Building Regulation Compliance Certificate 

Building regulations are an important way of ensuring that properties are designed and constructed safely and are fit for purpose. For this reason, buildings should be inspected upon development and following any additional works that are carried out. Providing the work meets the relevant requirements, a building regulation compliance certificate can be issued.

While building regulations may seem onerous, they are vital to ensuring public safety. After all, we want to make sure that all homes are fit for purpose and that commercial buildings don’t pose a risk to workers.

However, numerous building regulations apply to the industry, which can make it difficult to determine which regulations apply in particular situations. This can mean that work which isn’t compliant with relevant regulations is inadvertently carried out or it may result in rogue builders negligently disregarding the regulations.

For homeowners who are unaware of the need for building compliance certificates, this can be particularly concerning but, fortunately, help is available. By understanding the compliance requirements, you can ensure that appropriate certifications are issued when future works are carried out – and find out what to do if you’re missing a building regulation compliance certificate.

The first thing to do before commissioning any project is to determine what building regulations apply and whether a compliance certificate will be required. A compliance certificate isn’t a necessity for all types of work, but it will generally be required if the property undergoes any structural changes or works that affect pipes and/or services.

When works are completed on a property, a representative from your local council’s Building Control Department or an Approved Inspector should verify that the work complies with relevant regulations and issue a certificate accordingly.

However, if work has been carried out and a certificate wasn’t applied for, you may need to apply for regularisation from your Local Authority. Depending on the type of work that hasn’t been certified, this may mean opening up specific sections of the property so that it can be inspected and certified.

Alternatively, if work was carried out a relatively long time ago before the current regulations were in force, regularisation may not be an option. In such cases, taking out an indemnity insurance policy to cover the cost associated with incorrect work can be a cost-effective way to mitigate the issue.

Building regulation compliance helps to keep us safe and it’s an essential aspect of building design and development. It gives you peace of mind that your properties are safe and fit for purpose, and this helps keep the wider public safe too.

The certification process may seem onerous times (especially towards the end of lengthy construction projects!) but it verifies that the work has been carried out according to the relevant regulations and, without it, property owners would have no way to confirm this.

Every property that’s built or modified by the latest regulations is a compliance success story, but it is, perhaps, the works and buildings that aren’t up to spec that are the biggest success stories.

When an inspector identifies work that hasn’t been carried out properly or doesn’t meet the regulations, they are informing the property owner that their contractor hasn’t fulfilled their part of the contract. Most importantly, they can provide critical information regarding the safety of the works and the building before someone is hurt due to an unsafe structure or defective work.

To find out more about obtaining building regulation compliance certificates or to arrange a building inspection or survey, contact our team now at 020 3176 0029 or email us at info@tcl-surveyors.co.uk