Coventry Magistrates' Court have imposed fines and costs totalling £756 on the owner of a property in Coventry.
On Wednesday 7 May 2025, the defendant, pleaded guilty of failing to comply with the Building Regulations 2010 and to provide information to Coventry City Council about one of her properties when served with a notice requiring her to do so.
On the 25 September 2024, a Registered Building Inspector from the Council’s Building Control Team carried out an inspection of the property in response to information that building work had been undertaken. During the inspection it was noted that a new roof had been installed without the benefit of Building Regulation approval, which is an offence under Section 35 of The Building Act 1984.
As part of its investigation into potential breaches of the Building Regulations, the Council served a Requisition for Information Notice under section 16 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 and provided the defendant with information on how they could rectify the matter by submitting a regularisation application, however they failed to respond to the notice or submit a Building Regulation application.
Along with the fines and court costs, the defendant is now required to submit a regularisation application, which is significantly more expensive than a standard application.
Councillor Abdul Salam Khan, Deputy Leader, at the Council, said: “This prosecution sends a clear message. If you don’t follow the building control procedures set out for handling your building work, or you carry out building work which does not comply with the requirements contained in the building regulations, the Council will not hesitate to prosecute those who choose to ignore their legal obligations.”
Kate Rich, Head of Building Control for the Council said: “Building regulations are crucial for ensuring the safety, health, and welfare of building occupants and visitors, as well as tackling causes and consequences of climate change. They set standards for design and construction, covering aspects like structural integrity, fire safety, accessibility, and energy performance.”
If you have undertaken building work without applying for Building Regulations, then this can be rectified by submitting a Regularisation application to the Council, details of which can be found on our website. www.coventry.gov.uk/building-control