Pricing FAQ

The Certification People — Simple. Accredited. Certification.

What "Accept quote" does

All engagement types: Accepting a quote is the single action that moves you from free to paid. It (1) generates a signed engagement letter, (2) reserves auditor time, (3) issues your first invoice, and (4) unlocks the paid sections of your portal: audit plan, meetings, evidence workspace, clause checklist, corrective actions and certificates.
Per engagement type: Initial certification — commits you to Stage 1. Annual Surveillance — commits you to the next annual audit. 3-yearly Recertification — commits you to the re-audit cycle. Nothing is unlocked, and no invoice is raised, until you click Accept.

Accepted: UK Bank transfer (BACS / Faster Payments) is the default — bank details are on every invoice. Debit & credit card via secure Stripe link on the invoice (Visa, Mastercard, Amex). We do not accept cheques or cash.
Splits: Initial certification and Recertification are paid as a 50% deposit on acceptance and a 50% balance before the certificate is issued. Surveillance fees are invoiced as a single payment.

Initial certification: 50% deposit on quote acceptance, payable before Stage 1 begins; 50% balance after Stage 2, payable before the certificate is issued.
Annual Surveillance: Invoiced 30 days before the scheduled audit date, payable before the audit takes place.
3-yearly Recertification: Invoiced on quote acceptance, payable before the recertification audit is scheduled.
All invoices: Standard 30-day payment terms unless an audit date falls sooner — in which case payment is due before that audit date. All figures exclusive of VAT.

Eligibility trigger (all types): Eligibility is set by the milestone reached when we receive your written cancellation (email to hello@thecertificationpeople.com).
Initial certification: Full refund before Stage 1 kick-off. Once Stage 1 has started, work delivered (audit, reviewer, planning time) is deducted and the balance refunded. Once Stage 2 has started, the fee is non-refundable.
Annual Surveillance: Full refund if cancelled ≥14 days before the audit date. 7–13 days: 50% short-notice fee, balance refunded. <7 days or on/after the audit date: non-refundable.
Recertification: Same milestone rules as Initial — full before the audit begins, deducted for work delivered, non-refundable once the audit is complete.
Our side: If we cancel, reschedule, or fail to deliver on our side, you are refunded in full regardless of milestone.
Refund timing: Eligibility confirmed within 2 working days of cancellation. Bank transfers refunded within 5 working days; card payments within 5–10 working days (issuer-dependent). Credit note emailed at the same time. Deposits and balances refunded to their original payment routes.