The Building Engineering Services Association has suspended five more member firms as it tightens the screws on technical and professional standards across the heating and ventilating sector.

The competency crackdown takes the total number of firms suspended by the trade body in the past eight months to 19.

BESA’s council said it was taking robust action in the interests of the wider building services sector and clients.

The suspended firms failed its independent Competence Assessment Standard, which tests business practices, financial health, insurance, health and safety and technical capability.

BESA said its audit process aligns with the Build UK Common Assessment Standard and supports the government’s push to raise construction standards and protect building users under the Building Safety Act.

Chief executive officer David Frise said: “BESA has never been afraid to robustly defend its remit and constitution.

“We do not suspend members lightly but take our wider responsibilities to the industry and its ultimate clients – building occupants – extremely seriously.

“It might seem counterintuitive for a membership body to suspend or reject companies, but membership needs to stand for something.

“We would always favour quality over quantity, and we now have more companies waiting to join – so sticking to our principles is working.”

BESA revealed that just 62% of member specialists currently achieve a clean audit pass, defined as zero non-compliance against the Competence Assessment Standard, underlining the pressure on firms to raise their game.

The action comes as BESA rolls out its Member Pledge initiative, with major members committing to put competence at the heart of their operations and across their supply chains.

“BESA members are embracing change because we want to make the industry better,” said Frise.