Legal and Regulatory Compliance Flashcards
What work requires Building Regs approval? Provide some examples.
Building work as defined by the Building Act 1984.
New Build
Extension
Inserting cavity wall insulation
Thermal Upgrading
What work requires planning approval? Provide some examples
Development as defined by the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
- New build
- Change of use
- Extending a building
- Listed building / conservation area
What is the Party Wall Act?
Legislation providing a framework for resolving disputes in relation to the party wall.
In relation to St Davids Drive, what is the difference between acting as Agreed Surveyor and Building Owners Surveyor?
Agreed surveyor - appointed by both
BO surveyor - only appointed by BO
For St Davids Drive, how did you know the foundations were being installed to a greater depth than that of the AOs foundations?
Drawings
Trial Pit
Informed judgement on building age and location
What are the statutory timescales associated with serving a Party Wall Notice?
Line of junction one month before and if dissent build wall wholly on your land, adjacent excavation is one month before and repair notice is 2 months before.
Were special foundations installed at St Davids Drive? What are special foundations? What would you advise your client if they were installing special foundations on the BOs land?
No
An assembly of beams and rods for distributing any load (reinforced foundations).
AO does not have to consent in which case redesign and underpin instead.
What are the subsections that apply for issuing notice under section 6?
Subsection 6(1) three metres
Subsection 6 (2) six metres
For St Davids Drive, what did you serve with your party wall notice?
Drawings in relation to the party wall
Method statement
Where would you find guidance on the Party Wall Act? What is De Minimous work?
RICS Party Wall Legislation and Procedure 7th Ed 2022
Party Wall etc Act 1996 explanatory booklet on gov.uk
Works too small to be meaningful or taken into consideration, like inserting a nail in a wall, re-plastering
For St Davids Drive, what did you include in your party wall notice?
BO name and address, signed, dated, served on all AOs, scope of works and start date.
For St Davids Drive, did you need a third surveyor?
No, my colleague was named as agreed surveyor therefore no third surveyor was needed
What should the client have as per the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012?
Asbestos Management Plan and Asbestos Management Survey updated at least every 6-12 months
Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations, who is the main duty holder?
The dutyholder is the owner of the non-domestic premises /common areas of domestic premises or the person or organisation that has clear responsibility for the maintenance or repair of this premises.
What properties would you expect to find asbestos? When was asbestos banned?
Pre 2000 buildings. First ban was 1985 final ban was November 1999.
For Montague Graham Court, what is Part M of the Building Regulations? What are the different sections?
Access to and use of buildings. Cat 1 visitable dwelling, cat 2 accessible and adaptable dwellings, cat 3 wheelchair unit dwelling.
For Montague Graham Court, what are the response times for building regs and planning approval? How long is each valid for?
Planning is 8 weeks and Building Regulations is 5 weeks. Each is valid from 3 years after approval.
Can you simply construct a shed in your garden?
Depends on size and area of shed as to whether it consitutes as development or building work under the respective acts
When do you not need planning permission? Give an example?
Extension or shed which does not meet the height or size requirements to be considered as development requiring planning permission.
You can perform certain types of work without needing to apply for planning permission. These are called “permitted development rights”.
When do you not need building regulations approval? Give an example
You do not need to apply for approval yourself if the work is not covered by building regulations, or if it’s carried out by someone who’s registered with a competent person scheme.
For example most repair work and sanitaryware and kitchen fittings
For Axe Street, what were the H&S safeguarding measures in place?
- Toolbox talks
- Inductions
- Slingers
- Edge protection
- Heras fencing
- PD inspections
- CPP on site
For Axe Street, what is edge protection?
Roof edge protection is fall protection equipment
What legislation requires Building Control approval and planning approval to be sought?
Building Act 1984
Town and Country Planning Act 1990
Give examples of work which would require Building Control approval?
Defined as building work under the Building Act 1984.
Can include new build, extension, change of use, cavity wall insulation insertion, electrical rewiring, etc
Give examples of work which would require planning permission?
Any work defined as development under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
- New build
- Extension
- Listed building replacement work and conservation area replacement work.
- Cladding replacement
In regards to planning, what would be needed if works were being undertaken to a listed building or building in a conservation area?
Planning permission or listed building consent from the conservation / heritage officer.
How long is a decision by the Planning Officer / Building Control likely to take?
- Most planning applications are decided within eight weeks, unless they are unusually large or complex, in which case the time limit is extended to 13 weeks.
- With a Full Plans Building Control Application the plans have to be thoroughly examined before being approved and by law a council must give a decision on an application within five weeks of receiving it (unless it is extended with your written consent)
What are the CDM Regulations 2015?
The main set of regulations for managing the health, safety and welfare of construction projects.
What do the CDM Regulations require dutyholders to undertake?
- Production of a PCI, CPP, H&S file.
- Ensure the dutyholders have the required skills, experience, training
- Inductions, toolbox talks, etc
- Ensure all report any H&S concerns
- F10 submission if necessary
What are the main requirements of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012?
It includes determining and recording acms, maintaining records, assessing risk of materials and planning how to manage risks, providing information to relevant parties.
What is the purpose of the Party Wall Act?
Provide a dispute resolution framework in matters relating to a party wall efficiently and effectively with the involvement of independent surveyors.
What is a Party Wall?
- Stand on the land of different owners and form part of a building
- Stand on the land of different owners and don’t form part of a building, such as a garden wall (not wooden fences)
- Walls on one owner’s land used by other owners (2 or more) to separate their buildings are also party walls.
What is the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act? What is its main elements?
It is intended to ensure that payments are made promptly throughout the supply chain and that disputes are resolved swiftly.
Provisions of the act include:
- The right to be paid in interim, periodic or stage payments.
-The right to be informed of the amount due, or any amounts to be withheld. - The right to suspend performance for non-payment.
- The right to adjudication.
- Disallowing pay when paid clauses.
If contracts fail to comply with the act, then the Scheme for Construction Contracts applies
When does the Scheme for Construction Contracts apply?
It applies when construction contracts do not comply with the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996.
What are the different notices which can be issued under the Party Wall Act?
1 (5) line of junction
2 (2) party structure notice
6 (1) 3 metre notice
6 (2) 6 metre notice
Name the different Approved Documents.
Part A: Structure
Part B: Fire safety
Part C: Contamination and moisture
Part D: Toxic substances
Part E: Passage of sound
Part F: Ventilation
Part G: Sanitation and water
Part H: Drainage and waste disposal
Part J: Combustion appliances and fuel storage systems
Part K: Falling, collision and impact
Part L: Conservation of fuel and power
Part M: Access and use of buildings
Part O: Overheating
Part P: Electrical safety
Part Q: Security
Part R: Electronic communications infrastructure
Part S: Infrastructure for the charging of electric vehicles
Regulation 7: Materials and workmanship
What are the Building Regulations? What legislation enforces the Building Regulations?
Regulations to help ensure that new buildings, conversions, renovations and extensions (domestic or commercial) are going to be safe, healthy and high-performing.
The Building Act 1984
What is the Building Safety Act?
This Act makes ground-breaking reforms to give residents and homeowners more rights, powers, and protections – so homes across the country are safer.
Why was the Building Safety Act introduced?
It gives reforms to give homeowners more rights and ensures homes across the UK are safer
What elements do the Building Safety Act cover?
It covers all elements of building safety. It introduces gateways, building safety regulators, further responsibility on clients / designers / contractors and high risk buildings.
Why is it important for services to be within the liability limitation of PI cover?
- To ensure that a surveyor is protected against any negligence.
- To ensure that an individual can be reimbursed if they have suffered negligence.
- To ensure everyone is familiar with the roles an individual will provide.
Why did you need to submit a planning application for Montague Graham Court?
I needed to submit a planning application because it is in a conservation area and I was undertaking external works and conversion works internally.
Why did you need to submit a building control application for Montague Graham Court?
It was a material alteration to the building and considered a change of use because there were essentially new flats created.
What was the purpose of fixing notices outside Montague Graham Court? Why was this required?
As part of the 21 day consideration period for any members of the public to raise concerns, the council usually do this but because of post Covid restrictions they requested the client do this and take a photo.
What documentation did you include in the Montague Graham Court planning application?
- The necessary plans of the site.
- The required supporting documentation.
- The completed form.
- The correct fee.
What information did you include in the Montague Graham Court building control application?
- Application form (site description, applicant, materials, works taking place, size, change of use, etc)
- Fee
- Location and site plan
- Detailed dwgs and specifications
- Fire Risk Assessment if applicable
How did you arrange a schedule of condition as building owners surveyor?
As building owners surveyor I contacted the appointed adjoining owners surveyor who arranged access with the adjoining owner.