The scheme assumes a qualified person is accountable for the work. That is the point of attendance rules, and they are a favourite check in audits.
What attendance means
The accredited installer is expected to do the work or to directly supervise it, which in practice means being on site for installation, wiring and commissioning. The Clean Energy Council sets the supervision rules for accreditation, and the Clean Energy Regulator looks for compliance when it audits STC claims.
Where crews get caught
- The accredited installer is booked on several jobs at once, while apprentices or labourers do the work.
- Photos taken weeks after the job, with the installer standing in front of a finished array.
- Paperwork signed in the office, with no evidence of attendance on the day.
- A subcontractor crew under a retailer’s accredited person who never visits.
How to show attendance
- Take dated photos during the install, with the accredited installer visible at least once.
- Keep the timestamps and location data in the images.
- Complete a written statement, see installer written statement.
- Keep a job schedule showing who attended.
What happens if attendance fails
The claim can be rejected, or STCs can be invalidated after the event, and the Regulator can act against accreditation. Who pays for the shortfall depends on your agreement, see who is responsible for a failed STC audit.
Scheduling that keeps you compliant
If you run multiple crews, build your schedule so that each accredited installer is assigned to one site at a time for the main work. Use short, staggered visits only where the supervision rules allow. Avoid booking two sites in different suburbs for the same accredited person on the same morning. Review your rosters monthly against the photo timestamps. If the data does not line up, fix the roster before an auditor finds the gap.
What this means for installers
Make attendance a feature of your process, not an afterthought. Read how STC audits work and the photo requirements for what evidence looks like. Our resources hub and how it works show how we pre-check claims before lodgement.