Does a vesting certificate entitle me to payment for off-site materials?
A vesting certificate concerns ownership of identified goods. It does not, by itself, establish that their value must be paid in a particular application.
By Jack Butler-Kettle · Updated
Guidance for England and Wales. Check the contract, amendments and facts that apply to your job.
The answer
Read the certificate with the subcontract's valuation and payment provisions. Check whether off-site materials qualify, which items are covered and what evidence or security is required. Do not assume that a document requested under the main contract changes your subcontract entitlement.
The NEC explanation of materials ownership distinguishes transfer of title from payment and discusses limits in the supply chain. Its ECC guidance is not a substitute for your subcontract or amendments. A certificate cannot safely be treated as proof of title that the transferring party does not have.
Keep an item schedule, supplier records, identification and storage evidence with the application. Check any required insurance, inspection, marking or bond against the actual terms. Seek legal advice on disputed ownership or certificate wording before signing assurances you cannot substantiate.
Where materials have been excluded from an application, Underpayment Claim examines the contractual valuation conditions, records and notices. That assessment keeps the ownership question distinct from what is payable in the cycle.
Example
The facts
A subcontractor applies for £18,000 of fabricated ductwork held at a supplier's premises. It attaches a vesting certificate, but the assessment excludes the materials.
What happens
It checks the subcontract's off-site payment conditions and the certificate's item list against the actual goods.
It collects the supplier records and storage evidence, identifying any missing condition or unresolved title issue.
It answers the stated valuation reason with the records and checks the payment notices separately. Uncertain ownership is referred for legal advice.
What this shows
The £18,000 application is supported or challenged against the agreed conditions. The certificate alone does not settle either the payment dispute or ownership.