Completion Certificates

It is the responsibility of the applicant, agent or builder to ensure that a completion inspection is requested within five days of completion of the work and a subsequent completion certificate obtained.

This inspection and subsequent certificate is essential for several reasons:

  1. The notification of the works being complete is a statutory requirement under the Building Regulations and if not requested within the prescribed time it may constitute a contravention of the Building Regulations resulting in enforcement action.
  2. The completion certificate is very important and is required by the owner so that it can be produced for the subsequent sale of the property.  Solicitors request this during conveyancing.
  3. The work from 1st October 2023 to which the building regulation application relates must commence within 3-years otherwise it automatically lapses after three years and another application will be required if it is intended to carry out the work.
  4. For work pre-1st October 2023, if the partnership has not been informed of commencement of work within 3-years a notice under Section 32 of the Building Act 1984 closes the application, and another application will be required if it is inteded to carry out the work.
  5. Where the partnership has found that applications are complete and occupied, although the necessary inspections have not been requested this in itself is a contravention of the Building Regulations.
  6. It is not the responsibility of STG Building Control Partnership to carry out inspections if they have not been requested. In these circumstances we are under no obligation to issue a completion certificate.
  7. The issue of the completion certificate may be delayed if all the statutory notifications of the works being ready for inspection have not been made or information is outstanding. The delay may be as a result of steps, which will have to be taken, to determine compliance with the regulations.
  8. If the works are complete and a completion inspection has not been carried out before our files are deemed 'non-active' we are under no obligation to issue a completion certificate due to point 1 above. If, after non-active, a certificate is required (on works which were completed before non-active) for the purpose of the sale of the property; There is a charge to reactivate the application as detailed on the application form and on the Homeowners page of the website. The owner may be requested to expose various aspects of the work to ascertain compliance with the legislation. If we are satisfied with the site work, a completion certificate will be issued. Unless the partnership is satisifed with the work, in as far as can be reasonably ascertained, a completion certificate may not be issued.
  9. If the application was between 1st January 1998 (partnership does not hold applications prior to this date) and pre 1st January 2013, a certificate will not be issued but if the partnership is satisifed with the work, in as far as can be reasonably ascertained, a completion letter may be given.