The APHC is to finance a project to investigate poor levels of Building Regulation enforcement and its impact on plumbing and heating contractors, following a summit with other industry bodies.

The project is due to begin in the New Year. Various industry organisations will support the Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC) as it gathers clear evidence to substantiate claims that the Building Regulations are not being properly enforced. The APHC aims to identify and present solutions for change to government.

At the summit, which was held on 9 December, APHC chief executive John Thompson identified two main parts of the project: identifying potential solutions to be presented to government; and conducting research to quantify the problem.

The project will focus specifically on Part G and Part J of the Building Regulations, which are specific to the plumbing and heating industry.

Central to solving the issue of lack of compliance in the industry will be gathering information regarding incorrect installations, including case studies and statistics to strengthen the case made to government. To support this research, installers are being encouraged to provide examples of non-compliant work, including the issues these have caused for the building's owner and occupants.

Also agreed upon by delegates was the importance of working to influence resource in enforcement bodies and looking at the models for reporting the process to building control, policing the process and establishing an industry-based solution.

Mr Thompson outlined the next steps to be taken, the first of which is to devise a first draft of a revised approach to the implementation arrangements associated with Building Regulation in plumbing and heating; a process expected to take between six to nine months.

Before the next meeting, which is due to be held on 8 March, 2016, a report will be circulated for review.

Mr Thompson said: "Our second Building Regulations summit has proven highly productive, allowing us to progress our work onto the next stage by formulating several solutions for change in this area. We hope that the whole industry will come together to support this project, which is aimed at improving trading conditions for bona fide plumbing and heating installers by making it more difficult for cowboy operators."