"Registration data reflects Building Control Profession’s commitment to high standards"

[LnP]

Press release from the HSE. 

 

This is a consequence of the The Building Safety Act 2022, which implemented recommendations from the review of building safety regulations lead by Judith Hackitt. The focus was "high risk buildings" (>7 floors, 18 m, 2 residential units), but the Building Safety Regulator's website says that they are there to:

 

• regulate higher-risk buildings
• raise safety standards of all buildings
• help professionals in design, construction, and building control, to improve their competence

 

Does this have any impact on self builders? Will BCOs be looking at things they didn't look at before?

[kandgmitchell]

Not unless you're building a very  tall self build. Basically higher risk buildings will be dealt with by a different regulator under the HSE rather than the normal LA/private BC system. The other educational bit will probably be good practice guidance notes. Talking to a private BCO a few days ago she told me that she is no longer allowed to offer any advice on site and must refer any queries back to the designers. She's not too happy about it as it has taken a lot of the interest out of the job - "I'm just a policeman now" she moans. That's a highly experienced professional who now is considering taking the retirement option.

[LnP]

Well here's one way it affects self builders. I just got this from my approved inspector, PWC:

 

Please find below the Notice of Cancellation of our Initial Notice regarding the above project.
The reason for cancellation is:

we have become unable to continue to carry out the function with respect to any of the works to which the initial notice relates (as per Section 52 (1) of The Building Act 1984), due to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) rejecting PWC application to be put on the Building Control Approvers Register.
 

PWC have gone into voluntary liquidation. Apart from losing money, I'm trying to find out from the LA what that means for my project. The Initial Notice was made prior to the change to the building regs in 2022. I hope this doesn't mean that the new regs will now apply to my project.