Terms & Conditions

Last updated: October 2026  |  Print this page

1. About CESRA

CESRA (the Central England Society of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning) is a professional membership body representing engineers, technicians and businesses in the refrigeration and air conditioning sector. CESRA operates as an unincorporated association.

References to “CESRA”, “we”, “us” and “our” mean CESRA and its elected officers and committee. References to “you” and “your” mean any member, applicant or website user.

2. Membership

2.1 Eligibility

Membership is open to individuals and organisations who meet the eligibility criteria for their chosen membership grade as published on our website. CESRA reserves the right to update eligibility criteria from time to time.

2.2 Membership grades

• Individual Member — Qualified engineers, technicians and industry professionals
• Affiliate Member — For those with an active interest in the industry who wish to keep up to date with sector developments and technical information. Affiliate membership does not carry post-nominal letters or voting rights
• Student / Associate Member — Students undertaking relevant qualifications or those new to the industry
• Corporate Member — Businesses and organisations in the sector
• Fellow — Awarded by the committee to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the refrigeration and air conditioning industry
• Honorary Member — Awarded by the committee at its sole discretion to individuals who have rendered exceptional service to CESRA or to the wider industry. Honorary membership is not available by application and carries no obligation to pay membership fees
• Life Member — Awarded by the committee to long-standing Individual Members who have demonstrated sustained commitment to CESRA and to the industry over many years. Life membership is not available by application and, once granted, remains in effect for the lifetime of the member without further renewal

2.3 Application and approval

All membership applications are subject to review and approval by the CESRA committee. We reserve the right to decline an application without giving reasons. Submission of an application does not guarantee membership.

2.4 Personal and non-transferable

Individual, Affiliate, Student, Fellow, Honorary and Life memberships are personal and non-transferable. Corporate memberships apply to the named organisation and may be used by the organisation’s staff in accordance with the terms of that grade.

2.5 Acceptance of Terms

By submitting a membership application or by continuing to hold membership of CESRA, you confirm that you have read, understood and agree to these Terms and Conditions and our Privacy Policy.

3. Membership fees

3.1 Current membership fees (if any) are published on the Membership page of our website.

3.2 Where membership is currently provided free of charge, this is at the committee’s discretion. CESRA may introduce membership fees in the future. Members will be given reasonable notice of any new fees.

3.3 Where fees apply, failure to pay by the renewal date may result in lapsing of membership.

4. Code of professional conduct

All CESRA members agree to:

1. Conduct themselves in a professional, ethical and law-abiding manner in all work-related activities and when representing CESRA;
2. Act with integrity, honesty and respect towards clients, colleagues, the public and the environment;
3. Comply fully with all legislation applicable to their work, including (but not limited to) F-Gas Regulations, Building Regulations, Health and Safety legislation, and environmental law;
4. Hold and maintain appropriate trade licences, qualifications and certifications required for the work they carry out;
5. Not use their CESRA membership to imply qualifications, competencies or licences they do not hold;
6. Maintain an appropriate level of Continuing Professional Development (CPD);
7. Treat confidential client information with appropriate care;
8. Report concerns about serious professional misconduct by other CESRA members to the committee.

Breach of the code of conduct may result in suspension or termination of membership at the committee’s discretion (see Section 13).

5. Use of the CESRA name and membership status

5.1 Active members may state that they are a member of CESRA in their professional materials (business cards, website, tender documents, etc.) and use “Member of CESRA” or equivalent wording appropriate to their grade.

5.2 The CESRA name, logo and all branding remain the exclusive intellectual property of CESRA at all times.

5.3 Members may not represent themselves as officers, committee members or official spokespersons of CESRA without written authorisation from the committee.

5.4 Upon termination of membership for any reason, the member must immediately cease all use of CESRA branding, membership designations and any claim to current CESRA membership.

6. Events and activities

6.1 CESRA events may be subject to separate event-specific booking terms and conditions which will be published alongside the event listing.

6.2 CESRA reserves the right to cancel or postpone any event due to circumstances outside our control or insufficient bookings. We will endeavour to provide as much notice as possible and, where a fee has been paid, will offer a full refund.

6.3 All attendees at CESRA events (members and guests) are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with our code of professional conduct. CESRA reserves the right to remove any person who behaves in a disruptive, abusive or inappropriate manner.

6.4 CPD hours attributed to CESRA events are awarded on the basis of attendance. CESRA makes no warranty that CPD records will be accepted by any external professional body, regulator or employer.

7. Industry resources

7.1 Information, links and resources published on the CESRA website are provided for general information and educational purposes only.

7.2 CESRA does not own, endorse, or warrant the accuracy, currency, completeness or suitability of any third-party content linked from our website. Links to external websites do not constitute an endorsement of those organisations or their products and services.

7.3 Industry standards, technical specifications and regulations are subject to change. Members and website visitors are responsible for ensuring they work to current requirements and must not rely solely on content published on the CESRA website for compliance purposes.

7.4 Technical information published on the CESRA website is of a general nature and is not a substitute for professional advice tailored to a specific situation. Always apply professional judgement appropriate to the individual circumstances of each job.

8. Mentorship Programme

8.1 Overview

CESRA operates a voluntary mentorship programme that connects approved mentors with members seeking professional guidance. Participation in the mentorship programme is entirely voluntary for both mentors and mentees and is offered as a member benefit free of charge.

8.2 Mentor eligibility and approval

To apply to become a CESRA mentor, an individual must:

• Hold current active CESRA membership;
• Have a minimum of five years of professional experience in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry;
• Submit a mentor application that is approved by the CESRA committee.

The committee reserves the right to decline or withdraw mentor approval at any time without giving reasons.

8.3 Mentor responsibilities

Approved mentors agree to:

1. Engage with their matched mentee in good faith, with appropriate regularity and in accordance with the availability they have declared;
2. Conduct all mentoring interactions professionally and in accordance with Section 4 of these Terms;
3. Keep any personal or commercially sensitive information shared by the mentee in strict confidence;
4. Notify CESRA if they are no longer able to fulfil their mentoring commitment so the mentee can be returned to the pool;
5. Not seek any commercial gain, payment or personal advantage from the mentoring relationship.

8.4 Mentee responsibilities

Members registered as mentees agree to:

1. Engage with their matched mentor respectfully and in good faith;
2. Honour agreed meeting times and give reasonable notice of any cancellation;
3. Keep any information shared by the mentor in confidence;
4. Notify CESRA if the mentoring relationship is no longer working so that alternative arrangements can be considered.

8.5 Nature of the mentoring relationship

The mentoring relationship is a professional peer-support arrangement. Any guidance, advice or information shared by a mentor is given voluntarily in a personal capacity. It does not constitute professional advice, and CESRA makes no warranty as to its accuracy, suitability or fitness for any particular purpose. Mentees are responsible for applying their own professional judgement to any guidance received.

8.6 Matching and pairing

Mentors browse a pool of registered mentees and select those they wish to support, subject to their declared capacity. CESRA facilitates the introduction by email. CESRA does not guarantee that a mentee will be matched with a mentor, or within any particular timeframe.

8.7 Ending a mentoring relationship

Either party may end a mentoring relationship at any time by notifying CESRA via the member portal or by email to info@cesra.org. Where a relationship ends before natural completion, CESRA will return the mentee to the pool so they may be matched with another mentor.

8.8 Liability

CESRA acts solely as a facilitator in connecting mentors and mentees and is not a party to the mentoring relationship itself. CESRA accepts no liability for any loss, damage or harm arising from the mentoring relationship or from any advice or guidance exchanged between mentor and mentee.

9. Careers Page and Consultant Register

9.1 Careers Page

The CESRA Careers Page is publicly accessible and provides general career information, guidance on routes into the refrigeration and air conditioning industry, and links to external training providers and resources. All external links are provided for information only and do not constitute an endorsement of the linked organisations, their courses or their services. See also Section 7 (Industry resources).

9.2 Consultant Register — overview

The Consultant Register is a publicly accessible directory of active CESRA members who have registered their availability to undertake consultancy work. Registration is voluntary and is open to active members only. A profile must be submitted via the member portal and approved by CESRA before it is published.

9.3 Consultant responsibilities

Members listed on the Consultant Register agree to:

1. Ensure that all information in their profile — including their headline, biography, areas of expertise, years of experience and availability — is accurate, up to date, and not misleading;
2. Not claim expertise, qualifications, certifications or licences they do not hold;
3. Conduct all consultancy work and related enquiries professionally and in accordance with Section 4 of these Terms;
4. Maintain current active CESRA membership for the duration of their listing;
5. Notify CESRA promptly if they wish to be removed from the register or if their circumstances change materially.

9.4 Nature of the register

The Consultant Register is a directory service only. CESRA is not a party to any agreement, engagement or contract between a listed consultant and any third party. CESRA does not:

• Verify the professional qualifications, certifications, licences or insurance of listed consultants beyond confirming active CESRA membership;
• Endorse, recommend or warranty the suitability of any listed consultant for any particular role or project;
• Accept any liability for the quality, accuracy or outcome of any consultancy work undertaken by a listed consultant.

Businesses and individuals who use the register to engage a consultant do so at their own risk and should carry out their own due diligence, including verifying that the consultant holds all qualifications and insurances required for the work.

9.5 Removal from the register

A member may request removal of their consultant profile at any time via the member portal or by emailing info@cesra.org. CESRA will also suspend or remove a profile automatically where the member’s CESRA membership lapses, is suspended, or is terminated for any reason. CESRA reserves the right to remove a listing at its discretion, including where the listed information is found to be inaccurate or misleading.

10. Website use

10.1 You may use the CESRA website for lawful purposes only.

10.2 You must not use the website in any way that causes, or is likely to cause, disruption to the website or impair the experience of other users.

10.3 You must not attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the website, the server on which it is hosted, or any other server or database connected to CESRA’s systems.

10.4 All content on the CESRA website (text, logos, graphics, design) is the property of CESRA or its licensors and is protected by copyright. You may not reproduce or distribute any content without prior written permission, except as permitted by law.

11. Member-contributed articles

11.1 Active members may submit articles for publication on the CESRA community blog via the member portal. All submissions are reviewed by the committee before publication. CESRA reserves the right to decline any submission without giving reasons.

11.2 Accuracy and responsibility. Personal opinions and recollections are welcome, but technical statements must be factually accurate before submission. By submitting an article you confirm that, to the best of your knowledge, any technical content is accurate. You accept sole responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of your submission.

11.3 Licence to publish. By submitting an article you grant CESRA a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to publish, display and archive your article on the CESRA website and any successor platform. You retain copyright in your article. CESRA may make minor editorial changes (formatting, spelling, grammar) before publication without further notice to you.

11.4 Prohibited content. You must not submit content that:

• Is defamatory, misleading, fraudulent or likely to deceive;
• Infringes the copyright, trademark or other intellectual property rights of any third party;
• Is commercially promotional without the prior written consent of CESRA;
• Breaches any applicable law or regulation, including the UK GDPR;
• Is likely to bring CESRA or the refrigeration and air conditioning industry into disrepute.

11.5 No liability for member content. CESRA does not accept liability for any loss, damage or claim arising from the publication of member-contributed articles, including any inaccuracy in technical content. Published articles carry an attribution footer making clear that the views expressed are those of the member author. CESRA does not endorse the technical accuracy of member articles.

11.6 Removal. You may request removal of your published article at any time by emailing info@cesra.org. CESRA may also remove a published article at any time, including where it becomes aware of inaccuracies or receives a complaint. Residual copies in search engine caches are outside CESRA’s control.

12. Limitation of liability

12.1 CESRA provides its website, information, resources and membership services on an “as available” basis and makes no warranty that they will be uninterrupted, error-free or suitable for any particular purpose.

12.2 To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, CESRA and its officers, committee members and employees shall not be liable for any loss or damage (whether direct, indirect, consequential or otherwise) arising from:

• Reliance on any information or resource published on the CESRA website or in CESRA communications;
• Temporary unavailability of the website, member portal or any CESRA service;
• Loss of CPD records or other data due to technical failure;
• Any advice or opinion expressed by fellow members in connection with CESRA activities;
• Member-contributed articles, including any technical inaccuracy therein;
• Any guidance, advice or conduct arising from the mentorship programme (see Section 8.8);
• Any consultancy work undertaken by a consultant listed in the Consultant Register, including any loss, damage or claim arising from that engagement (see Section 9.4);
• Third-party content accessed via links from the CESRA website, including links on the Careers Page.

12.3 Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes CESRA’s liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

13. Suspension and termination of membership

13.1 A member may resign at any time by notifying CESRA in writing to info@cesra.org. No refund of membership fees will be given for any unexpired portion of a membership period unless required by law.

13.2 CESRA may suspend or terminate a member’s membership if the member:

• Breaches the code of professional conduct (Section 4);
• Provided false or misleading information in their membership application;
• Acts in a manner likely to bring CESRA into disrepute;
• Fails to pay membership fees by the due date (where fees apply);
• Breaches any provision of these Terms and Conditions;
• Behaves inappropriately within the mentorship programme in breach of Section 8;
• Provides false or misleading information in their Consultant Register profile in breach of Section 9.3;
• Submits member article content that breaches Section 11.4.

13.3 Where CESRA proposes to terminate a member’s membership, we will notify the member in writing setting out our reasons. The member may submit a written appeal to the committee within 28 days of notification. The committee’s decision on any appeal is final.

13.4 During a suspension, the member may not use CESRA membership designations or claim active CESRA membership. Any active mentoring relationships will be suspended and any active Consultant Register listing will be removed pending the outcome.

14. Privacy

Your personal data is collected and processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into and forms part of these Terms and Conditions.

15. Amendments to these Terms

CESRA reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions from time to time. Where changes are material, active members will be notified by email at least 30 days before the changes take effect. Continued membership following the effective date of any amendment constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

16. Governing law and jurisdiction

These Terms and Conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the law of England and Wales. Any dispute arising under or in connection with these Terms shall be subject to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

17. Contact

If you have any questions about these Terms and Conditions, please contact us:
Email: info@cesra.org
Website: www.cesra.org