Building Regulations can be contravened by:

• Not following the procedures set out for handling your building work; and/or
• Carrying out building work which does not comply with the requirements contained in them.

Ipswich Building Control has a duty to enforce the Building Regulations in its area. Wherever possible, we try to do this using informal means and negotiation.

Contravention of Building Regulations

A Building Control surveyor will inform your builder of any contravention of the Regulations. If the work is not amended the surveyor will contact you (the owner) to make you aware of the facts.

If a person carrying out building work contravenes the Building Regulations, the Council can decide to take action against them in the Magistrates Court. The owner could be fined up to £5,000 for the contravention, as well as £50 for every day that the contravention continues. This action will usually be taken against the builder or main contractor.

Enforcement Notices

Alternatively, or in addition, the Council can serve an Enforcement Notice on the owner requiring them to alter or remove any work which contravenes the Regulations. If the owner does not comply with the Notice, the Council then has the power to undertake the work itself and recover any costs from the owner.

Local Land Charges Register

It is important to remember that if the Council considers your building work does not comply with the Building Regulations, the details can be entered in the Local Land Charges Register. This will then come to light when you attempt to sell your property.

If you are using an Approved Inspector

Where an Approved Inspector is providing the Building Control Service, the responsibility for checking that the Building Regulations are complied with during the course of your building work will lie with that Inspector.

However, Approved Inspectors do not have enforcement powers. Instead, the Regulations provide that in a situation where the Inspector considers your building work does not comply with the Building Regulations, they will not issue you with a Final Certificate and, in addition, they will cancel the initial Notice by notifying the Council.

If no other Approved Inspector takes on the work from this point, the Council will automatically take on the building control service. From this point on, the Council will have enforcement powers to require you to alter your work, if this is considered necessary.