BESA and TR19 — who they are and why they matter
The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) is the UK trade body representing companies in the building services sector — including ventilation hygiene. TR19 is BESA's technical specification for ventilation cleanliness; TR19 Grease is the section specific to kitchen extract.
Why "BESA" matters as a name
When insurance loss adjusters and EHO inspectors look at a certificate, they look for two anchors: a reference to the technical standard (TR19), and a reference to a recognised industry body (BESA). A certificate referencing only the standard, with no body affiliation, looks weak. A certificate referencing both looks defensible.
BESA training and accreditation
BESA runs training courses and a register of vent-hygiene companies who have demonstrated capability to BESA's standards. Membership is voluntary but is the recognised mark of professional competence in the sector. Our supervisors hold BESA training.
NAADUK
The National Air Duct Cleaners Association of the UK is a parallel body that also runs vent-hygiene training and certification. The two are complementary, not competing.
What to ask for
If you are commissioning kitchen extract cleaning, ask the contractor: do you reference TR19 on your certificate? Are your supervisors BESA or NAADUK trained? Without one or both, the certificate may not satisfy a loss adjuster.
See our TR19 cleaning service for full detail.
