The Building Regulations 2010

[F1 Appeals under section 101A of the Act E+W

18E.— (1) A person aggrieved with the refusal of a local authority to consider an application for building control approval, an initial notice or an amendment notice on the grounds that all or part of the work to which the application or notice relates is higher-risk building work may appeal to the Secretary of State provided the appeal is made within 28 relevant days beginning with the day after the day on which the local authority refuses to consider the application.

(2) An appeal to the Secretary of State under section 101A of the Act must be made in writing, signed by the person who made the original application or one of the persons who gave the original initial notice or amendment notice (in this regulation “the appellant”) and must include the following information—

(a) the name, address, telephone number and (if available) email address of the appellant;

(b) a statement explaining why the appellant considers the work proposed in the original application or notice does not include higher-risk building work;

(c) where the appellant is [F2 a registered building control approver], a statement confirming the client agrees to the appeal being made.

(3) In addition to the information provided for in paragraph (2) the appeal must be accompanied by—

(a) a copy of the original application or notice given to the local authority (including all documentation that accompanied the application or notice);

(b) all the information provided to the local authority in relation to the application or notice;

(c) all the correspondence with the local authority in relation to that application or notice;

(d) a copy of the notice sent to the regulator under paragraph (4).

(4) At least two working days before submitting an appeal under section 101A(2) of the Act the appellant must give notice to the regulator of their intention to do so.

(5) Where the appellant submits an appeal under section 101A of the Act through electronic facilities provided by the Secretary of State for that purpose, they are taken to have consented to the use of electronic communications for all purposes relating to the appeal that are capable of being carried out electronically.

(6) The deemed consent in paragraph (5) may be revoked by the appellant giving the Secretary of State two weeks’ notice in writing specifying that the notice is given under this regulation.

(7) An appeal under section 101A of the Act is to be determined by consideration of written representations.

(8) The Secretary of State must give the local authority which refused to consider the original application or notice the opportunity to make written representations in relation to the appeal.

(9) The Secretary of State may give any other person an opportunity to make written representations in relation to the appeal.

(10) The Secretary of State may, by notice in writing, require the local authority in question to provide specified information, or provide copies of specified documents, by the date specified in the notice (that date must be no fewer than 7 days after the date the notice is given).

(11) Before determining the appeal the Secretary of State may—

(a) hold any meeting with the appellant, the local authority or any other person,

(b) undertake any site visit,

as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

(12) The Secretary of State must determine the appeal within 8 weeks of the date on which the appeal is received and the decision in relation to the appeal must be given in writing to the appellant.

(13) For the purposes of section 101A(6) of the Act, an appeal to the High Court under section 101A(6) of the Act may be made within 28 relevant days beginning with the day after the day on which the Secretary of State gives the decision to the appellant under paragraph (12).

(14) The Secretary of State may appoint a person to determine the appeal instead of the Secretary of State.

(15) At any time before a person appointed under this regulation has determined the appeal the Secretary of State may—

(a) revoke that person’s appointment;

(b) appoint another person to determine the appeal instead.

(16) A person appointed under paragraph (14) has the same powers and duties in relation to determination of an appeal under section 101A of the Act as the Secretary of State and, in particular, where the appeal is determined by a person appointed under this regulation their decision is to be treated as the decision of the Secretary of State.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Regs. 18A-18E inserted (E.) (1.10.2023) by The Building Regulations etc. (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/911), regs. 1(2), 10 (with regs. 22-24)

F2 Words in reg. 18E(2)(c) substituted (6.4.2024) by The Building (Registered Building Control Approvers etc.) (England) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/110), regs. 1(3), 38(4) (with reg. 38(8))