Building (and Associated) Regulation Updates

This page gives an indication of dates and a brief description of known, new or amended legislation relevant to Building Control.

Please note this list is not definitive but will be kept up to date as far as practicably possible.

Updates for 2011

1 October 2011

The government has approved legislation (The Water Industry (Schemes for Adoption of Private Sewers) Regulations 2011) that from the 1 October 2011, transfers the ownership of all privately owned shared drains to the relevant water authority, which from then on will become 'public sewers.' The relevant water authority for the borough of Oadby and Wigston is Severn Trent Water Limited.

The private sewers and lateral drains legislation does not amend the drainage legislation within the Building Regulations and to date, local authorities have received no guidance from the government on how this will impact on the requirements of the Building Regulations. It is however assumed that there will be joint responsibility between the local authority and the water authority to approve new drainage systems.

Private pumping stations which form part of the drainage arrangements and which are on pipework that transfers on 1 October will transfer later. Such pumping stations will transfer between 1 October 2011 and 1 October 2016, with all pumping stations that have not been transferred before then transferring on 1 October 2016.

Water companies should already have contacted all bill payers in their areas to explain the changes. For further information on the transfer of your drains to the water authority and any impact this may have on proposals to extend your property, please contact either:

Severn Trent Water Limited, telephone: 08456 016 616 or
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), telephone: 08459 335 577.

15 July 2011

The definition of 'renovation' in regulation 2(1) of the Building Regulations 2010 has been amended. This means that from the coming into force date of these Regulations the repair of a flat roof by the addition of a layer to the existing layers of over 25 percent of the area will not require an upgrade to the thermal properties. As such a repair will no longer fall within the definition of 'building work' in regulation 3(1) of the Building Regulations it will not be notifiable building work. Please note that this change does not affect the current position in relation to pitched roofs or where flat roofs are altered by the removal and replacement of a layer or layers.

Competent Persons Schemes (CPS), the DCLG are to extend the areas of work for which some existing schemes are authorised to do, and introduce a new category of work covered by Competent Person Schemes. The new type of work means that replacement of a window, roof light, roof window or door can be carried out now in existing buildings which are not dwellings. However, there are some exceptions to this. These are any glass which is load bearing, structural glass, display windows, glazed curtain walling and revolving glass doors. Full details can be seen in the amendments made in Schedule 3 to the 2010 Building Regulations by the Building (Amendment) Regulations.

4 January 2011

The first inspection of all remaining air conditioning systems over 12 kilowatts must have occurred by this date. A system that was fitted on or after 1 January 2008 must have a first inspection within 5 years of it first being put into service.

Updates for 2010

1 October 2010

New editions of Approved Documents F (ventilation), J (combustion appliances and fuel storage) and L (conservation of fuel and power). A Statutory Instrument (SI) amending parts F, J and L of the Building Regulations was laid before Parliament on Friday 12 March 2010 with the regulations taking effect from 1 October 2010. A new statutory instrument will also come into affect - The Building Regulations 2010. Please note that the new statutory instrument re-numbers the regulations, therefore those previously refereed to below will have changed.

6 April 2010

New edition of Approved Document G (sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency) and revisions to the current competent persons schemes take effect following postponement from the 1 October 2009. A copy of this document can be viewed at the Planning Portal.

6 April 2010

New Regulations 17K (water efficiency of new dwellings) and 20E (wholesome water consumption calculation) of the Building Regulations 2000 come into force following postponement from the 1 October 2009.

1 April 2010

Consumer Code for house builders comes into effect. A new code that sets out requirements that new home builders must meet. More information can be found on the web site of the Consumer Code for Home Builders.

Updates for 2009

1 October 2009

Schedule 2A (self certification schemes) of the Building Regulations 2000 amended to include new competent person schemes for, 13A - installation of wholesome cold water supply and 13B - installation of a supply of non-wholesome water to a sanitary convenience fitted with a flushing device. More information on self certification and competent person schemes can be viewed at the Department of Communities and Local Government web site.

1 October 2009

Revocation of Regulation 22A (time limit for prosecutions for contravention of certain regulations).

September 2009

Publication of the Water Efficiency Calculator for new dwellings for use in compliance with Regulation 17K of the Building Regulations coming into force on the 6 April 2010. A copy of this document can be viewed at the Planning Portal.

1 April 2009

Gas Safe Register will be the new name and the official mark for gas safety, replacing CORGI (Council for Registered Gas Installers) gas registration scheme. From the 31 March 2009 CORGI will no longer be recognized as a valid gas fitters competent persons scheme and it will become illegal for any person to carry out works to gas services and appliances other than a person registered on the Gas Safe Register. Further information can be found in the Gas Safe Register consumer leaflet below or at www.gassaferegister.co.uk.

Gas safe register consumer leaflet (PDF Document, 837.56 Kb)

4 January 2009

The first inspection of all existing air conditioning systems over 250 kilowatts must have occurred by this date. A system fitted on or after 1 January 2008 must have a first inspection within 5 years of it first being put into service.