Approved Inspector insurance - what you need to know

LAST UPDATED 4/9/19

We have published FAQs aimed at building owners in relation to this issue. Read the Approved Inspector insurance FAQs.

LABC is aware of a number of private Approved Inspectors (AIs) who have been unable to secure the required level of public liability and professional indemnity insurance cover which means they can no longer operate as an Approved Inspector. In some cases the Approved Inspectors affected have tried to pass building work in progress on to another Approved Inspector. Legally, where work has already started it has to be reverted to the appropriate local authority.

What should you do if your Approved Inspector no longer has the insurance cover required to trade?

The procedure is as follows:
 

1. Either the AI or the person carrying out the works must cancel the existing Initial Notice lodged with a local authority.
    
2. If work has started on site, any work not covered by a Final Certificate must revert to local authority control. Only if work has not started then another AI can submit an Initial Notice for the work.
    
3. If the affected Approved Inspector has not cancelled the initial notice, the person carrying out the work must fill in a copy of Form 7 under the Approved Inspector regulations which cancels the Initial Notice submitted by the AI and submit an application to the local authority.
    
4. When work is ‘reverted’ to a local LABC team in this way, you will need to provide them with as much information as possible to help them determine the work so far complies with the requirements of the regulations. Local authorities will charge a fee for work that is reverted to them. This fee will be individually assessed based on the size of the project and the amount of time needed to ascertain compliance with the Building Regulations. So any information you have about inspections undertaken so far, plus any building plans, structural calculations or photographs of the work in progress will be of great assistance and may help to limit LABC fees.
    
5. The LABC team will then assess all of this and advise you of the next steps in the process.
    
6. If you aren't able to demonstrate compliance with particular parts of the work you may have to uncover certain areas for inspection. It's always LABC's aim to keep this to a minimum.
    

LABC understands there are many people, including thousands of homeowners, affected by the situation and facing the prospect of having to open up works previously inspected by an Approved Inspector. 

Dealing with reversions from Approved Inspectors is a statutory duty of local authorities – the Approved Inspector’s ability to trade and the issue of any previously paid fees is outside our remit or control.

Complaints relating to any Approved Inspector should in the first instance be directed to the individual Approved Inspector and failing that to the designated body CICAIR Ltd.

Public service building control teams are there to help you throughout this process so that your project can be successfully completed.

Read the full Approved Inspector insurance FAQs