When you register as a BER or DEC assessor, you commit to carrying out your work in accordance with the Code of Practice.

Roles and responsibilities

The Code of Practice applies to domestic, non-domestic BER assessors and DEC assessors. It details the key responsibilities of BER and DEC assessors including the following:

  • Deliver a high level of service and professionalism to clients
  • Act in an independent and transparent manner at all times
  • Conduct assessments independently of other suppliers or installers of energy-related products or services
  • Verify the accuracy of every data point compiled and used in assessments
  • Submit all required data upon completion of assessments
  • Upload complete assessments directly to SEAI’s National Administration System for publication of BER/DEC certificates and advisory reports
  • Issue BER/DEC certificates and advisory reports directly to their clients once they are accepted into the national BER register maintained by SEAI

The Code is issued by SEAI in line with Regulation 17 (1)(g) of the EU (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2012.

Download the Code of Practice

Letter of engagement

The letter of engagement is a requirement of the Code of Practice. It is a record of the agreement between you and your client. If there is a disagreement between you and your client, it can be helpful.

The letter should contain the following:

Detailed description of services

A detailed description of the proposed services and works to be agreed between you and your client.

Potential additional costs

Include circumstances where the client may incur additional costs, VAT or expenses.

Quotation of the proposed costs

Before you provide a quotation, ask if any upgrade or extension work has been carried out on the building. You should not start any assessment work until your client has accepted your quotation. If possible get this in writing.

Declaration of interest

You must disclose all relevant business interests to your client. These include direct or indirect commercial connections you may have to manufacturers, suppliers, consultants or installers of energy-related products or services. Use the declaration of interest form to help you provide these details.

For further information on the letter of engagement and independence, refer to Section 6 and 11 of the Code of Practice.

View sample letter of engagement

Client preparation

We recommend that you give domestic clients the BER Homeowner's Checklist to help them prepare for their BER assessment and get the best outcome.

Documentary evidence

The BER homeowners checklist helps homeowners understand the need for documentary evidence. It explains why default values are used when there is insufficient evidence available. You should use non-default values in the assessment when adequate evidence for these values is available.

Data integrity

The data you compile and input for the assessment and related calculations should accurately represent the building. The data should be capable of being verified in any subsequent monitoring and compliance processes. Registered assessors should always do the following.

  • Visit the premises to collect the data for the assessment
  • Obtain unique photographic evidence from the premises
  • Have all supporting documentation before publishing the assessment

Confidentiality and data protection

When you collect or process BER and client data, it is your responsibility to follow the applicable Data Protection Regulations.

As a BER assessor you have the responsibility to:

  • ensure there are appropriate technical and organisational security measures in place to store personal data and/or BER records
  • use and process BER data only for its intended purposes, for example when completing or publishing BER assessments
  • have processes in place to deal with potential data breaches or data subject requests
  • avoid the collection of unnecessary data such as special category personal data
  • keep the identity of clients and BER records confidential
  • ensure no unrequired personal or special category data is included in the information uploaded to DEAP
  • not make disclosures to other parties except where required to do so by law, SEAI or its authorised officers
View our BER/DEC Privacy Notice

BER Helpdesk

Registered assessors: registered@ber.seai.ie

Quality Assurance queries: qa@ber.seai.ie

Call: 01 808 2029