Building control

London Borough of Bromley (19 005 144)

Statement Not upheld Building control 22-Jun-2020

Summary: Mr B complains the Council was at fault in the way it dealt with his concerns about discharge from a neighbour's boiler flue. The Ombudsman has found no evidence of fault in the way the Council considered these matters so has completed his investigation.

Leeds City Council (17 008 131)

Statement Upheld Building control 09-Jun-2020

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council misled her when it sent a certificate that she relied on to buy a house. The certificate said that structural repairs had been carried out and the work was inspected, but the Council had no records to show its statements were correct. Mrs X discovered the work had not been carried out properly and her house needed extensive repairs. The Council agreed a settlement with Mrs X. In liaison with an independent expert, it also devised a repair and examination scheme, which it continues to use to check for similar structural problems. The Council was at fault for sending Mrs X a certificate which made claims it could not verify. To evaluate whether other properties are similarly affected, the Council should continue its examination and repair scheme. It should also consider any comments from the independent expert before deciding what further action, if any, is necessary.

Canterbury City Council (19 012 724)

Statement Not upheld Building control 20-Mar-2020

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council's building control officer gave her incorrect advice, which led to her builder carrying out unauthorised works on a drain owned by the local statutory water undertaker. We ended our investigation because we are unlikely to find fault or recommend a meaningful remedy for Mrs X.

North Devon District Council (19 011 067)

Statement Not upheld Building control 24-Feb-2020

Summary: There was no fault by the Council in a complaint alleging it failed to protect the public from an unsafe building and failed to prosecute the building's owner because he did not make the building safe after a fire.

Copeland Borough Council (19 011 554)

Statement Not upheld Building control 11-Feb-2020

Summary: Mr C complains the Council has not properly exercised its building control functions. The Ombudsman has not investigated Mr C's complaint further, because it is unlikely that he would find fault and Mr C has not suffered significant personal injustice.

Cheltenham Borough Council (19 006 795)

Statement Not upheld Building control 11-Feb-2020

Summary: Ms C complains the Council wrongly issued a Building Regulation completion certificate. Ms C says the developer failed to install thermal insulation and damp-proofing or adequate noise insulation which means the property has issues of damp and is difficult to keep warm which exacerbates those issues which will be costly to remedy. The Ombudsman has found no fault by the Council.

London Borough of Hounslow (19 006 952)

Statement Upheld Building control 28-Jan-2020

Summary: Mr X complains about unreasonable delay before the Council issued a regularisation certificate for building works at his home. There was unreasonable delay by the Council. The Council agreed a financial remedy to account for the unnecessary time and trouble Mr X was put to in pursuing matters with the Council.

Sheffield City Council (18 019 532)

Statement Not upheld Building control 28-Jan-2020

Summary: Mr X complains the Council issued a building control completion certificate in 2003 for an industrial unit his company bought shortly after. He says the building had a flaw that led to cracking after a storm in 2017, for which the company has been refused an insurance claim. We cannot achieve the outcome Mr X wants.

Cheshire East Council (19 006 894)

Statement Not upheld Building control 21-Jan-2020

Summary: There was no fault in how the Council concluded that an extension to Mr C's property, was not exempt from fees to certify compliance with the Building Regulations.

Watford Borough Council (19 005 824)

Statement Upheld Building control 13-Jan-2020

Summary: Ms F complains on behalf of her father, Mr D, about the actions of the Council's building control team. There was no fault by the Council in its inspections or in issuing a completion certificate. The Council wrongly offered a refund of fees, raising Mr D's expectations, and delayed dealing with the complaint. It has already apologised to Mr D, which remedies the injustice caused.