Building Regulation Charges

Building Regulation Charges 2012

*Please note that our fees will change for all applications received on or after the 1st June 2012*

We have chosen not to publish our standard charges simply because our competitors don't, and to do so would allow them to automatically undercut our prices. It also means that by speaking direct to us we can resolve any fee problems before the application is submitted to us, therefore the application shouldn't get held up at the validation stage.

To enable us to provide you with an accurate charge please provide if possible a plan of the works. If you do not have a plan then we require the following information:-

1. A description of the proposed works (this can be verbal).

2. whether you are submitting a Building Notice or depositing a 'Full Plans' for approval (This is not a type of planning application).

3. Whether you have appointed a recognised builder, or whether this is a 'DIY' project.

4. Whether you intend to appoint contractors who are registered on one of the many Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) competent person schemes for elements of the work such as electrics, replacement windows, solid fuel appliances (such as log burners), etc.

5. Where there are multiple works, e.g two or more extensions, or extension and alterations, whether that work is likely to be carried out at the same time or in stages

Please note that because our charges must reflect the actual time involved in each project, our fees can now no longer be fixed for the life of the project.

Please e-mail your request to building.control@nwleicestershire.gov.uk or you can contact us on 01530 454692 or 693. Please note that we welcome visitors to the office, but would advise that you contact the team direct first to ensure that there is someone available.

Regularisation Charges

Our Regularisation charge is currently the net Building Notice Charge (i.e. before VAT), plus 20% as required by Regulation 8 of the Building (Local Authority Charges) Regulations 2010.

Payment of Application Charges

Your application is not legally valid until the correct application charge having been paid. We are aware that a large number of applications are invalid because not all of the work is identified on the application form and consequently paid for. Where that work is low value (in terms of our fees) we will add the outstanding amount to our inspection fee invoice. Where there is no inspection fee invoice we will contact you for the additional amount at the validation stage. Where there is an underpayment we reserve the right to invoice you at a later date should work not start in site within 12 months.

Where there has been an overpayment, then the additional fees will be deducted from any inspection fee, or you can request a refund at any stage up until the inspection fee invoice is produced.

Inspection Charges

Where an inspection fee is payable you will receive an invoice shortly after the first inspection

VAT

All of our charges  include VAT at 20% with the exception of Regularisation charges where no VAT is payable. Inspection charges relating to an application submitted before the governments VAT increase will be charged at the current VAT rate, not that applicable at the time the application was deposited.

Why Do We Charge?

With the exception of certain works for the benefit of disabled people, the Building Regulation service is not a service that is funded by the general tax payer through Council Tax ,Business Rates, or general taxation. There is specific legislation in place that requires the authority to fully recover its costs in providing the Building Regulation service through charges on a case by case basis, therefore our charges have been determined using what we think is the maximum amount of time we need to put into the project.

In setting the fees no allowance has been made for repeated plan checking, carrying out more than one type of inspection (e.g. foundations, drains etc), or for helping your builder understand what he or she needs to do. Where we incur additional work over and above an additional 1 hr, we may seek to recover our additional costs, but we will contact you first to discuss this should the need arise.

To minimise your costs, we strongly recommend that you only appoint people or organisations with the appropriate skills.

Please note that our costs amount to more than the officers time to check plans and be on site. Our charges need to recover all costs incurred by the service including application processing, site inspection preparation, site note recording, travel time, and our internal support costs HR, accountancy, customer services etc, which are typical of any organisation.