Feedback
We welcome feedback from our customers. Use one of the forms
below and return it to us
Downloads
All documents open in a new window.
Download Acrobat PDF Reader (external website). Acrobat PDF Reader allows you to view PDF files.
For further details on how to view documents, refer to our Help pages.
Or e mail us with any comments
building.control@npt.gov.uk
Complaints about Building Control Bodies
This web page explains what you should
do if you want to complain about a Building Control
Body
The Government's Building Regulations are
largely directed towards health, safety and climate change
issues, and so it is very important that they are properly
enforced. To enable this to happen, designs and
projects under construction should be properly checked by
people who are independent and competent to do so.
Competition within the Building Control
profession has led to many changes in how services are
delivered. However, competition must not lead to
a reduction in the effectiveness of Building Control in
helping to achieve compliance with the important requirements of
the Building Regulations.
Every Building Control Body, regardless
of whether they are public or private sector providers, must
observe normal professional standards and business
ethics. In particular, a Building Control Body must not
attempt to supplant another Building Control body, or win work, on
the basis of interpretation of the regulations and the
principle that the Building Control function is independent
must not be compromised.
Complaints
It is a requirement of all Building Control bodies that
they maintain and make available on request an appropriate
complaints procedure.
As a local authority, Neath Port Talbot has
formal and
informal complaints procedures in place and full details of
them are contained elsewhere on this web site.
http://www.npt.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=2777&lang=en
Private sector providers are also
required to have a formal complaints procedure in
place. Obviously, the first step should always be to contact
the provider in question. However, if a complaint against a
private sector Building Control provider needs to be escalated to
their regulator, the complaint needs to be referred
to the Construction
Industry Council.
Compensation for Construction
Defects
It is not the purpose of the Building Regulations
to provide a warranty that any works covered by the
Building Regulations are satisfactory or to provide
compensation for financial loss if, in time, it becomes evident
that the building work is not satisfactory.
This type of compensation is accessed through
schemes such as the LABC New
Home Warranty, the 'Latent Gold' latent
defects insurance product and other products including
NHBC 10-year guarantees, assurances provided through the issue
of architect's or surveyor's certificates as well as the
many trade guarantee schemes that exist.
It is not Building Control's role
to:
- act as a ‘Clerk of Works’ monitoring every stage of the
construction process on site. That is a matter for the contracts
and arrangements put in place between the client and builder.
Ultimately, compliance is clearly the responsibility of the person
carrying out the work
- address issues such as the finish and aesthetics of the
final project where these are not Building Regulations standards –
these are a matter for designers, builders, and new home warranty
providers
- offer protection to a client in a contract with a builder. This
is a matter of contract law.
You can contact the Building Control
service by:
Building Control
Neath Port Talbot CBC
The Quays
Baglan Energy Park
Neath
SA11 2GG
The Council's Building Control service
does NOT use answerphones or voicemail during
working hours. If you ring us direct (01553 616581) between
8.45am and 5.15pm (4.45pm on Fridays) your call should be
answered by a member of the Building Control's professional or
administrative teams.
26 November 2009
Or e mail us with any comments
building.control@npt.gov.uk
Page Details
Last Updated: 03.02.2010 at 16:33