The Building and Approved Inspectors (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2006

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Building Regulations 2000 and the Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 2000.

Regulation 2 amends the Building Regulations 2000. In particular:

(1) Paragraph (2) inserts a new regulation 16B which requires a person carrying out work to a building or part of a building to which the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies or will apply to give fire safety information in relation to that building to the responsible person. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to all premises other than houses occupied as single private dwellings.

(2) Paragraph (3) amends regulation 17 to add compliance with the requirements of regulation 16B and 17C to the matters which a local authority may specify in a completion certificate.

(3) Paragraph (4) amends Part B of Schedule 1 to require the provision of automatic fire suppression systems to inhibit fire spread within buildings where reasonably necessary.

(4) Paragraph (5) amends Schedule 2A to add new bodies who are able to register persons for the purposes of self-certification schemes, and to reflect the change in the name of one of those bodies.

Regulation 3 amends the Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 2000 (“the Approved Inspectors Regulations”). In particular:

(1) Paragraph (2) amends regulation 11 to add compliance with regulation 16B of the Building Regulations to those matters which an approved inspector must monitor while an initial notice remains in force.

(2) Paragraph (3) restores the 8 week time limit between occupation of a building comprising only flats and common parts and the expiry of an initial notice, which had been reduced to 4 weeks.

(3) Paragraph (4) corrects a drafting error in regulation 31.

Regulation 4 contains transitional provisions.

The Secretary of State will approve, under section 6(4) of the Building Act 1984, two new approved documents providing practical guidance with respect to the requirements of regulation 16B of, and Part B of Schedule 1 to, the Building Regulations 2000.

The approved documents will be published by NBS, part of RIBA Enterprises Ltd, and will be available via the Communities and Local Government website at www.communities.gov.uk/buildingregs.

A final regulatory impact assessment of the effect that this instrument will have on the costs of business in relation to the amendments made by regulations 2(2), 2(3)(b), 2(4) and 3(2), incorporating the revised guidance in the new approved documents, is available from the Department’s website at www.communities.gov.uk or from Communites and Local Government publications, PO Box 236, Wetherby LS23 7NB (Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]; Textphone: 0870 1207 405; Email: [e-mail]).