Ofgem have provided clear guidance regarding signature application within the ECO documents. Where Ofgem find that the guidance has not been followed they will refuse or revoke approval of the impacted ECO measures. The full guidance can be found within the delivery guidance version 1.1. page 191 onwards which can be viewed here

A summary of the guidance is below:

· Signatures and dates must only be used where they are embedded and consistent in the documentation. Wet signatures must be applied with a pen and electronic signatures preferably with a stylus, although use of a finger is also acceptable. Signatures must not be copy and pasted. Where signatures are copied and pasted, for example to streamline administrative processes, the document will not be accepted. Any copying and pasting will result in the rejection of a measure.

· All documentation must be completed, signed, and dated by the appropriate individual, such as the operative, landlord, customer, householder, or retrofit coordinator. Signatures should not be applied on behalf of someone else, eg by other operatives or by office staff, and there should be no amendments to signatures or dates.

· Signatures and signature boxes within documents should be user-friendly and consumers should receive instructions on how to complete these correctly if required. The software used to produce electronic documents must not be capable of assigning a customer signature to a document which they have not signed. The signature must be independently embedded and not copied or replicated. Individual signatures must be obtained for each individual document. It is recommended that the operative is equipped with a stylus to ensure satisfactory signature is captured.

· Should any instances of replicated or copied signatures occur when using electronic paperwork or a digital application, this should be investigated and rectified prior to sending to the obligated supplier.

· Where Ofgem detects signatures have been assigned or auto populated by software, for example as the result of purpose-built software or ‘software glitches’, those forms will not be accepted and may result in the associated measures being rejected.

If you would like to more information, please contact your BDM.

This ECO4 Signature application update was originally published on 22nd March 2023