Building Controls role in Dangerous Structures

Dangerous structures can occur because of neglected buildings, badly executed construction work, extreme weather events and many other causes. LABC explores the role Building Control teams play in tackling dangerous structures.

Building Control is a professional discipline which works in the background as part of the wider team designing and constructing buildings to help ensure compliance with the Building Regulations and other standards.

Building Control surveyors also work with homeowners and the RMI sector, overseeing restoration and renovation projects.

It is often forgotten, but as part of a Local Authority, the Building Control team also plays a significant role in protecting the public, looking after safety at sports grounds and public events as well as administering applications for demolition works and responding to reports of dangerous structures.

Dealing with dangerous structures

Dangerous structures can occur because of neglected buildings, badly executed construction work, vehicle impacts, vandalism, extreme weather events and many other causes including fires and explosions. Most LABC Building Control teams regularly deal with several incidents and reports every week although very few make headlines.

Under the Building Act 1984, there are two main categories of dangerous structures and different responses are required for each.

The ones that make headlines are of course those which are considered to be in imminent risk of collapse, and which must be secured immediately for public safety.

The building control team works alongside the emergency services, evaluating the structure, often in extremely hazardous conditions, to establish whether, for example, it is safe for firefighters to enter the building, whether roads should be shut and whether adjacent properties need to be evacuated.

These events are often caused by fires, by vehicles colliding at speed with buildings or by buildings being severely damaged in storms. The surveyor works with structural engineers, specialist demolition contractors and loss adjusters from insurance companies, as well as with the building owners, to establish the work which needs doing immediately as well as the medium and long term plans needed to reopen roads and make neighbouring properties safe.

The owner or their insurers will normally be recharged for emergency works carried out in these cases since the prime responsibility for the condition of a building or structure lies with its owner.

Frequently dangerous structures are identified and reported which are classed as hazardous. These are often inspected and found to be unstable by surveyors but not are imminently dangerous and are unlikely to collapse immediately.

The Local Authority takes steps to identify and speak to the building owner to give them reasonable time to remove the danger at their own cost.

Failure to respond may result in a Magistrates Court Order being obtained in which case the Council may undertake the work and recover all the costs from the owner, with a charge being placed against the property if necessary. Often these are relatively minor works such as removing or stabilising garden walls, carrying out repairs to roofs and chimneys or securing buildings properly to prevent unlawful entry and misuse.

Disclaimer:  

Every care has been taken to ensure that the above content is correct at the time of publication.  Any reliance on the content should be verified by the dutyholder(s) and their professional advisers.  It is the responsibility of the dutyholder(s) and/or person carrying out the work to ensure compliance with the relevant building regulations and associated legislation.

This content is given in good faith by LABC.  It is not definitive, and compliance will be a matter for the relevant building control authority to decide as the enforcing body for the building regulations, and ultimately for the appropriate tribunal or court to determine.  

LABC – Application and use of Member Guidance Notes   LABC is a membership organisation, providing guidance and support to its member local authorities around England and Wales. LABC is unable to comment on the application and enforcement of the Building Regulations or other building safety related legislation to a particular proposal, as this is a matter for the local authority in whose jurisdiction the building work is being carried out or, in the case of High-Risk Buildings (HRBs), the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) and for the courts to rule upon.