Our qualified chartered professionals can certify your property with a Professional Consultants Certificate to help you raise finance on projects completed in the last six years.
A Professional Consultants Certificate, issued by a chartered architect, chartered architectural technologist, or chartered surveyor, serves as a testament to the quality of a new build or recently converted property for a duration of six years from its issuance.
This carefully assessed document becomes a valuable asset for securing financing, whether for a buy-to-let investment or a remortgage on the newly constructed or converted residence. PCC’s are commonly referred to as an ‘Architects Certificate,’ the accurate term is the ‘Professional Consultants Certificate,’ the preferred term endorsed by UK Finance, the entity succeeding the Council of Mortgage Lenders.
Should you require a PCC to facilitate financing for your new property, Starki possess the expertise to promptly draft one for you. Now, let’s delve into the specifics of what this certificate entails.
A Professional Consultants Certificate is essential for raising a mortgage on a property completed in the last six years. Banks and building societies typically require certification either through the Professional Consultants Certificate, backed by UK Finance, or a National House Builders’ Council (NHBC) warranty. The PCC serves as technical certification of build quality when selling, mortgaging, or refinancing a property built in the last six years.
A PCC is widely accepted by lenders, supported by the consultant’s professional indemnity insurance, attesting to the structural quality of the dwelling. If you don’t plan to sell in the next six years, it might not be necessary, but it’s better to be safe than sorry down the line.
The Professional Consultants Certificate (PCC) serves as a confirmation to your mortgage lender that a seasoned and accredited consultant, such as a Chartered Architectural Technologist at Starki, has actively participated in your project. This involvement can be either through continuous monitoring or retrospective assessment.
In a monitoring service, our consultant oversees the property’s construction via multiple site inspections and subsequently approves the structural quality of the build. Alternatively, with a retrospective PCC, our consultant thoroughly examines the new build or conversion, ensuring compliance with building regulations and contract instructions based on available information.
Moreover, the PCC provides a guarantee that the designated consultant remains responsible for any structural issues for the first buyers and their lender (as well as subsequent purchasers and lenders) for a period of six years from the certificate’s issuance. This assurance includes the consultant’s:
It’s important to note that a PCC is a straightforward certification by a qualified and accredited professional—it’s not an insurance policy. While an architectural technologist can reasonably be expected to identify and address structural faults during each visit, they cannot be held liable for latent minor defects and issues that may emerge later.
In essence, the PCC offers significant peace of mind and is a vital investment to facilitate financing for your project at Starki.
Our Professional Consultants Certificate provides a practical avenue for securing funding, especially for smaller-scale projects. Given that many developments in the country are undertaken by self-builders or small developers with a limited project portfolio, the PCC offers a valuable solution.
95% of lenders in the UK Finance Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook accept the PCC. If needed retrospectively, we can expedite the process in just a few days, provided you have all the necessary documentation.
Moreover, the versatility of a PCC extends to its interim use during various stages of construction. It serves as authorisation to draw down funds from the bank through stage payments—a crucial lifeline in the complex lifespan of a construction project. This service can be included in your upfront fee or obtained separately.
Since the PCC is a certification rather than an insurance policy, there’s no premium element, making it a cost-effective alternative compared to structural warranties or latent defects insurance products—rarely necessary for smaller projects. Notably, PCCs are often more budget-friendly than an NHBC warranty. It’s worth mentioning that a PCC is not suitable for larger, mixed-use developments.
By opting for a PCC, small developers or self-builders can achieve over 50% savings on certification costs while still meeting the lender’s requirements for financing.
Where a warranty has been granted, but the provider is no longer in business, a PCC will stand valid to demonstrate build quality.
A PCC was formerly known as an Architects Certificate, and is often called by this name.
UK Finance created the PCC on behalf of banks and building societies to standardise the certification of newly built or newly converted residential property.
The UK Finance standard PCC certification needs to be administered and signed off by a professional consultant such as a Chartered Architectural Technologist.
If you’re looking to raise finance on a new build project, then a Professional Consultants Certificate is all that is required, as it covers structural defects and ensures construction quality.
NHBC/Structural Warranties offer a greater level of protection as they are insurance policies and look to cover every eventuality. As such, they are suitable for large, multi-unit projects, and are not necessary for smaller projects.
A PCC can be transferred into the name of a new owners for a period of six years following the date of issue.
If you have not started a build, then you will require a monitoring service. We will make a total of five inspections during the course of the works to satisfy the PCC.
These can provide you with interim (or stage) certificates, which can be used for ‘draw down’ payments from the banks.
If your build has been completed, then you will require our retrospective service where we will make one inspection after the build is completed.
PCC’s are a fixed-fee, meaning there are no extras to worry about. We will include all of the necessary pre-visit checks, five site visits and post-visit administrative work, VAT, and disbursements and costs to certify the property.
Our services for providing PCCs start from £1500+VAT, and we will provide you with an exact fee schedule on receipt of your details.
In contrast, a NHBC/Structural Warranty usually exceeds the cost of a PCC several times over.