How to register as a contractor

Registration is intended to be quick and straightforward. Please provide a letter confirming your request to join the installer list and your agreement to complete the SMP Technical Report. You must also confirm that your company meets the following criteria:

  • has been operating for at least five years (supported by your company registration document)
  • holds public liability insurance of at least £1 million

In addition please supply:

  • Your standard pricing structure
  • Details of any warranties you provide for works undertaken
  • (Optional) Accreditation such as British Water registration
  • A signed Data Sharing Agreement (see below)

You may also include a short company synopsis for us to feature on the grant website, together with your business logo and a link to your website.

Data Sharing Agreement

The SMP is part of Fareham Borough Council and along with your company will be classed as independent data controllers. This is especially true if you form a contractual relationship with the customer for the upgrade and long term service arrangements.

As FBC are just providing the funding, and there is no “contract” between FBC and yourselves, then it would be necessary for FBC to share the applicant’s data, to do this a Data Sharing Agreement is required and a simple template will be provided for your company to review, sign and return to FBC.

The agreement will ensure that the data shared is processed in accordance with the data protection principles (and retained as required for any future relationship) and this includes you meeting your obligations as a data controller.

How the process works

Once the scheme launches and your company is registered:

1 Applicant Selection

Applicants will choose a contractor from the approved list.

Please note:   any works are contracted directly between you and the applicant.  No contractual relationship is formed between your company and the SMP.

2 Application Assessment

Applicants submit basic details and photographs of their existing tank. If their application meets the eligibility criteria, the SMP will forward this information to you via an official email.

3 Quotation and Technical Report

You will follow your usual process for assessing and quoting for works.

In addition, you must complete the short SMP Technical Report template (example for review) and send both the report and quotation to the SMP for assessment.

Grant Award

If approved, the SMP will issue:

  • A grant award letter to the applicant
  • A task order to your company

The applicant must sign several SMP documents before proceeding. You may then arrange works directly with them.

4 Works Completion and Payment

Once works are complete:

  • A completion statement (included in the task order) must be signed by both you and the applicant.
  • The building control certificate and any other relevant documents must be submitted to the SMP.
  • You will invoice the SMP directly for the agreed grant-funded amount, rather than the applicant.

About the grant

The maximum grant award we offer applicants is £30,000; the majority of this grant will be used to cover your works, including:

  • Site assessment and quotation
  • Completion of the SMP Technical Report
  • Installation and commissioning of the new treatment plant
  • The first annual service
  • VAT

The grant does not cover:

  • Long-term maintenance contracts (to be agreed between you and the applicant privately)
  • Future replacement of the treatment plant at the end of its operational life. Applicants will enter into a Unilateral Undertaking requiring any replacement to meet or exceed the original specification at their own cost.

Important information

Joining the scheme does not guarantee future work.

  • You may withdraw from the contractor list at any time.
  • The SMP will assess each application and quotation on a case‑by‑case basis and may decline a grant where costs are not viable.
  • As the grant is delivered on behalf of multiple local authorities, the SMP must comply with all relevant legislation and therefore reserves the right to remove contractors from the list or cancel proposed works where necessary.

Type of System

The Solent Mitigation Partnership will upgrade householder current systems (septic tanks) that are over 10 years old with modern, more efficient aerated package treatment plants.

The known tanks that meet the mitigation specification are from the manufacturers Graf, Klargester and Bio Bubble package treatment systems, other equipment can be specified but must meet the nutrient reduction figures set for the scheme. These specifications are a Total Phosphorus (TP) level of under 3.5mg/l  and a Total Nitrogen (TN) level of under 15mg/l on the PIA certificate for the system.

Many manufacturers have systems that meet efficient levels for TN and TP removal. The scheme can include the installation of any package treatment plant system that meets these specifications without chemical dosing. This approach allows the contractor to discuss the right system for the property with the householder.

The nutrient credit calculations will be based on a precautionary methodology to enable the scheme to deliver a net environmental benefit to the protected sites.

We hope you will consider joining the Solent Householder Septic Tank Upgrade Grant scheme. If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.