Our aim is to make sure that all building works, demolitions and dangerous structures that are under our control do not pose a danger to people’s health, safety, welfare and convenience.
If our officers come across buildings or structures that are considered unsafe they can take action. For instance, if a structure is in immediate danger of collapse, we can have it demolished using our emergency powers.
Our Building Control team believes that prevention is better than cure and can advise you about the best way to achieve compliance, both before and during building works. (Please note that our officers are not structural engineers. If you require this kind of advice please contact a structural engineer directly.)
There are a number of ways we can enforce legal requirements, including:
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taking informal action
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taking emergency action to carry out the work – in this case we will make every effort to inform the owners before carrying out the work
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giving verbal or written advice containing clear instructions about what is required and why it is required
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issuing warning letters
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serving statutory notices
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prosecution through the criminal courts – this is generally used where there has been a serious offence or a blatant disregard of the legislation.
When deciding what kind of enforcement to take we will consider the:
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seriousness of the offence in terms of its effect on people's health, safety, welfare and convenience
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previous history of the offender
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consequences of non-compliance
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likely effectiveness of various enforcement options.
Where appropriate, we will set reasonable and realistic time limits to allow remedial action to be taken. If there is an appeal procedure against a formal notice, this will be clearly explained to you, together with any relevant timescales.
Notice of intention to carry out demolition
There is a charge for demolition notice, payable on submission, where 3C Building Control undertakes the consultations and checks.
Report a dangerous building or structure
If you have any concerns about the safety of any building or structure you can report it to us. We aim to make a site inspection within 24 hours to assess the danger. Where necessary, we will contact the owner to arrange remedial action. If no immediate action is required, we will monitor the situation for a period of time to see if things deteriorate.