Change to designated body overseeing Approved Inspectors (WGC 008/2024)

Circular number:    WGC 008/2024

Date issued:    21/05/2024

Status:    For information

Title: Change to designated body overseeing Approved Inspectors 

Issued by:    Kevin Davies, Building Control Competence & Standards Manager 

Addressed to:    

Local Authority Chief Executives
Welsh Local Government Association 
Association of Building Control Approvers

Please forward to:

Local Authority Building Control Officers
Members of the Senedd

Summary:

Designation of power to regulate  Approved Inspectors during building safety transitional period.

For further information contact:

Building Regulations Team
Welsh Government Offices
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ  

Direct Line:    Tel:    0300 060 4400
E-mail:    enquiries.brconstruction@gov.wales
Website: building and planning 

1. I am directed by the Welsh Ministers to draw your attention to the following : the designated body regulating Approved Inspectors has changed.

2. This Circular letter applies to buildings and building work in Wales, as well as building control professionals operating in Wales. 

3. As part of the suite of changes to the Building Act 1984 introduced by the Building Safety Act 2022 whereby Registered Building Control Approvers (RBCAs) will replace Approved Inspectors (AIs) for the purposes of operating private sector building control, the Welsh Ministers gave notice to the Construction Industry Council Approved Inspectors Register (CICAIR) that their designation as the body regulating AIs would be revoked.
    
4. From 31 March 2024  CICAIR ceased to be the body designated to approve inspectors.
    
5. For the transitional period the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been designated by the Welsh Ministers as the new body to oversee AIs for the purposes of Part 2 of the Building Act 1984 and the Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 2010.
    
6. This designation came into effect on 5 April 2024 and will end 1 October 2024 at the end of the transitional period after which AIs cannot continue to operate.
    
7. Although the HSE is now the designated body for regulating AIs, no new AIs will be approved during the transitional period as the industry is moving towards all private sector building control functions being completed by RBCAs.
    
8. The role of the HSE in this regard will be limited to existing approvals – including monitoring lapsed or withdrawn approvals – investigating complaints and applying sanctions where relevant and appropriate.
    
9. The HSE will adopt the Code of Conduct as used by CICAIR whilst it was designated, and they will adopt and implement the complaints procedure and sanctions regime as previously used by CICAIR when resolving any complaints made in relation to AIs.
    

Any enquiries on this Circular Letter should be addressed to: 

Building Regulations, 
2nd Floor, 
Welsh Government, 
Cathays Park, 
Cardiff, CF10 3NQ.

E mail: enquiries.brconstruction@gov.wales 

Yours faithfully,

Mark Tambini 

Head of Building Regulations Policy