Unauthorised building work

Building Control ensures that building work complies with the Building Regulations.

Unauthorised “building work” is work carried out without the correct Building Control process being followed, or work that does not comply with the Building Regulations. For work carried out on or after 11 November 1985, it may be possible to apply for a Regularisation certificate.

Not all building work requires approval. In many cases:

• The work may already have approval – see Public Register
• The work may not need approval – learn about Exemptions from the Building Regulations
• The issue may fall under another Council service (for example planning, housing, environmental health) or a different organisation.

We recommend you check this, including information below, before reporting a potential unauthorised building work has been carried out on or after 11th November 1985.

What we do not investigate

We will not investigate:

• Matters relating to planning permission (e.g. size, appearance, overlooking)
• Boundary disputes, neighbour disagreements or party wall matters
• Works that already have appropriate approval in place
• Works where there is no identifiable risk to health and safety
• General complaints about builders

If your concern relates to planning permission, please report this to the Planning Enforcement team.

What you can report

You can report concerns about building work that does not comply with the Building Regulations.

Under the Building Regulations 2010, “building work” includes activities such as structural alterations, extensions, changes of use, and work affecting fire safety or key building systems (e.g. drainage, heating, gas and electrical installations).

This may include:

• Work carried out without following the correct Building Control process
• Structural alterations (e.g. removing walls, extensions, loft conversions)
• Work affecting fire safety (e.g. escape routes, fire protection)
• Installation or alteration of services such as drainage, heating, gas or electrical systems
• Work that appears unsafe or significantly non-compliant

This list is not exhaustive. 

Reporting unauthorised building work

When reporting unauthorised work by email or phone, please provide as much detail as possible to help us assess your report, including:

• The correct address of the property (https://what3words.com location, if available).
• A clear description of the work or concern
• Timeline - When the work took place (if known)
• Any supporting information or photos (if available)
• You do not have to provide your personal details, but it may help us assess your report if you include your role (for example, resident or contractor)

Incomplete information may limit our ability to investigate. If you choose to provide contact details, we may contact you if further information is needed.

What happens next

When you submit a report:

1. We review the information provided
2. We check our Building Control records to see if the work has already been approved or registered
3. We assess whether the work required a Building Regulations application or involvement, and if so, whether the correct process has been followed and the work complies with the Building Regulations.
4. Depending on the outcome, we may:
   • Carry out a site inspection
   • Contact the owner
   • Request for further information or Regularisation application

If the issue presents little or no risk, we may decide that no formal action is required.

How we prioritise cases

We use a risk-based and proportionate approach when assessing reports. This means:

• We prioritise cases where there may be a risk to health and safety
• Not all reports will lead to a formal investigation
• In some cases, we may record the information on our system without taking further action. Such records may form part of the Building Control history for the property and may be disclosed during property searches

Local authorities have discretion in deciding whether enforcement action is appropriate.

Important information

• We are unable to provide updates on individual reports
• You do not need to contact us after submitting a report unless you have new or further information to provide

Urgent safety concerns

If you believe a structure is dangerous or poses an immediate risk, check whether it falls under Dangerous Structures and report if appropriate.