Building safety - approved inspectors to be replaced with registered building control approvers from 6 April 2024 – what does this mean and could it delay building works?

One of the changes brought in by the Building Safety Act is the replacement of the approved inspector building control regime. This change applies to all buildings of any height.

From 1 October 2023, approved inspectors can apply to become registered building control approvers, and they must do so by 6 April 2024 in order to continue their work.

What this means for construction projects, using an approved inspector, where works are currently on-going and are not due to complete before 6 April 2024, is that if the approved inspector is not registered for the appropriate class for the type of work being undertaken by 6 April 2024 then:

• For higher-risk building (i.e. those over 18 metres or 7 storeys with two or more residential units), the initial notice will automatically cease and a fresh application will need to be made for building control approval, this time to the Building Safety Regulator. Works will almost certainly be delayed
• The position for non-higher risk buildings is a bit different; the initial notice will remain valid until 1 October 2024, but if a final certificate for any of the building work described in the initial notice has not been given by then, the initial notice will automatically cease. It seems that it will then be necessary to appoint a registered building control approver to obtain a fresh initial notice. This will also almost inevitably delay the building works

Now is the time to check that registrations to become registered building control approvers are taking place