Pete has constantly pointed out over the years that the BBA tests and ‘accredits’ all sorts of dodgy gimmicks that don’t do what they are claimed to do. This applies in particular to damp proofing products.
So yesterday we were told they had their status suspended by the government:
This is the article from the Inside Housing team:
The suspension by UKAS means that the BBA can not currently cannot issue safety certificates to building products manufacturers.
UKAS is the national accreditation body for the United Kingdom, appointed by the government, to assess organisations that provide certification, testing, inspection and calibration services.
It therefore has oversight of the BBA, which is the construction sector’s independent certification body for demonstrating compliance with building regulations.
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An update on the BBA’s website reads: “On 26 February 2026, we were notified that UKAS has instigated a temporary suspension of the BBA’s accreditation status, due to a change in corporate structure in 2025.
“This means that at present, we are unable to issue certificates under the accreditation status.
“The issues identified are administrative-only in nature, concerning company documentation and do not in any way relate to the organisation’s competency or ability to function as a certification body.
“Work continues as usual and that we do not anticipate this temporary suspension having an impact on the overall certification process.”
The suspension comes a little over a week after the government unveiled sweeping changes to the UK’s product regulatory regime, saying “too little has changed” since the Grenfell fire.
The Construction Products Reform White Paper, published last week, outlines plans to close regulatory gaps and strengthen oversight of the system.
The 138-page policy document is a response to a green paper published last February, and comes after failures in the construction product market were identified as a central issue in the Grenfell Inquiry’s Phase 2 report.
The government has also launched a consultation on the measures proposed in the white paper, which will enhance oversight of testing and certification processes and improve information requirements, digitisation and traceability.
The BBA featured heavily in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Inside Housing reported how the BBA was accused of being “supine and leaden-footed” when it failed to immediately withdraw a cladding certificate after the fire.
The inquiry heard how the BBA published an “inaccurate and misleading” certificate covering the Kooltherm K15 insulation that was found on parts of Grenfell Tower by “extrapolating” information from other products rather than obtaining original test data.
A government official also wrote to the BBA in 2014 warning it of an error contained in its certificate for the insulation used on Grenfell Tower, describing the issue as “a serious safety matter”.