GovWire

When to register

Businesses that carry out building control work should register with BSR. After 6 April 2024 businesses must be registered with us to operate as a registered building control approver (RBCA).

Businesses that have not registered by 6 April 2024 will not be able to do new building control work after this date.

Transitional arrangements allow businesses who do not register to complete work in progress before leaving the profession. All higher-risk building projects must be completed by 6 April 2024. All other building projects must be completed by 1 November 2024.

Registration as an RBCA replaces the approved inspector register run by CICAIR.

Who should register

An RBCA can be a standalone business, part of a wider corporate group, a sole trader or partnership.

A senior employee who can represent the business should submit the application. For example, an owner, director, partner or senior manager. This person will be the main contact for BSR.

What we will ask you for

During your application well ask you to provide:

• information about your business, such as name, address, email and phone
• the building control functions your business will do, and whether it offers additional services other than building control
• information about the person who we should contact to discuss your application, such as name, email and phone, and their role in the business
• the number of registered building inspectors and building inspectors waiting to be registered which your business employs or contracts with

Well ask if your business is, or was, an approved inspector registered with CICAIR, whether it is subject to any ongoing action, such as sanctions, and whether you have any current higher-risk building projects in progress.

Well ask you to upload a diagram of the organisational structure of your business, including where it is part of a wider group structure.

Well ask you for the names of current owners and directors, and:

• any other companies they are directors of or hold an interest in that may cause a conflict of interest
• if they have any unspent convictions or are subject to pending convictions

Well ask if the business or any of its managers or building inspectors have been subject to HSE enforcement action in the last 5 years.

Well ask you to confirm that your business has written operating procedures covering your planned building control work.

Well ask you to confirm that your business has policies for:

• recruitment and development
• whistleblowing
• conflicts of interest
• money laundering
• health, safety and wellbeing
• data protection
• staff conduct
• equality, diversity and inclusion
• managing contractors
• handling complaints
• internal audit
• insurance

Well ask you to confirm that you will:

• comply with our professional conduct rules (hse.gov.uk) and operational standards rules (hse.gov.uk)
• update information provided in support of your registration within 28 days of it changing
• consent to some details of your registration being published

Before you start

If you are unsure about any of these requirements, read the guidance on this page about the regulation of RBCAs under the Building Safety Act 2022, and our professional conduct and operational standards rules.

After you submit the application

Well review the application and if required, ask you to provide further information. You may be asked to provide copies of documentation, and you could be invited to an interview.

Getting a decision

Well tell you if the application is approved, approved subject to conditions, or rejected.

In cases where the application is subject to conditions or rejected, well tell you why.

You can request a review of the application and, if still subject to conditions or rejected, you can appeal to a First-tier Tribunal. To request a review, contact us.

Public register

Details of each RBCA will appear on the public register. The register allows people to confirm which businesses are registered as RBCAs, and the work they are registered to do.

The register shows:

• name and address of the RBCA
• the type of building control work the RBCA is registered to do
• the start and end date of registration
• details of any conditions of registration

Removal from the register

An RBCA can be removed from the register if:

• the business stops carrying out regulated building control work and asks to be taken off the register
• the registration is not renewed
• the RBCAs registration is suspended or cancelled by us

If an RBCA is removed from the register, we will continue to keep the information in line with our data retention policy.

To ask for your details to be taken off the register, call us on 0300 790 6787.

Making changes to your registration

You must notify us within 28 days of any changes relevant to the RBCA registration, which includes:

• a change of management structure
• a change of director or partner
• a change of ownership
• a change to the main contact for the RBCA
• any professional sanctions from other bodies
• any unspent convictions or pending convictions, for either the business or senior personnel
• if the RBCA ceases to trade for any reason, for example insolvency

You do not need to re-register the RBCA after making a change unless its registration is due to expire.

You cannot transfer an RBCA registration to another business.

Regulation of RBCAs

RBCAs must comply with the:

• operational standards rules (hse.gov.uk)
• professional conduct rules (hse.gov.uk)

If an RBCA contravenes the operational standards rules, we can serve notice of improvement and serious contravention. If the RBCA continues to contravene the rules, we can cancel its registration.

If an RBCA contravenes the professional conduct rules, we can issue sanctions.

Registered building inspectors

When carrying out building control work, an RBCA must consider the advice of a registered building inspector.

RBCAs must:

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