Revised versions of the standards, rules and codes for the building control profession published (WGC 009/2024)

Circular number:    WGC 009/2024

Date issued:   02/08/2024

Status:    For information

Title:   Revised versions of the standards, rules and codes for the building control profession published

Issued by:    Simon Jones, Building Control Competence & Standards Manager

Addressed to:    

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

Please forward to:

Local Authority Building Control Officers
Members of the Senedd

Summary:

Updated versions of the codes, standards and rules for the building control profession have been published on the Welsh Government’s website. This Circular details the substantive changes made.

For further information contact:

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

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

Notice of approval: revised codes, standards and rules for the Building Control profession

1. I am directed by the Welsh Ministers to inform you of the publication of revised versions of the standards, codes and rules for the building control profession. These are the:

• Building Inspector Competence Framework (Wales) 2024 version 2
• Code of Conduct for registered building inspectors (Wales) 2024 version 2
• Professional Conduct Rules for registered building control approvers (Wales) 2024 version 2
• Operational Standards Rules (Wales) 2024
• Operational Standards Rules (OSR): Monitoring Arrangements (Wales)

2. This Circular letter applies to the building control profession in Wales.

3. Revised versions of the standards, codes and rules documents for Wales can be found in the Building and planning section of the Welsh Government website here: www.gov.wales/building-control-profession-standards-codes-and-rules
4. Any future revisions will be published to the same website and notification will be issued.
5. The majority of updates made to the draft versions are minor changes to wording for the sake of clarity and consistency. Substantive changes are detailed below and documents with all changes tracked in English and Welsh are available on request.
6. For the Building Inspector Competence Framework (Wales) 2024 version 2 the substantive changes are:

• revisions to the expectations for the training and supervision of Class 1 Trainee Building Inspectors. It is now clearer that trainees must be supervised for their training period
• lists of skills for Class 1 and Class 2 inspectors are now exhaustive. To note, the equivalent lists for Class 3 and Class 4 inspectors remain indicative due to the wider scope of those roles

7. For the Professional Conduct Rules for registered building control approvers (Wales) 2024 version 2 the substantive changes are:

• clarification for how conflicts of interest are to be handled
• a requirement for persons undertaking work on behalf of an RBCA to notify the RBCA of changes to limitations and conditions that might apply to them
• the rules of registration have been combined into Annex 1 from Annex 3
• a number of the timescales for notification to the BSR have been revised, such as notification of contraventions of the various standards, codes and rules

8. For the Code of Conduct for registered building inspectors (Wales) 2024 version 2 the substantive changes are:

• clarification for how conflicts of interest are to be handled
• a change to the requirement for complaints procedures for building inspectors that are self-employed
• clarification for monitoring competence of those they manage and/or supervise for Class 4 Building Inspector Technical Managers
• the rules of registration have been combined into Annex 1 from Annex 3
• a number of the timescales for notification to the BSR have been revised, such as notification of contraventions of the various standards, codes and rules

9. For the Operational Standards Rules (OSR): Monitoring Arrangements (Wales) the substantive changes are:

• an update for how Registered Building Control Approvers will submit their performance data to the BSR

10. To note, the Operational Standards Rules (OSR): Monitoring Arrangements (Wales) remain only applicable to registered building control approvers and not local authorities in Wales.
11. There are no substantive changes to the Operational Standards Rules (Wales) 2024 from the previously published version. Amendments made are primarily for consistency of references to the other standards, codes and rules.

Any enquiries on this circular letter should be addressed to: 

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

E mail: enquiries.brconstruction@gov.wales

Yours faithfully,

Mark Tambini 

Head of Building Regulations Policy