With the recent news of private building control companies going into administration, many self-builders have been left stranded, wondering where to take their projects next.
The next step in this situation would be to contact your LABC (local authority building control) in order to progress your build, but how do you do this?
We’ve compiled this quick and informative guide to show you how to efficiently change from a private building control company to your local authority.
As you may already know, there are two routes you can take to ensure your project is in line with building regulations. The route of a private company and the route of your local authority. Both must adhere to the same building regulations, with slight differences in the application process.
Due to both routes sharing similarities, it is possible to change from one to the other, but we see this as a last resort. If you’ve been left stranded by a private company, you’ll need to make the change as quickly as possible.
HOW TO MAKE THE CHANGE
The first step would be to contact your LABC for advice. These authorities' websites are filled with useful information and often have a detailed understanding of the soil conditions in your local area, so have a look to see what you can find.
You can also contact them directly to confirm that the information you found on their website is current and up to date.
Depending on your build stage – e.g., breaking ground or nearing completion- there may be different processes and cost implications.
Here is the most common route that self-builders take:
Your Registered Building Control Approver (RBCA), formerly known as a private approved inspector, should submit an Initial Notice cancellation form (Form 6) so that the work can revert to the council's building control team. However, if the Registered Building Control Approver is unable or unwilling to submit the notice, the person carrying out the works (contractor or homeowner) can submit the cancellation notice (Form 7). This form can be found on your local council’s website.
Making a change to using the local authority is called a Reversion of Works.
You can then submit the Reversion Application to the Council with the relevant supporting documentation. This form can be found on the Council’s website, or you can make a request for it to be sent to you. Here’s what you’ll need to include in your application:
- Plans, drawings, specifications, photos, and other relevant design documentation sufficient to show the extent of the building work being undertaken and to demonstrate compliance with relevant building regulations.
- A plan certificate from your Approved Inspector if you have this.
- Records of the site inspections undertaken by your Approved Inspector on the project so far, sufficient to confirm the dates of inspection, stage of work and observations recorded concerning compliance with building regulations.
Once the local authority validates the application, they will calculate the fees involved and request payment. The cost will be determined by the size and scope of your project, but there generally isn’t much difference in cost between a private company and a local authority. It’s important to note you will be unable to book any site visits until this is completed and any work that continues will be at your own risk.
Following payment, the local authority will assess the plans for compliance with building regulations, advise you of their observations and advise of a site inspection regime required going forward.
You will need to then contact the local authority building control team to arrange for a surveyor to come to the site. They may require elements of the covered building works to be opened for inspection, but only when necessary.
On satisfactory completion of the project, you will be provided with a Building Regulations Regularisation Certificate for your records. This is the same certificate you would get from a private company.
We appreciate losing your building control company can be stressful, but following these steps will keep your project in line and on track. If you have any further questions or require more information as to how your project will be affected, don’t hesitate to get in contact with one of our self-build experts today.