Changes to Building Regulations for High risk Buildings

There were changes to Building Regulations made in October 2023, which requires a client for building work to appoint a principal contractor and a principal designer for ensuring compliance with the building regulations.

Those parties can be the same as, or different from the principal contractor and principal designer appointed under the Construction and Design and Management regulations. One of the key issues about this is that if the client fails to appoint the principal contractor and principal designer, they take on the responsibilities of the principal contractor and principal designer themselves.

This can result in a difficult situation, where the client, not knowing enough about the regulations, actually ends up taking on a range of responsibilities of the principal contractor and principal designer in terms of compliance with the building regulations. In addition, if it’s a high risk building, such as a residential building over 18m in height, or a hospital or care home over that height in design and construction, there are specific obligations in terms of making a record of assessing the competence of the principal designer and principal contractor and specific requirements to tell them that they are working in a high risk building.

For more advice on this issue, please contact Quadriga by calling 0118 929 9920 or by clicking here to arrange a time to speak.