Private building control in London

The registration rule that now applies

Private building control firms must be registered building control approvers with the Building Safety Regulator. That requirement is in force now. Before it, the equivalent was an approved inspector.

The rule has teeth. Operating as an approved inspector without registering is a criminal offence. For you, the practical point is simple: before you appoint a private firm, check that it is on the regulator's register of approvers.

We will point you to the register and check the firm's status when we coordinate your application.

Ask for the firm's registration details and look them up yourself; the regulator keeps the register of approvers.

How charges work

Local authority charges are set by each council's own charging scheme, which is designed to recover the cost of the service. They differ from borough to borough, and the council publishes its scheme.

Private firms set their own fees. Compare like with like: ask what is included, how many inspections, and whether a completion certificate is part of the price. A low quote that leaves out visits can end up costing more.

The building control fee is separate from ours. We can describe what the examiner will need to see, but we do not set or take their fee.

Check what happens if the project changes. A change of scope, such as adding a loft to an extension, can alter the fee, so ask how a revised design is charged before you sign.

Timing and the full plans decision

Whichever body you choose, the same rule applies to a full plans application: the building control body must decide within a set statutory period, or longer if agreed in writing. The figure is in the table.

Speed in practice depends on how complete your drawings are. An examiner who finds gaps will issue queries, and each round adds time. That is why we prepare a set that already carries structure, insulation, fire and drainage information. See our building regulations drawings page for what the set contains.

Do not treat the statutory period as a promise of approval. It is the time allowed to give an answer.

What happens if rules are broken

Contravening the Building Regulations is an offence. Under the Building Act 1984, as changed by the Building Safety Act 2022, a conviction on indictment can bring a fine or up to two years' imprisonment. Work that ignores the regulations carries that risk.

The more common consequence is practical. Without a completion certificate, a buyer's solicitor will raise it, and a lender may hold back. Choosing a registered body and keeping to the notice sequence avoids all of that.

How we coordinate the application

We prepare the technical drawings, submit the application to your chosen body and respond to the examiner's questions. We also prepare the commencement and completion notices, so the sequence of visits is not missed.

Where the work needs engineering, we coordinate with structural calculations. Where the design needs detailed specification, our construction drawings page describes the full set. A reviewer who is not the drafter checks the submission, and we amend the drawings free of charge if the examiner raises queries.