BUILDING CONTROL CUSTOMER CHARTER

Mission Statement: To provide a high quality, responsive Building Control Service that is valued by our customers whilst remaining cost effective and competitive.

In order to achieve this goal we will...

Be available to help you from 8:30am to 5:00pm for general enquiries and 8:30am to 10:30am and 4:00pm to 5:00pm for technical enquiries (in both cases 4.30pm on Friday).

Be able to offer professional and technical advice during all working hours in the case of emergencies.

Give pre-submission advice on all building regulation matters, including a local perspective where appropriate.

You will help us to achieve this goal if you...

Contact the surveyor in advance if you would like to arrange a meeting for pre-submission advice.

Avoid contacting the office for technical advice between the hours of 10-30am and 4-00pm

Processing Applications
Applications under the Regulations can be by either a ‘Full Plans’ submission or a ‘Building Notice’. When we receive the plans under the first method, they are checked to see if they comply with the technical aspects of the Regulations. We have to make a decision on these plans within the statutory period of 5 weeks. This can be extended to 2 months with your agreement.

In order to achieve this goal we will...

Provide advice on the completion of application forms.
Register applications, assess charges and send receipt and acknowledgement within 2 working days.
Advise you of any necessary amendments to your application or additional information required to enable approval.
With your consent issue a conditional approval, where appropriate or where minor information is missing.

You will help us to achieve this goal if you..

Ensure as far as possible that submitted applications are complete and accompanied by sufficient information, including structural calculations, to enable a thorough check to be made.
Submit applications at as early a stage as possible to enable a check to be completed prior to commencement of works on site.
Check with us to confirm the charge payable for your proposed works. Alternatively, visit our website at www.iwight.com/buildingcontrol for information regarding our charges and a simple fee calculator.

Site Inspections
We inspect building work in progress to continually check for compliance with the Regulations. There is a legal requirement for persons carrying out building work to notify the Council once they have reached various key stages.

For site inspections we will...

Provide a prompt and efficient service for the inspection of works.
Respond to telephone requests for inspections.
Provide a same day inspection service in respect of statutory notifications received before 10:00am.
Inspect key elements of work and carry out additional inspections as agreed.
Try our best to tailor our inspection service to meet developer’s specific needs.
Issue a completion certificate when building works have been satisfactorily completed.

You will help us to achieve this if you...

Notify us as soon as possible to arrange an inspection.
Notify us as soon as possible to cancel pre-arranged inspections.
Notify us at the stages identified in the inspection schedule or as agreed. Failure to do so may result in us having to invoke enforcement powers, and we may not be able to issue a completion certificate.

Enforcement
The Council is required to enforce Building Regulations and other matters of Public Safety by Acts of Parliament. In the case of non-compliance with the Building Regulations we can prosecute.

For Enforcement matters we will...

Carry out our enforcement responsibilities in a fair, equitable and consistent manner in line with our Service Enforcement Policy.
Provide an inspection service that can identify non-complying building work at an early stage.
Provide practical advice on how non-compliance with the Regulations can best be resolved.
Instigate legal proceedings as a matter of last resort.

Dangerous Structures
The Council is legally obliged to respond to situations where people are considered to be at risk. These risks include dangerous or defective buildings or structures.

For dangerous structures we will...

Provide a 24 hour, 7-day emergency call out service on reported imminently dangerous buildings and structures.
Respond to reports of dangerous structures within 2 hours.
Instigate necessary action to remove any danger to the public and to secure premises.

Demolitions
Persons wishing to demolish a building or part of a building have to notify the Council under the Building Act 1984.

For demolitions we will...

Respond to such notices within 10 working days, notifying other Council Services and other agencies.

You will help us to achieve this if you...

Notify us at least 6 weeks in advance of intended demolition works.

Provision of Information
In order to carry out the function we require detailed information of construction works and other matters.

We will...

Maintain an archive of all applications for a period of 16 years following completion of works on site.

Provide copies of completion certificates to customers.

Publish booklets, leaflets and information on our web-site to provide guidance and assistance to users of our service.