Reversion to LA Building Control: can the LA charge what it wants?

[ToughButterCup]

Since our Final Inspection under the BCO of our choice, the LA becomes responsible for Building Control under a process called Reversion

 

• Can the LA Building Control Office charge what it likes for their BC under Reversion service?
• And if they can, can the amount be disputed?

 

Our LA, Wyre Borough, publishes a list of fees for all sorts of services, including Building Control.

But it doesn't publish a fee for Reversion. The fee may well be individually determined

 

The LA wants to charge us £750 : that may or may not be reasonable.

 

Doing a bit of Due Diligence, I see that our neighbouring Local Authority also suggests that Reversion work may be individually determined. 

 

On what basis are Reversion fees set? Our original fee (at the start of the build) was £600. Now the LA wants to charge more than that for cannot be as much work as the fee for a brand new build.

 

The one thing that I really have learned during this build is that some people and organisations  (whether they realise it or not) think that self-builders are too stupid to know any better.  

 

Have any BH members had their BC fees determined under Reversion? Did you get the feeling that the office concerned just thinks of a number and doubles it? 

[dpmiller]

if you've had a final inspection, what do you need BC for?

[ToughButterCup]

16 hours ago, dpmiller said:

if you've had a final inspection, what do you need BC for?

 

Thats the key question.....

• If  you need your VAT refunded
• and you occupy the house before completion
• and the BCO stands on ceremony
• and inspects within six weeks (as per the legislation) - the so-called final inspection 
• the LA have to take over
• and the process - and fees - start all over again.

And all because we took down the HERAS round our house , allowing the LA valuation officer onto the site.

 

Lessons?

 

There can be 2 Final Inspections.

Inspectors are standing on ceremony because of Grenfell

LABC inspectors can - it appears - charge what they want.

 

My question is -

 

is it reasonable to challenge the LABCs intended fees - in this case £750 - about 50% more than I was charged for the whole house by the original inspectors?

[PeterW]

3 minutes ago, ToughButterCup said:

Inspectors are standing on ceremony because of Grenfell

LABC inspectors can - it appears - charge what they want.

They can only charge what is reasonable - it’s enshrined in legislation. They have to show the charge is reasonable to complete the activity, and if it is a single inspection then £750 isn’t … 

[ToughButterCup]

Just what I thought @PeterW.

 

My issue is - how does anyone assess what is reasonable?  Wyre publish their list of BC charges here. The Inspection charge for a new house is £390

 

A neighbouring LA (Fylde) charges £431 for a newbuild. Lancaster - just up the road from us charges £510 for the same thing. Those are  the only comparators I have.

 

The argument put forward by the Wyre BCO (and other authorities) is that Reversion Charges are individually determined. Fine.

 

Why then would they need to charge just under double what they charge for a newbuild when any Reversion - by definition - cannot incur the same amount of work. 

 

Moral: If you need to reclaim your VAT AND move in before Completion - never let the LA Valuation Officer anywhere near your house. It starts a process over which you have absolutely no control

 

Lets see what happens when I refuse to pay the bill. So, sit back and enjoy the fireworks.