Building Control

[Richard P]

I am a new member and I am looking for some advice.

 

I need to know how far you need to go before a job is signed off by Building Control. All the services must have a certificate but do I need to fit out the kitchen, bathroom etc and finish all painting, tiling etc.

 

I am sure that someone on this forum will know.

 

Thanks Richard P.

[Mr Punter]

No need to do decoration or tiling.  You need to fit sink, baths and WCs to test traps, complete electrics.

 

Get them over and if BC want more work done before final they will let you know.

[MikeSharp01]

Don't forget that BC sign off signifies complete so you may run into VAT reclaim issues for dates after that EG getting the VAT back on the kitchen might be problematic if invoice date after sign off.

 

[newhome]

47 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

Get them over and if BC want more work done before final they will let you know.

 

Be careful if you do this as if it triggers a ‘completion inspection’ in HMRC’s eyes this is the point at which in a couple of VAT Tribunal cases HMRC decided that the property was complete. As soon as you ask for a completion certificate to be issued HMRC have in some cases decided that this is the start of the 3 month timeline to get the VAT reclaim in because it is the point at which the self builder has personally admitted that the property is complete. Another joyful inconsistency from HMRC. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mr Punter]

The self build VAT rules seem a fair bit stricter than those for developers.

[newhome]

35 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

The self build VAT rules seem a fair bit stricter than those for developers.

 

Yes they are, there are things that self builders can’t benefit from in the same way that a VAT registered developer can, and also because HMRC are trying to find ways of not paying out what self builders should be legally entitled to. A level playing field it is not. 

 

 

[Jeremy Harris]

1 hour ago, newhome said:

 

Yes they are, there are things that self builders can’t benefit from in the same way that a VAT registered developer can, and also because HMRC are trying to find ways of not paying out what self builders should be legally entitled to. A level playing field it is not. 

 

 

 

I wonder if we could leverage the "power of BuildHub" to try and highlight the unfair way that HMRC are seeking to undermine rules intended to create a level playing field?

 

We have a lot of members, and it seems clear that HMRC are using "bully boy" tactics to try to avoid their legal obligation to ensure that self-builders are treated in the same way as any other house builder within the UK.

 

Not sure how best to tackle this, but it might be worth starting a thread, perhaps with a poll, to see just how much support we may get for lobbying government.

[Ferdinand]

2 hours ago, Jeremy Harris said:

 

I wonder if we could leverage the "power of BuildHub" to try and highlight the unfair way that HMRC are seeking to undermine rules intended to create a level playing field?

 

We have a lot of members, and it seems clear that HMRC are using "bully boy" tactics to try to avoid their legal obligation to ensure that self-builders are treated in the same way as any other house builder within the UK.

 

Not sure how best to tackle this, but it might be worth starting a thread, perhaps with a poll, to see just how much support we may get for lobbying government.

 

I think the effective ultimate lobbying mechanism would be individual MPs to get them to ask Questions, nobble the Housing Minister, the Housing Minister's cabinet level boss and the Chancellor. Plus the direct letters that have to be done. Plus media - letters to nationals and personal stories in locals. Plus perhaps direct contact with journos or twitter journos with sob stories - there are umpteen journos on twitter looking for emotion driven stories.

 

I don't think we can do the mass stuff, as we do not have 50-100k twitterers who will sign any petition that moves.

 

F

 

Edited February 28, 2020 by Ferdinand

[Simplysimon]

start a petition on 38 degrees?

[jamiehamy]

Hmmm, maybe, maybe not. I'd need to go back through them but my general recollection is that the cases are all a bit complicated by one thing or another, usually unusual build time lines or complexities between completion (I. E Building Control vs the rate collection vs Hmrc interpretation). 

 

I would only support such lobbying if we had clear, consistent evidence of unfair play by Hmrc and not a series sod examples whereby there were so many variables and subjective aspects and to make it dubious what and where fault lay. 

 

I would add to ensure my remarks are in a context that probably biases them that Hmrc (after an initial fair challenge around conversion vs new build ) paid out every single penny and in a very reasonable timescale. We had planned our purchases, temporary habitation cert and application for vat refund very carefully to ensure it went smoothly. 

 

 

[Temp]

11 hours ago, Mr Punter said:

 You need to fit sink, baths and WCs to test traps

 

We had several missing basins and WC. Had to seal the open pipes so the pressure test worked but otherwise our BCO was happy. Think he was more concerned about underground leaks.