Building regulations

East Renfrewshire building standards

East Renfrewshire has a resident population of 90,000 people. To provide services for the area the Council has six departments, one of which is Environment. Building Standards is one of several integral Services within the Roads, Planning & Transportation Services of the Department

The service is responsible for the administration and enforcement of statutory functions governing building standards building regulations and dangerous buildings, structures, including open and vacant properties. The main function concerns are the health, safety and amenity of people in the build environment, conservation of fuel and power, facilities to and within buildings for people with disabilities and to further sustainable development. This is achieved by promoting compliance with the Building (Scotland) Act and associated legislation relating to buildings and construction work.

Additionally Building Standards provides discretionary services in response to enquiries about building and conveyancing matters. All our services statutory and discretionary are underpinned with strong customer focus.

Our customer charter

We are committed to providing a caring cost effective service, encouraging and ensuring the creation and continued existence of a healthier and safer built environment for the well-being of our community and customers.

We believe that our most important responsibility is to you our customers; primarily those of you who design, build, live, work and socialise in buildings within East Renfrewshire. In meeting with your needs, everything we endeavour to do will be of the highest quality at value for money cost. Your problems, requirements and complaints will be dealt with promptly and professionally, with courtesy and consideration at all times.

Services provided

  • Process Building Warrant Applications

  • Inspect Construction Work relating to Building Warrants

  • Carry Out Enforcement of Building Standards

  • Inspect and Assess Dangerous Buildings

  • Provide Licensing Consultations

  • Assess and Inspect regulated stands, staging and temporary venues

  • Provide Guidance on Disablement Issues

  • Issue Building Standards Property Enquiry Information

  • Provide regulatory advice to East Renfrewshire Access Panel

We have a team of courteous and experienced staff who will be happy to offer advice and assistance with any enquiries you may have.

Building Standards Service Pledge

  • We will issue a warrant within 6 working days where possible on receipt of all the necessary information after the plans have been assessed.

  • We will approve a Completion Certificate and issue confirmation where possible within 3 working days for all works carried out in accordance with the Building Regulations after a satisfactory final inspection has been carried out.

  • Provide a response to your Building Warrant Application where possible within 15 working days

  • Respond to requests for drain tests within 24 hours (Monday to Friday)

  • Provide a response to your Completion Certificate submission for a final inspection within 10 working days

  • Respond immediately to reports of Dangerous Buildings

  • Have staff available who can deal with your enquiry

  • Explain how and why a decision was reached

Building Standards staff are always available during office hours (8.45am - 4.45pm Monday to Thursday, 8.45am – 3.55pm on Friday) to provide general information and advice. The advice given will be objective and as helpful as possible without prejudice to the formal consideration of an Application to the Council.

When you ask for an appointment

If you wish to meet staff to discuss any aspect of the Service please contact 0141 577 3001 to arrange a mutually convenient appointment.

What you can do to help

  • Attend any appointment on time, or let us know if you cannot do so

  • Provide the information we ask for when we ask for it. This will help speed up the process.

  • Read information sent to you carefully and follow any instructions given.

  • Ensure that you read all information that we provide for you, it is to your benefit.

  • Please be patient as there will be times when we are exceptionally busy, we will however, make every effort to keep waiting times to a minimum.

What if I am not satisfied?

If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, please contact us and we will try to resolve any problems quickly, and explain what we have done and why.

If we do not respond satisfactorily, you can take your complaint further by using the East Renfrewshire Council’s complaints procedure. You can get a leaflet titled LET US KNOW. Alternatively you can phone 0141 577 3001 and ask for the Building Standards Service.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Q: Are there any types of building work that are exempt from the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004?
  • A: Yes, certain broad categories of buildings are exempt. The full list is included in schedule 1 in section 0 of the Technical Handbooks. If you are not sure if your building work is exempt, you should seek advice from an independent professional, or call our Building Standards Service on (0141) 577 3001.
  • Q: What are the Building Regulations?
  • A: Building Regulations are the legal requirements laid down by the Scottish Parliament. They aim to provide reasonable standards for securing the health, safety, welfare and convenience of people in and around buildings, for conserving fuel and power and for furthering sustainable development. The requirements are set by the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004. The guidance contained in the Technical Handbooks for domestic and non-domestic buildings will help you to comply with the Regulations.
  • Q: What constitutes a contravention of the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004, and what happens if I do contravene these regulations?
  • A: It is an offence to start work without a warrant on work that requires a building warrant. It is also an offence to contravene the requirements of Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004. You are committing an offence if you occupy or use a new building without first having submitted a completion certificate and having it accepted by our Building Standards Service. The exception is if you receive permission from the verifier for the temporary occupation or use of the building for a specified time. In each case, our Building Standards Service can take enforcement action. Contravention of the regulations can incur a maximum fine and an additional daily fine if the offence continues (£5,000 with an additional fine of £50 per day as at 18 October 2004).
  • Q: What kind of building works are covered by the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004?
  • A: The Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 apply to the construction of new buildings, alterations and extensions to existing buildings, demolition of buildings and to the conversion of buildings. Some of the work you might want to carry out, such as simple alterations to internal walls, may not seem to require a building warrant, but could lead to a contravention of the building regulations, or could have implications for adjacent property. You should always seek professional advice and consult our Building Standards Service before going ahead with any proposal affecting your property.
  • Q: Why should I use an Approved Certifier?
  • A: When you use an approved certifier to certify your design or construction you can be assured that your application or completion certificate complies with building regulations. Your application should take less time to process, because our Building Standards Service only needs to confirm the approved certifier's registration. You will also get a discount on the warrant fee if you use an approved certifier of design, but the certifier will charge you for the certificate. You will also get a small refund if you use an approved certifier of construction to certify work for the completion certificate, provided that you notify our Building Standards Service in writing before the start of work on site.