Choosing an MCS heat pump installer: checks, quotes and red flags

An air source heat pump outside a brick house

The right heat pump installer matters more than the brand of heat pump. Choose one who is MCS certified, belongs to an approved consumer code, visits to measure your house room by room, and gives you the design and performance figures in writing before you sign. Walk away from anyone who rushes you or quotes without a survey.

What MCS certification means

MCS describes itself as “the UK’s quality mark for renewable energy systems like solar panels and heat pumps”. Certified installers are assessed against MCS standards covering design, installation, commissioning and handover, and must use heat pumps listed on the MCS website.

It matters for money as well as quality. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant of £7,500, or £9,000 when replacing oil or LPG until 31 March 2027, is only available through an MCS certified installer. Eligibility criteria apply. Ofgem’s guidance adds that the installer must also be a member of an approved consumer code. The approved codes are:

the Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC);
the Home Insulation and Energy Systems Contractors Scheme (HIES); and
the MCS consumer code (MCS: 2025).

After the job, the installer must register it on the MCS Installation Database within 10 working days of commissioning and send you an MCS certificate.

How to check an installer

Search the MCS register. Use Find an Installer and filter for heat pumps. In England and Wales it also shows installers registered for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Check the consumer code. RECC has a Find a Code Member search on its website. If the installer names a different code, check its member list.
Ask for local examples. An installer who has fitted heat pumps in houses like yours should be happy to explain how those jobs went. Be wary of reviews you cannot trace to a real customer.
Ask who will do the work. An MCS installer must tell you before you sign if any part of the installation will be subcontracted.

MCS warns that some installers pose as MCS certified when they are not, and that MCS itself never cold calls or asks you to buy warranties. Its only contact routes are 0333 103 8198 and email from an mcscertified.com address.

What a good quote includes

The MCS heat pump design standard sets out what you must be given, and when.

Before you sign

An MCS installer must give you, in writing:

a performance estimate using the MCS method, normally based on your EPC, with a Key Facts sheet;
the manufacturer’s datasheet for the heat pump;
the datasheet for any new hot water cylinder; and
details of any subcontractors.

If they also give you their own, more optimistic estimate, the standard says it must not be more prominent than the MCS figure and must carry a warning to treat it with caution.

Before work starts

The detailed design should be finished within 60 days of agreeing the contract. Before installation starts you should get, in writing:

the heat loss of every room, in watts per square metre;
your daily hot water demand;
the type and size of every radiator or other emitter;
the design flow temperature of the water leaving the heat pump;
the system’s seasonal efficiency (SCOP) at that flow temperature; and
the specification of any new cylinder.

If the detailed design changes the price or the expected performance, you must get an updated estimate, a variation to the contract and the chance to cancel without cost.

On the quote itself

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant shown as a deduction from the price, not a cash payment to you.
What is included: radiators, pipework, cylinder, controls, electrical work and making good.
For an air source heat pump, where the outdoor unit will go and a copy of the MCS 020(a) noise calculation if it is being fitted under permitted development. Our guide to heat pump noise and planning explains the rules.
The payment schedule and deposit.

Installed prices vary. Official figures from MCS certificates put the median air source heat pump at £12,908 before the grant in April to June 2026. See our heat pump cost guide for the full ranges.

Questions to ask

Will you visit and measure every room, and calculate the heat loss to BS EN 12831?
What flow temperature have you designed for, and what SCOP does that give?
If you have designed above 55°C, can I see the alternative design at 55°C or lower? The MCS standard says you should offer one.
Which radiators need replacing?
Where will the outdoor unit go, and does it pass the noise calculation?
What are the servicing requirements and costs, and does the warranty depend on servicing?
Have you dealt with listed buildings or conservation areas before, if that applies to my home?

For older stone and solid wall homes, see our guide to heat pumps in old houses.

Warranties and handover

At handover the MCS standard requires a document pack that includes the commissioning records, the maintenance requirements, the manufacturer’s manuals and warranty details, and anything needed for the grant. The installer must also give you a signed declaration that the job meets the standard, and the recommended interval for the first inspection.

Get the length of the manufacturer’s warranty and the installer’s workmanship warranty in writing. RECC points out that it is not an insurer: your workmanship warranty is only insured if your installer registers your installation with an insurance provider, so ask whether they do.

Red flags

No survey. A quote by phone or from a photo cannot include a room by room heat loss calculation.
Sizing to match the old boiler. MCS requires the heat pump to be sized from the calculated heat loss.
Pressure to sign. RECC says members should not use high pressure tactics, such as staying more than two hours without good reason, offering a discount for signing that day or claiming limited availability.
A large deposit. RECC says not to pay more than 25% of the final contract price as a deposit.
“Free” heat pumps or cash grants. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is paid to the installer as a discount, and eligibility criteria apply.
Not on the MCS register, or a name that does not match the register.
Cold calls claiming to be from MCS, the council or the government. MCS says it never cold calls.

If something goes wrong

Contact the installer first: MCS says 14 days is a reasonable maximum time to expect a reply. If that does not fix it, complain to MCS or to the installer’s consumer code. MCS acknowledges complaints within 5 working days and aims to resolve most within 8 weeks. After that, you may be able to use the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman.

If you think you have been scammed, MCS advises contacting Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.

How Shropshire Quotes fits in

We introduce you to one checked local installer. We confirm each installer’s trading history, insurance and MCS certification before we work with them. You are free to get other quotes as well, and Ofgem recommends comparing more than one. Shropshire Quotes is an independent service, not a government or council body.

Planning a heat pump? Get a quote from a checked local installer.

Common questions

How do I check an installer is MCS certified?

Search for them on the MCS Find an Installer tool at mcscertified.com, which also shows installers registered for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in England and Wales. You can also ask the MCS customer support helpdesk.

What warranty should I get with a heat pump?

Ask for the manufacturer's warranty and the installer's workmanship warranty in writing, with their lengths and any servicing conditions. The handover pack must include the warranty details. If you want the workmanship warranty insured in case the installer stops trading, ask whether they register installations with an insurance provider.

Should I get more than one quote?

Ofgem recommends comparing quotes. Under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme you can only confirm consent for one installer's grant application at a time, but that does not commit you to them until you sign a contract.

What if something goes wrong after installation?

Contact the installer first and allow up to 14 days for a reply. If that fails, complain to MCS or to the installer's consumer code. MCS aims to resolve most complaints within 8 weeks, and you may then be able to go to the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman.