Frequently Asked Questions

Here you may find the answers to some of the more common enquiries we deal with on various schemes. If you don't find an answer, please feel free to call our Harrogate office on 0845 226 5401 (local call rates) or 01423 878 878.

My certificate is about to expire and I don't yet have an appointment for an assessor to visit. What should I do?
Please call and ask to speak to the relevant scheme co-ordinator. They will be able to confirm your status and may be able to raise an urgent visit.

How are appointments made?
Our systems keep track of forthcoming expiration dates. The appropriate assessor for the scheme will be notified in good time, and he or she will contact you directly to try and arrange a convenient date and time for the visit.

I have confirmed a visit with the assessor but I need to cancel or postpone it. What should I do?
Depending on the scheme regulations, as long as you give us plenty of notice, there should be no cancellation fee. Otherwise you may incur a penalty of at least one day's fee. Let us know as soon as you have a problem and we will try to organise another convenient date, but please bear in mind that your certificate may expire if the visit is not rescheduled in good time.

Why is the assessment fee payable in advance of the assessment visit?
This is standard practice in the certification industry. It allows assessments to be conducted in an independent way without either party being distracted by commercial pressures.

Will I get the same assessor on every annual visit?
PAI maintains a high degree of integrity and independence when conducting inspection visits, and our assessors are trained and verified on a regular basis to meet the stringent requirements of our accreditation body. Wherever possible, the assessors are rotated within their particular area, so it is unlikely that you will meet the same person on every visit.

I have lost my certificate. Can I get another copy from PAI?
Under normal circumstances this should not be a problem. PAI staff will check your current status and make arrangements to post or fax a copy to you.

The name on my certificate does not match my business trading name. Can I get this altered and reissued?
The assessor should have confirmed your details at the time of the visit and our reviewers check all details on the report very carefully. If you have changed your trading name or trading style, the company details and the scope of your operations will have to be confirmed. Depending on the circumstances, this may require a follow-up visit. PAI staff will be happy to answer any detailed questions about certification issues.

I need to send some photos to show that certains works have been carried out to comply with an action point raised on a visit. Can I send digital pictures via email?
This should not normally be a problem, as long as the images clearly show the relevant detail. Please call our Harrogate office (01423 878 878) and confirm the reviewer's email address before you send any images. The format can be colour JPEG or BMP, and the images are more likely to be accepted if you send a covering email (with descriptions of all the images), then send each additional picture attached to a separate email.

Please feel free to suggest new entries for this FAQ section.