BBA Suspension Causing Mounting Concern Three Months On

Certification and testing services at the British Board of Agrément (BBA) have now been suspended for over three months, causing mounting concern.

The suspension is bad news for the construction industry that relies on the BBA to assess and certify most construction products made in the UK.

The BBA’s suspension on 26 February 2026 was by the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS) – the industry watchdog, assessing organisations against international standards to accredit them to test and certify products.

Corporate Restructure

The BBA issued a statement on 6 May saying the suspension is “unprecedented in the organisation’s history.”

It explained that the suspension relates to a change in the BBA’s corporate structure, from a company limited by guarantee to a company limited by shares.

The change was to “enable external investment” and the BBA says it “engaged” with UKAS about it.

Impartiality Requirements

In a statement to Roofing Today, UKAS said it “is not permitted to publicly disclose the grounds for any customer’s suspension for reasons of contractual confidentiality.”

Critically, it adds, however, that it “assesses conformity assessment bodies against the requirements of international standards which outline requirements including those for competence, impartiality and management systems.”

It continues, “If a body undergoes changes that result in an inability to demonstrate requirements of these standards are being met, UKAS will issue a nonconformity, although this will not necessarily give rise to a suspension.”

The standards are ISO 17021, 17024 and 17065. The first one is particularly concerned with impartiality. In clause 5.2.1 it says,

Conformity assessment activities shall be undertaken impartially. The certification body shall be responsible for the impartiality of its conformity assessment activities and shall not allow commercial, financial or other pressures to compromise impartiality.

External Investors

In the case of the change at BBA to a company limited by shares, this allows outside investors to buy shares in the business.

The company’s governing articles of association refers to numerous scenarios which the BBA would be potentially unable to control, such as takeovers, drag and tag, and shareholder nominees. In this structure, the company cannot guarantee the impartiality of its shareholders or that they would not create a conflict of interest.

The company’s directors are also subject to the same impartiality requirements.

Countdown to Conclusion

The seriousness of the situation is highlighted by UKAS, saying it: “does not suspend accreditation lightly, nor does it suspend accreditation for minor administrative or minor procedural reasons.”

UKAS adds that under ordinary circumstances, suspension is usually a temporary measure, “from which the organisation is expected to regain accreditation within a short period (usually within 3 months although in exceptional circumstances this may be extended up to 9 months).

With the suspension now exceeding three months, it calls into question whether the BBA can get its house in order. UKAS warns that it “may subsequently withdraw accreditation if the issues leading to suspension have not been adequately addressed within that period [ ie 9 months].”

Heavily Reliant on Certification

In the UK, the BBA has a virtual monopoly in the construction product testing and certification market, with the industry stipulating and relying on BBA certificates across most specifications.

Carlton Jones, Director of the MCRMA (Metal Cladding & Roofing Manufacturers Association), commented: “The metal facades and roofing specification chain, like so many other areas of the construction industry, is heavily reliant on BBA certification, so it is critically important that the UKAS accreditation suspension is resolved as soon as possible.

“MCRMA member companies are currently facing uncertainty and difficulties in the pursuit of new BBA certificates, as well as where existing certificates require amendments, and the lack of information being shared with the market regarding this issue is only adding to concerns.

“As other industry associations have also highlighted, this situation highlights the risk of construction being so reliant on third-party industry bodies for certification, and why the MCRMA supports the Construction Products Reform White Paper’s aim to strengthen oversight of testing, certification and product assurance.”

Material Bottleneck for Manufacturers

Saying that “addressing the situation has taken much longer than anyone expected or desired,” the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) stated BBA’s suspension is leading to “serious problems” for the roofing sector.

It agreed that the suspension “has exposed the industry’s overreliance on a single body and also the strain that can be generated during UKAS’s opaque investigatory processes.”

The ongoing suspension has “created a material bottleneck for manufacturers seeking to bring new products to market, and created confusion about maintaining existing certifications”.

Unclear Progress

Representing manufacturers, the Construction Products Association (CPA) has told members the BBA suspension is being addressed in line with the Accreditation Regulations 2009.

These regulations stipulate an independent board should adjudicate on the issue. The CPA says “we understand this is underway but it is unclear what progress has been made.”

It adds “There is concern as to what plans are in place to manage and address the impact in the event that the suspension continues after the independent board has concluded.”

In future, NFRC says “The national regulator for construction products must have the powers, and must use them, to ensure that disputes of this kind between the licensing body and conformity assessment bodies (CABs) are resolved quickly or, at the very least, resolved in a manner that does not … impede work in the manner it recently has with the BBA.”

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