
The scheme is a national accreditation which checks and approves businesses and their plumbers to give customers reassurance about the tradesmen undertaking work for them.
It brings together thousands of qualified contractors employed by plumbing businesses from the seven existing approved contractors scheme across the UK including:
- The Water Industry Approved Plumbers Scheme (WIAPS)
- Association of plumbing and heating contractors (APHC)
- Chartered Institute of plumbing and hating engineering (CIPHE)
- Scottish and Northern Ireland plumbing employer’s federation (SNIPEF)
- Anglian Water (APLUS)
- Seven Trent Watermark
- Thames Water (TAPS)
Our aim is to help you find the nearest qualified plumbing engineer local to you to help keep water supplies safe and healthy in homes and businesses.
Using an approved plumber/plumbing business helps prevent the risk of drinking water being contaminated by poor plumbing practices or substandard products.
The scheme is supported by the government watchdogs for drinking water (The Drinking Water Inspectorates) in England and Wales.
The drinking inspectorate (Northern Ireland) and the Drinking Water Quality Regulator Scotland.
NHS guidance advises all hospital trust to use approved WaterSafe approved plumbers in their premises.
Our Partners
APHC | CIPHE | SEVERN TRENT | SNIPEF | THAMES WATER | WAPS

Since 1998 Checkatrade has been the customers first choice in finding tradesmen.
Why?
Because we only allow the best tradespeople to become members. We have full checks. Our vetting process has proven to be the most significant way of protecting our customers and achieving the Checkatrade mission of stamping our rouge traders.
Here are some of the vetting checks members have before they can join Checkatrade.
- Interviews
- ID Checks
- Accreditations and qualifications
- References
- CCJ’s
- Trading History
- Insurance
Proud members of checkatrade.com. 
About Our Code of Conduct
After undergoing a rigorous assessment process to become endorsed Which? Trusted traders sign up to our code of conduct. The code is there to give customers the best possible protection.
How the code works for you
When traders join the scheme, they must abide by the details in our code of conduct. It is an extra layer pf security that ensures Which? Trusted traders are following best practice and procedures. In relation to how they handle: customer cancelations rights, payments, guarantees and warranties, insurance complaints and other areas.
We fully investigate any breaches of the code of conduct of Which? Trusted trader does breach the code of conduct, this could lead to them being removed from the scheme altogether.
Download Code of Conduct.

What is Gas Safe Register?
Gas Safe Register is the only official Gas Registration body of Gas Business and engineers in the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Guernsey. By law all gas businesses must be on the gas register.
A Gas Engineer can only be aligned to a registered business and be issued with a license to underate gas work on behalf of a registered business if they hold a valid and current qualification. The evidence of competence relates only to matters of Gas Safety and is obtained by every engineer through a recognised route of training and assessment.

Registration is only given based on the business having at least one Gas Safety qualified engineer.
The register is not a membership or trade association.
The register (and all services associated with it) is operated on behalf of the relevant Health & Safety Authority for each region in which it operates – i.e Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and Guernsey.
Gas Safe Register replaced Corgi as the only Gas Registration body in Great Britain and Isle of Man on April 2009 and in Northern Ireland and Guernsey on April 2009.
Can you get involved in financial issues?
Gas Safe Register remit is limited to Gas Safety and we are unable to investigate any contractual, financial or conduct issues that you may have. However, your local trading standards office, Citizens Advice Bureau or the environmental health department at your local council may be able to provide you with some guidance.
Gas Leaks or Smell of Fumes – what shall I do?
If you smell gas, then call the free 24 hour National Gas Emergency Helpline. England, Wales and Scotland. Natural Gas (NG) 0800 002 001