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Hello Folks, Got a few questions regarding the process involved in 'signing off' a build... My main reason to ask this is to find out what is the least we can have complete on our build before it is deemed 'habitable' (ie we can move in). I thought I knew the answer to this until someone recently told me I would require EVERYTHING as detailed on the plans to be complete before being 'signed off'. I find this hard to believe! Now the term signed off is getting me confused as from what I have gathered from reading on here and listening to various people there are 2 main signing off procedures, 1 being building control and the other a habitation certificate. Is this correct? Also when does the VAT reclaim process begin? As always thanks for the help! ?

Hey everyone, So we are having a nightmare with Building Control in Glasgow City. Since our house is the first self build (ever) in the city, and we are part of the pilot self build scheme, they have no clue about what we're doing here and don't seem at all interested. I have been asking for temporary habitation since July and was told by our BC officer that we might as well just go for full completion. I have been asking for a site visit for months too, when 2 guys in hi-vis jackets and lanyards showed up unannounced the other day, not wearing masks, and started picking our build apart. One guy told me we would "never" get temporary habitation. I asked for a list of things we had to do to get there and they said they would only speak to our builder or architect, despite me telling them that Ben and I are the builders. They left the site and we have not been sent any more information in over 3 weeks. Ive complained, I've called, and we just can't get any movement. Meanwhile our architect who submitted our original drawings told us the house is built perfectly to spec and is of the best he's seen. The BC officers told us we had to rip off all our Russwood cladding since spiders and rats could get inside. It's all been approved! I can't get anywhere with this and am getting really worried as our mortgage is sky high and now loan repayments are flying out the bank too... Is there anyone who knows how we can get BC to move on our completion certificate? Or does anyone have any advice here? Really stuck... GCC are terrible. Thanks. Joanna