Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the amount charged by the Council for building control services. The information we have seen shows the Council is charging according to its current policy. We have not seen enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains about the amount the Council is charging for building control services. She says it lacks empathy and will not compromise given her particular circumstances.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Ms X and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Ms X paid for the Council’s building control services in 2015. The Council made three site visits at that time. Work on Ms X’s property stalled.
6. Following recommencement of work, Ms X contacted the Council in late 2024 asking for a final inspection and completion certificate.
7. The Council advised Ms X of the charge which includes a reappraisal of the file and up to two site visits.
8. I understand Ms X believes she has already paid for this service in 2015. However, the Council’s Building Regulations Charges Scheme says that “Supplementary charges or refunds may be payable where the time taken by Building Control varies form that originally quoted.” It also says example reasons for supplementary charges include (but are not limited to):
• Where projects take longer than two years from their onsite commencement date; and
• Where no site visit has occurred for two years or longer.
9. In Ms X’s case the work started more than ten years ago and there have been no site visits since 2015.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because we have not seen enough evidence of fault in the fee charges by the Council for its building control services.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman