Environment \ The Building Control Service \ Building Regulations Service Level Agreement

Building Regulations Service Level Agreement

The Building Control Service of the Council aims to approve all Building Regulation submissions, pursue all jobs to completion and to provide advice on Building Regulation matters.

We will provide the following service: -

1. APPLICATIONS

a) Full Plans applications
i) Validate Plan Fee, and advise of shortfall or overpayment within 7 days, for 90% of applications.

ii) Domestic applications: Assess plans and,
(1) where plans comply approve them, or
(2) where appropriate notify the applicant/agent of observed contraventions that require amending to enable the work to comply with Building Regulations or where additional information is required,
all within 21 days of receipt, for 80% of applications. (DOE Performance Indicator)

iii) Non-domestic applications: Procedure as in (ii) above but note "all within 35 days of receipt, for 85% of applications". (DOE Performance Indicator)

iv) Assess amended plans or sub-referral comments as received for domestic and non-domestic applications, and approve the application or notify the applicant/agent as above, within 14 days, for 90% of amended applications. (DOE Performance Indicator)

v) 100% of initial assessments to be completed within 56 days of receipt of application.

b) Building Notice applications
i) Validate Plan Fee, and advise of shortfall or overpayment within 7 days, for 90% of applications.

ii) Domestic situation: When provided, the area Surveyor to appraise the plans and establish the requirements under Parts C, D, E, F, H & R of the Building Regulations prior to commencement on site.

c) Regularisation Applications
i) Validate Plan Fee, and advise of shortfall or overpayment within 7 days, for 90% of applications.

ii) Following the first inspection of the works and where the works do not comply with all the relevant requirements notify the applicant/agent, of any parts that require adjustment to enable the work to comply with the Building Regulations, all within 7 days of inspection, for 80% of applications.

d) "Type Approvals" – Not Applicable

Buildings of the same design and construction may obtain a "Type Approval" from a Council. This can be submitted to any Council and will mean that the application will not require further assessment other than substructure and drainage.

2. SITE INSPECTIONS

i) Carry out inspections in relation to Full Plans and Building Notice applications on the same day, if a request is made before 10.30 a.m. - for 90% of requests. (Out of hours inspections will be carried out by arrangement i.e. 8:00 am – 9:00 am and 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm).

ii) Regularisation Inspections will be arranged within 2 days of validation of application for 85% of applications.

iii) Accept requests for inspection in person, by phone, letter, fax, e-mail, etc.

iv) Carry out inspections to examine areas of work as detailed in "Appendix A”.

v) Where requested surveyors will record details of their observations in the Inspection Log kept in the application file at the time of each inspection. Where the file is not available, record the inspection observations into the A5 diary at the time of the inspection and re-enter those observations in the Inspection Log as soon as possible after the inspection.

vi) Our target for completions against commencements is 115%. (DOE Performance Indicator)

3. COMPLETION AND REGULARISATION CERTIFICATES

Completion Inspections
i) Every project will be taken to completion stage and, upon satisfactory completion, a Completion Certificate issued automatically within 7 days of the final inspection (provided all fees have been paid.)

ii) Un-responded non-compliance lists (BR14 and BR14C) to be checked after 28 days and progressed to Contravention Notice if considered applicable.
Regularisation Inspections
i) Issue Regularisation Certificate upon satisfactory compliance of the work with the relevant regulations within 7 days of the final inspection.

ii) Un-responded non-compliance lists (BR14 and BR14C) to be checked after 28 days and
progressed to Contravention Notice if considered applicable.

iii) Un-responded non-compliance list to be checked after 6 months and grant /refuse application for a
Regularisation Certificate.

4. GENERAL

i) Respond to 90% of letters within 14 days.

ii) Answer telephones promptly (within 5 rings).

iii) All appointments will be kept and no one will be left waiting for longer than 15 minutes, for 90% of appointments. If timed site visits or appointments are going to be delayed by more than 15 minutes the appointee must be contacted by phone and advised of the delay.

5. ADVICE

i) Basic procedural advice will be provided promptly by administration staff.

ii) Pre-submission consultation will be provided within 30 days of receipt of the relevant information.

6. SYSTEM OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

i) The principles of "best value" will be followed to maximise efficiency, effectiveness and provide a high quality professional service, which is independent and impartial.

ii) Customers will be consulted regularly to determine their changing requirements and to establish areas for improvement of the service.

iii) Audits will be undertaken in accordance with the Building Control Audit Guidance Document.

7. TRAINING

Make available 30 hours of Continuous Professional Development per year for each member of the Building Control team to progress their personal development and keep professional and technical officers up to date with the Regulations, systems and procedures, construction techniques and building materials and to assist them in the execution of their duties.

8. PROPERTY CERTIFICATES

Complete and return Building Regulation and Postal Numbering property certificate requests within 7 days, for 95% of applications.

9. COMPLAINTS

Deal with all service complaints in accordance with Department Complaints procedure.

10. ENFORCEMENT

Enforcement should be carried out in accordance with Council policies and procedures and as set
out in the guidance document the Enforcement Concordat.

APPENDIX A

For "Full Plans" applications, it is recommended that the following areas of the works are examined and inspections carried out in accordance with the Site Procedures and Observations document. The number of inspections to be in accordance with the agreed level of service (inspection regime).

Dwellings and Extensions

¨ Commencement/foundation excavation.

¨ Substructure.

¨ Damp proof course (DPC)/damp proof membrane (DPM)/radon membrane.

¨ One inspection per storey at cill level to include DPC's and insulation.

¨ Roof timbers/floor joists.

¨ Finishing out.

¨ Drains before backfilling.

¨ Completion/drains after backfilling.

Roofspace Conversions

¨ Commencement.

¨ Structural timber.

¨ Stairs/insulation/ventilation.

¨ Drains (before backfilling)

¨ Completion

Structural Alterations

¨ Commencement.

¨ Intermediate.

¨ Completion.

Non-Domestic Buildings & Extensions
(more than one examination may be needed at each stage of the work)

¨ Commencement/foundation excavation.

¨ Hardcore.

¨ Damp proof course (DPC)/damp proof membrane (DPM)/floor construction.

¨ One inspection per storey.

¨ Roof structure.

¨ Structural Fire precautions.

¨ Finishing Out.

¨ Means of Escape.

¨ Drains before backfilling.

¨ Completion/drains after backfilling.