Rules & Regulations for Participation

 1. The Scheme is open to ALL companies of bathroom products within the United Kingdom who can demonstrate, if necessary via a third party, that their product meets the criteria as defined by Industry technical experts.

2. Companies will be asked to submit a Declaration of Conformity, signed and dated by authorised personnel of the applicant company, testifying that the product complies with the relevant criteria. 

Copies of certificates of compliance/test reports from bona fide 3rd Parties or copies of certificates/test reports confirming witness testing by bona fide 3rd Parties can be provided in support of Declarations of Conformity. 

The BMA may from time to time request original certificates/test reports – which will be returned. 

3. All applications must be received on the appropriate official paperwork downloadable from www.water-efficiencylabel.org.uk or direct from the BMA. Registration by the company has to be filed manually, but completion of product listing forms can be undertaken electronically. Product listings will remain on the Scheme database for three years from date of approval.

4. All applications must be accompanied by the appropriate registration and listing fee per product. 

5. The BMA will arrange for 5% of the approved products and accompanying literature, point of sale material and advertisements in relationship to the listed products on the database will undergo an audit for compliance with the Scheme’s requirements on an annual basis. The 5% will be selected, across the qualifying product ranges. The audit testing will be conducted by a bona fide 3rd Party.

In the event of failure to comply with the Scheme’s requirements, the applicant shall be liable for all the costs relating to the test and re-testing.

6. The BMA will inform the applicant in writing if the application has been successful together with guidelines on the appropriate use of the water efficiency label and compliance with a certification mark status and where the application has failed, the reason for rejection.

7. Applications not on the appropriate official paperwork will be rejected and all paperwork submitted together with all monies paid will be returned to the original applicant.

8. The BMA holds the right to change the criteria in keeping with changes made to local planning guidance, regulation and legislation within the United Kingdom or constituent parts. A notice of intent to change will be issued and sufficient warning time given to enable the applicant to make any necessary changes to product details or withdrawal of the product from the Scheme listing.


9. Inappropriate use of the water efficiency label either on the product or supporting marketing material will result in the company being withdrawn from the Scheme and the use of the label from all marketing material should be withdrawn with immediate effect.

10. Only water efficient product that has undergone and successfully achieved listing on the BMA Water Efficient Product Labelling Scheme may carry the water efficient label. 

11. The BMA Water Efficient Product Labelling Scheme is a voluntary scheme developed to raise awareness of water efficient product and to promote best practice for water efficiency within the bathroom environment. In the event of a dispute between parties then the practice of ‘good faith’ for resolving the dispute under the Scheme will be used. All disputes will aim to be resolved informally. 

In the event that the informal practice does not resolve the dispute then the parties involved must formally write to the WEPL Scheme Operators Committee, stating the dispute, any action already taken and in their opinion a possible solution. The Scheme Operators Committee will undertake to resolve any dispute as quickly as possible. 

In the event that the party does not accept the decision and fails to take any corrective action, then the product listed will be withdrawn from the Scheme. No monies paid will be returned either in part or in full.

An appeals procedure involving the services of an independent arbitrator in accordance with and subject to the Arbitration Acts for the time being in force.
12. Enforcement of compliance with the Scheme’s requirements will rely upon participants monitoring the market. In the event of evidence of non-compliance, the Scheme Operators will review such evidence and recommend a course of action – which in the event of repeated separate instances of non-compliances could include expulsion from the Scheme or a requirement that any new applications be supported by compliance certificates/test reports issued by a bona fide 3rd Party.

Note: It is accepted that an individual mistake eg erroneous use of a particular label, may result in a number of instances of non-compliance. The Scheme Operators will be mindful of such possibilities.

Note: It is accepted that an individual mistake eg erroneous use of a particular label, may result in a number of instances of non-compliance. The Scheme Operators will be mindful of such possibilities.

13. The Bathroom Manufacturers Association owns the full copyright to the label and the full Scheme. A Certification Mark registration has been applied for.