Building Control News

Please see below for news, updates and information regarding Building Control in Shepway and nationwide.

• September 2008
• June 2008
• April 2008

September 2008

Providing 10 year structural/latent defect warranties

LABC's business partner, LABC New Home Warranty (NHW), provides a complete range of specialist services to ensure you are fulfilling the building requirements for any development as well as saving you time and money. Services include:

• Structural warranty:
  • Speculatively Built Residential Housing
  • Social Housing
  • Self Build Housing
    
• SAP assessments (Energy performance assessment)
• Acoustic testing (Building Regulations Part E)
• Air pressure testing (Building Regulations Part L)
• Code for Sustainable Homes assessments
• Home Information Packs (mandatory for all new homes)
• Free advice and support on technical and environmental issues

Why is a structural warranty needed?

In order to obtain a mortgage, most banks and building societies require new buildings to have a structural warranty in place as it covers any risks that are not included in standard buildings insurance such as design, materials or workmanship. This is technically known as latent defects insurance. It also gives the client piece of mind.

Why use LABC New Home Warranty?

• Partnered with local authorities allowing a smoother process
• Free registration, free quotation service
• No annual renewal fees
• Option for interest free instalments to spread the payment costs
• Comprehensive cover
• Highly competitive pricing backed up with superior service
• Regional Account Managers and in-house flexible underwriting
• Free HIP hosting service available with warranty
• LABC NHW in-house surveying and technical services team

LABC New Home Warranty is administered by MD Insurance Services Ltd. who has arranged warranties for over £24 billion of developments throughout the UK and Ireland and has more than 10 years of experience.

For more information, visit the LABC NHW website, or contact the LABC New Home Warranty team on 0845 054 0505.

June 2008

Part L (Conservation of Fuel and Power) Consultation

Before bringing into effect changes to the technical requirements, or the supporting Approved Document(s), of the Building Regulations, Government seeks views on the proposed changes through a formal consultation process.

On the 5 June 2008,Communities and Local Government published 'Part L of the Building Regulations, Proposed New Editions of the Approved Documents L: Consultarion.'

The contents of the consultation package include revised versions of the Approved Documents for Part L of the Building Regulations which were issued in April 2006.

The revised Documents reflect recent legislative changes to the Regulations which amended the provisions for commissioning, self certification and notifiable work. They also make corrections to a number of errors in the 2006 documents.

Additionally, the consultation covers the appropriateness of the references in the Approved Documents to a BRE technical document describing the thermal performance of building elements (in response to a judicial review judgement).

The consultation has now closed and the results will be provided in due course.

April 2008

2008 Fee Schedule

The 2008 Building Control Fee Schedule is now in place. Any application made to Building Control should be accompanied by the relevant fee from this schedule.

Changes have been made to Schedules 1 and 2, however Schedule 3 remains the same as that of 2007.

You can find the 2008 fee schedule for download here Fees 2008