Building regs. Know the rules !

Read this before starting any work Many jobs in the home need to be notified to and approved by your Local Authority Building Control unless carried out by an installer who is registered with a Competent Person Scheme. Some examples are shown below (those marked * may not need to be notified in certain circumstances).

If you do not comply the work will not be legal. You could be prosecuted and could face a fine of up to £5000. 

The work may not be safe or could cause health problems. It may also not meet energy efficiency standards. 

If work is found to be faulty your Local Authority could insist you put it right at your own expense. 

If the work has not been notified or carried out by a registered installer from a Competent Person Scheme you will have no record that the work complies with Building Regulations. This will be important when you come to sell your home as you will be asked to provide certificates of compliance with the Building Regulations as part of the Home Information Pack (HIP). 

An installer registered with a Competent Person Scheme is qualified to carry out specific types of work in accordance with Building Regulations and will deal with Building Control issues for you. You will usually have access to insurance backed warranties and a robust complaints procedure to use in the unlikely event work is found to be non compliant. 

An installer registered with a Competent Person Scheme will notify the Local Authority on your behalf and will issue you with a certificate on completion which can be used as proof of compliance for the HIP. It will also show up on a solicitor’s Local Authority search when you sell your home. 

If you do not use an installer registered with a Competent Person Scheme then you will have to submit a building notice or full plans application and pay a fee to have Building Control come and inspect the work you have carried out. 

Visit www.competentperson.co.uk and enter your postcode or the name of the installer in the relevant search box. Alternatively, contact the Competent Person Scheme operators directly; their details are at the bottom of this page. 

New installation or replacement of a heating system or any boiler, regardless of fuel type 

New installation or replacement of an oil tank

Installation of a new bathroom or kitchen if existing electrics or plumbing are altered or if new electrics or plumbing are installed 

Installation of fixed air conditioning systems

Installation of additional radiators to an existing heating system*

New electrical installations in bathrooms, kitchens and outdoors*

Replacement window and door units

Please see above and below for examples of work that you do or do not need to notify to the Local Authority before starting. Please note that this list is not complete and there will be other work not listed here that you will need to notify. For some types of work marked * you may not need to notify in certain circumstances. If you are in any doubt you should contact your Local Authority Building Control team for advice.  You DO need to tell your Local Authority Building Control about the following work unless you use an installer who is registered with a Competent Person Scheme. 

You DO NOT need to tell your Local Authority Building Control about the following work but you can still use an installer who is registered with a Competent Person Scheme. 

Most repairs, replacements and maintenance work (except replacements of combustion appliances, oil tanks, electrical consumer units or glazing units which do need to be notified) 

Additional power points or lighting points or any other alterations to existing circuits (except in bathrooms, kitchens or outdoors*) 

Like for like replacements of baths, toilets, basins or sinks

Below is a list of the types of work covered by Competent Person Schemes. 

Installation or replacement of oil-fired boilers, tanks and associated hot water and heating systems 

Installation or replacement of solid fuel burners and associated hot water and heating systems 

Installation or replacement of hot water and heating systems

Installation of fixed air conditioning systems

Electrical work (Fully Part P compliant)

Electrical work in association with other work (kitchen installations, boiler installations) 

Replacement windows and doors

Installation of bathrooms, toilets, washing facilities

These schemes have been listed alphabetically. This does not reflect the size of the scheme or whether the scheme specializes in dealing with a particular type of work. Some schemes may not have members in your local area who deal with the type of work that you are interested in. 

APHC www.competentpersonsscheme.co.uk 0121 711 5030 

BESCA www.besca.org.uk 0800 652 5533 

BSI www.kitemark.com 08450 765610 

CORGI www.trustcorgi.com 0800 915 0485 

CERTASS www.certass.co.uk 08450 948025 

EC Certification/Elecsa www.eccertification.co.uk www.elecsa.co.uk 08458 738786 08456 349043 

FENSA www.fensa.org.uk 020 7645 3700 

GAS SAFE REGISTER www.gassaferegister.co.uk 0800 408 5500 

HETAS www.hetas.co.uk 08456 345626 

NAPIT www.napit.org.uk 0870 444 1392 

NICEIC www.niceic.com 0870 013 0382 

OFTEC www.oftec.org.uk 08456 585080