk via “Find Installer” or “Check Business”
- Ask to see their HETAS Registered Operative card (renamed from the previous Installer card in November 2025)
- Confirm they carry a minimum of £2 million public liability insurance — HETAS requires this for registration
What a good installer quote looks like
From the patterns that recur in r/DIYUK and Facebook log burner groups:
Green flags
- Itemised: stove, liner, hearth, register plate, CO alarm, scaffolding, labour, certification
- Pre-install chimney CCTV survey before quoting
- Confirms Smoke Control Area status
- HETAS Company ID on the document
- Reasonable deposit (10–30%), not full upfront
- Mentions which Ecodesign / clearSkies model
Red flags
- Quote excludes the liner (#1 post-install complaint)
- “Disappeared after deposit” — well-documented pattern
- Implies HETAS without naming a registration number
- Suspiciously cheap day rate (£100–£150)
- Reluctant to commit to a certificate timeline
UK installer day rates (2026)
HETAS-registered installer day rates vary 30–50% across the UK. The cost element of your install reflects this.
- London / South East: £300–£500/day
- Rest of England: £130–£250/day
- Scotland / Wales / Northern Ireland: £130–£200/day
Most installers prefer fixed quotes per complete job rather than day rates. Typical fixed-quote ranges for labour alone: £500–£1,500 (existing chimney) or £1,000–£2,500 (twin-wall flue).
Peak season vs off-peak — when to book
UK stove demand is sharply seasonal. Book in spring or summer for an autumn install — best of both worlds:
- Peak (Sept–Dec): 60–70% of annual bookings. Lead times 8–12 weeks for established installers. Premium pricing.
- Off-peak (Apr–Aug): 2–4 week lead times. Better availability. Some installers offer discounts to fill capacity.
Lost your HETAS certificate?
For an installation notified through HETAS, search its central database to retrieve a copy:
- Visit hetas.co.uk/consumer/certificates-of-compliance/
- Search by postcode or reference number
- Pay the current £36 fee; HETAS says the email should arrive within 30 minutes
In England or Wales, if no record exists, ask the installer and Local Authority Building Control what notification or regularisation route is available. Fees and any remedial work are determined locally. Scotland and Northern Ireland use their own approval and completion processes instead.
Installing without HETAS or the correct approval
- England and Wales: use an eligible Competent Person Scheme installer or arrange the applicable building-control approval and notification
- Scotland and Northern Ireland: HETAS registration does not remove the need to follow the relevant local building-standards or building-control process
- Insurance and sale: insurers and conveyancers may ask for evidence that the installation followed the approval route applicable where the property is located
- Retrospective certification: a HETAS-registered installer cannot self-certify work they didn’t personally carry out — that’s a foundational rule of the Competent Person Scheme
HETAS and Building Regulations guides
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to use a HETAS-registered installer?
Not necessarily. In England and Wales, an appropriately registered HETAS installer can self-certify eligible work and notify Local Authority Building Control through the Competent Person Scheme; otherwise, arrange the applicable building-control route. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, HETAS notification does not replace the separate local approval process.
How do I know an installer is really HETAS-registered?
Ask for their 4-digit HETAS Company ID and verify it on hetas.co.uk via the "Find Installer" or "Check Business" tools. They should also carry a HETAS Registered Operative card (renamed from the previous Installer card in November 2025).
What does a HETAS certificate cost?
Ask whether notification and certification are included in the installer’s quote; HETAS does not prescribe how the commercial price is itemised. The current HETAS replacement-certificate fee is £36. Competent Person Scheme notification applies in England and Wales, not Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Can I get a HETAS certificate retrospectively?
A HETAS registrant cannot self-certify work carried out by someone else. In England or Wales, ask Local Authority Building Control which notification or regularisation route is available; fees, evidence and remedial work are decided locally. Scotland and Northern Ireland use their own approval and completion systems.
What if my installer goes out of business before issuing the certificate?
Search HETAS’s certificate database by postcode or reference number. For work in England or Wales, if no notification exists, contact HETAS and Local Authority Building Control for the appropriate next step. Do not use this process as a substitute for the separate Scottish or Northern Irish approval systems.
How long does a HETAS installation take?
Installation time depends on the chimney, flue route and building work. For eligible work notified in England or Wales, HETAS says the Certificate of Compliance is posted within 2 weeks after installer notification.
What if I’m selling my house without a HETAS certificate?
A conveyancer may request the certificate as evidence that work in England or Wales was notified. Search HETAS’s database first; if no record exists, ask the conveyancer and Local Authority Building Control what evidence or corrective route is acceptable. Scotland and Northern Ireland use different completion evidence.