Retrospective Professional Consultants Certificates, explained.

Yes. A Professional Consultants Certificate can be issued retrospectively based on a thorough site inspection together with a review of the available paperwork, and is valid for six years from the date of our final inspection. Acceptance is the important caveat: while a PCC issued during construction is accepted by most UK lenders, a retrospective PCC is accepted by fewer, and it varies from lender to lender. That's why we check your specific lender's requirements before you book, and tell you straight if a retrospective PCC won't work for them.

The end document is the same. A PCC issued during the build is supported by periodic inspections as the works progress; a retrospective PCC is supported by a single comprehensive site inspection plus documentary evidence of the work that was carried out (Building Regulations sign-off, drawings, service certificates and so on). The practical difference is lender acceptance: a monitored PCC is recognised by most lenders, whereas a retrospective one is accepted by a narrower set, which is why we check your lender before you commit.

It depends on the lender, and we'll be straight with you: a retrospective PCC is accepted by fewer lenders than a PCC issued during construction. Some accept them; others insist on a PCC supported by monitoring inspections during the build, or on a structural warranty. Because it varies, we check your specific lender's requirements before you book, and if a retrospective PCC won't be accepted by your lender, we tell you up front rather than take the instruction.

It's rarely a deal-breaker. We work with what you have and what we can verify on site. For instance, where Building Control records have been lost, we may rely on the surveyor's on-site assessment plus a Regularisation Certificate from the local authority. We'll tell you upfront if anything will affect the certificate's scope.

From booking the inspection to the signed certificate landing in your inbox is typically 7 days. We have surveyors covering every UK county, so an inspection visit is usually possible within a week of you confirming the booking. If you're against a deadline, a 3-day priority turnaround is available for an extra fee.

We send you a draft certificate before anything is finalised. If we've flagged remedial items, you have three choices: fix the items and we re-inspect; accept the certificate with the items noted (some lenders accept this with retentions); or withdraw and pay only for the inspection time. We never sign a PCC for a property we haven't satisfied ourselves about.

Pricing is fixed and transparent: £950 for a single unit, £600 per unit on developments of six or more, and bespoke pricing on 50+ unit schemes. Retrospective certificates are priced the same as PCCs issued during construction. There's no surcharge.

No. We work around occupants, whether that's tenants, your buyer in residence on a delayed completion, or you yourself. Where access to specific areas (loft, basement, plant room) is restricted, we ask in advance so the visit is productive.

There's no hard cut-off, but the inspection has to be able to confirm the property meets the relevant standards at the time the works were carried out. We're comfortable issuing PCCs on properties built up to about 10 years ago provided the documentary trail is reasonable; older completions are assessed case by case.

No, and you wouldn't want one. The certificate is signed and dated on the day we satisfy ourselves the property meets the standards, and is valid for six years from that date. That date is what lenders rely on.

Yes. Where only a specific element of the property has been built or significantly altered (extension, loft conversion, basement, garage-to-habitable conversion), we can issue a PCC scoped to that element. The certificate scope is set out clearly so there's no ambiguity for the lender.

They're solving different problems. Indemnity insurance protects against a specific named risk (often a missing Building Regulations certificate or a planning irregularity) but doesn't involve any inspection or certification of the building itself. A retrospective PCC actively confirms, after on-site inspection, that the property has been built to acceptable standards. Lenders treat them differently.

Yes, and that's a common scenario. We can have a draft to your conveyancer within a week of inspection so the certificate can be released alongside the contract pack.

Helpful but not required. The surveyor needs access (keys, codes, or a contact on site). We'll always send the inspecting surveyor's details ahead of the visit.

Every PCC we issue is backed by £1m of professional indemnity insurance on an aggregate basis. The certificate is the consultant's professional statement, and any subsequent claim is brought against the consultant's PI policy, which is why lenders require a minimum level of PI cover from the certifying professional in the first place.