OFTEC has launched a new website, which it says will make it easier for technicians to sign up to its competent person registration scheme.

OFTEC's scheme now includes Part P, solid fuel and renewables, with biomass due to follow soon.

The website - www.joinoftec.com - features information covering OFTEC's expanded range of registration services, plus an online form to make joining as simple as possible.

Adrian Lightwood, OFTEC registrations director, said: "Technicians and installers are busy people and we want to ensure as little of their time as possible is spent on administration tasks.

"We are seeing growing demand from our existing registered technicians to expand their businesses to cover other technologies, such as solid fuel and renewables. By providing all the necessary information in one place through an easy to navigate website, joinoftec.com should make the registration process simpler and quicker for everyone."

Among the benefits of OFTEC registration, technicians can self-certify installations in accordance with Building Regulations in England, Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, avoiding the time and expense of going through local authority building control.

Free technical support, discounts at OFTEC's online shop and free listings on its online consumer search are also available to registered technicians who, by displaying the OFTEC logo, can provide customers with the assurance of a professional service.

OFTEC has also announced a new range of logos to enable businesses to emphasise the heating technologies covered by their registration. The new design features the familiar OFTEC triangle with text that specifies the technology covered.

Mr Lightwood added: "Feedback from technicians showed that because the existing OFTEC logo is so strongly associated with oil, consumers might not realise that their registration can also cover other heating technologies. This is an important consideration for solid fuel and renewable heating businesses and we hope that the new designs will address the issue.

"The new logos will not replace the existing design and OFTEC won't be asking existing registered technicians to switch. That said, the new designs really stand out and we think many businesses will want to use them."

Electronic copies of the logos can be downloaded from the registered technician's area of the OFTEC website www.oftec.org.uk.