Here you will find information about:
Regularisation
An owner may apply in writing to the Council for a regularisation certificate where unauthorised works been commenced on or after the 11th November 1985.
The Council on receipt of such application may require the applicant to lay open the unauthorised work for inspection, make tests and take samples and require any other reasonable steps to be taken.
A regularisation certificate may be given where the Council has been able to satisfy themselves that the relevant requirements of the Building Regulations have been met. A charge, which is non-refundable, is generally paid on submission of the application.
Payment of charges
The current scale of charges and application forms can be downloaded from the links shown on this site. There are set charges for domestic extensions up to 60m2 in floor area and for small domestic buildings. All other work is dealt with on an estimated cost basis and full estimates should be provided to enable the correct charge to be determined. In some cases, more than one charge may be required in relation to the building regulation application.
Disabled person charges (with the exception of those imposed by Thames Water Utilities Ltd. and relating to Building over/near to sewers) are not applicable to works, the whole of which consists of an alteration and is solely for the purpose of providing access and facilities for disabled people; for room extensions used solely for medical treatment of disabled people, for the storage of medical equipment for the use of a disabled person or to adapt a necessary existing facility within a dwelling for the use by a disabled person. In all other cases a building regulation charge must be payable on submission of the application.
The scale of charges varies according to the work being undertaken. A list of these charges is sent out with all application forms. Charges are not applicable to a limited range of alterations and extensions to existing properties, solely for the benefit of disabled people.
Building over/near to sewers
If your proposals involve building over or near to public sewers, the agreement of Thames Water Utilities, must be sought before work is undertaken. Where a formal agreement and/or CCTV survey are requested, a fee (not part of the Council’s Charges) is payable to Thames Water.
For further information contact Thames Water Developer Services - Wastewater, Rose Kiln Court, Rose Kiln Lane, Reading, Berkshire RG2 0HP telephone 0845 850 2777, fax 0118 923 6613 e-mail buildovers@thameswater.co.uk.
Completion certificates
When the work is inspected and completed to the Council's satisfaction, a completion certificate can be issued. This is an important document and will confirm that as far as can be ascertained the local authority considers the building work to comply with the requirements of the Building Regulations.
The Council makes a separate charge for completion certificates for older applications and where work is carried out under a Building Notice.
The Building Regulations make it clear that a Full Plans completion certificate given in accordance with Regulation 17 (completion certificates) is evidence (but not conclusive evidence) that the requirements specified in the certificate have been complied with.
Building Regulations generally limit requirements to securing reasonable standards of health and safety for persons in and about buildings as well as others who may also be affected, and are a series of functional requirements.
You may require higher standards for reasons of consumer satisfaction but they are not necessary to satisfy the majority of requirements under Building Regulations. It may therefore, be advisable to arrange separate supervision of building work in appropriate cases to safeguard your interests.
Exemptions
Certain conservatories, greenhouses, porches, covered yards, covered ways and carports are exempt from control under Building Regulations and further advice can be obtained from the Building Control Section.
Enforcement
If you carry out work, which does not comply with the Regulations, the Council may serve a notice requiring you to pull down, remove or alter the work within 28 days.
You can also be fined for contravening the Building Regulations. If you fail to give the Counci
on.l notice at the various stages of building work, the Council can serve a notice requiring you to cut into, lay open or pull down as much of the work as necessary to check whether you have complied; and can then require you to modify or remove the offending work.
You may also experience difficulties in re-selling your property if building work has been carried out without obtaining the necessary approval under building regulations.
Approved inspectors
Approved Inspectors are the private sector alternative to Local Authority Building Control. If you decide to use the services of an Approved Inspector instead of the Council’s Building Control service, an initial notice must be submitted to the Council before work commences.
In these cases, the Council will not supervise the building work on site and will await the submission of a final certificate from the Approved Inspector when the works are complete.
Further details of Approved Inspectors and the private system of Building Control can be obtained from the Association of Consultant Approved Inspectors:
Telephone: 020 7958 9842
Contact us
Building Control Section
Borough Planning Department
Civic Centre
Lampton Road
Hounslow
TW3 4DN.
Tel: 020 8583 5403/04
E-mail: buildingcontrol@hounslow.gov.uk
Fax: 020 8583 5405