Building Standards Customer Charter

Purpose of the Building Standards Customer Charter:

The Building Standards Customer Charter provides information about the standards of service that all verifiers should meet. This gives customers the reassurance that a consistent, high-quality service will be delivered no matter which verifier provides the service.

It is divided into two parts: 1) National Charter; and 2) Local Charter.

PART 1: National Charter

Scottish Aims:

To grant building warrants and accept completion certificates:

  • To secure the health, safety, welfare and convenience of persons in and about buildings and others who may be affected by buildings or matters connected with buildings.
  • Furthering the conservation of fuel and power.
  • Furthering the achievement of sustainable development.

Scottish vision/values:

To provide a professional and informative service to all our customers.

Scottish Commitments:

Nationally all verifiers will:

  • Seek to minimise the time it takes for customers to obtain a building warrant or amendment to a building warrant.
  • Ensure continuous improvement around the robustness of verification assessments to ensure compliance.
  • Meet and seek to exceed customer expectations.
  • Carry out local customer satisfaction research, such as surveys, focus groups etc.
  • Address feedback obtained through local and national customer satisfaction research (including a National Customer Satisfaction Survey) to improve the customer experience.
  • Provide information on local formal complaints procedures, the LABSS Dispute Resolution Process, and the BSD Customer Performance Reporting Service and refer customers as appropriate.
  • Provide accurate financial data that is evidence-based.
  • Engage and participate in partnership working at local and national level to identify and embed service improvements at a national level.
  • Work collaboratively with the Scottish Building Standards Hub.
  • Adhere to a national annual verification performance report outlining our objectives, targets and performance.
  • Fully adhere to the commitments outlined in this Charter (including information on customer dissatisfaction in relation to building warrant processing timescales, processes and technical interpretation).
  • Use a consistent format for continuous improvement plans.

Scottish targets:

  • 95% of first reports (for building warrants and amendments) to be issued within 20 days.
  • 90% of building warrants and amendments to be issued within 10 days from receipt of all satisfactory information.
  • The Scottish Customer Charter is to be published prominently on council websites and incorporating version control detailing reviews (frequently of reviews at least quarterly)
  • 95% of BSD requests for information on a BSD ‘Verifier Performance Reporting Service for Customers’ case are responded to by the local authority within 5 days.
  • A minimum overall average customer satisfaction rating of 7.5 out of 10 is to be achieved in the Scottish customer satisfaction survey.
  • Building Standards verification fee income is to cover indicative verification service costs (staff costs plus 30%).
  • Details of eBuilding Standards are to be published prominently on council websites.
  • 75% of each key building warrant related process is to be done electronically (plan checking, building warrants and amendments (including plans) being issued, verification during construction, and completion certificates being accepted).
  • Annual performance reports are to be published prominently on council websites with version control (reviewed at least quarterly)
  • Annual performance reports are to include performance data in line with Key Performance Indicators and associated targets. Annual reports are to include adherence to the national customer charter, appropriate actions to respond to customer feedback, financial performance and commitment to digital services.

Information:

National information on the verification performance framework can be found at the Scottish Government website.  The link can be found on the Other Websites section on this page. 

In Inverclyde:

Submitting your application –help us to help you:

We appreciate that if dealing with Building Standards for the first time, you cannot be expected to know how the system operates. By using the link on the related links section on this page will take you to the Building Standards section of the Inverclyde Council website where you will find advice on applying for a building warrant, advice and general guidance, submitting a Completion Certificate, customer Journey, eBuilding Standards system etc.

The submission of properly completed applications and full information will reduce the need for us to contact you seeking clarification and additional information.

The Council welcomes the submission of online applications through the Scottish Government eBuilding Standards system. The Scottish Government has set a target of 75% of each key building warrant related process being done electronically. Please help us to meet this target please use the link which can be found on the Other Websites section on this page to the eBuilding Standards website. 

We are conscious of our commitment to the wider community. In addition to the above, we will fast track applications related to the needs of disabled persons and works related to the regeneration and economic growth of Inverclyde.

Please consider using an Approved Certifier of Design for building structures work. If your proposal involves structural design and you do not submit a Certificate of Design, then your application will take longer to assess. Details of approved certifiers is available on the Scottish Government website and the link can be found on the Other Websites section on this page. 

Advice on your application:

General advice is available over the telephone and at our reception on Monday to Thursday between 8.45am and 4.30pm and on Friday between 8.45am and 3.45pm. If you have a query regarding a specific application or building, you should make an appointment with the case officer or telephone (pm only) to discuss the matter.

You may also write to us at Municipal Buildings, Greenock PA15 1LY, and e-mail to: building.standards@inverclyde.gov.uk

Site Inspections:

All building warrant approvals are issued with a Construction Notification Plan, and the Building Standards team should be contacted at the building stages specified.

Our Service Standards:

  • We aim to register building warrant applications within 4 working days.
  • We aim to inform you if the application is invalid within 4 working days.
  • We aim to respond, providing a technical appraisal of valid applications within 20 working days.
  • Where you provide additional information as requested, we aim to respond within 7 working days.
  • We aim to respond to requests for completion certificates within 7 working days.
  • Following a satisfactory inspection, we aim to issue a notice of acceptance within 5 working days.
  • We aim to respond to all letter and e-mail inquiries within 7 working days.

Your concerns: 

If you disagree with an interpretation of the Building Standards that the Council is adopting in the consideration of a building warrant that you have submitted or will require to submit you may request an interpretation through Local Authority Building Standards Scotland. The link to this webiste can be found on the Other Websites section on this page. 

Customer Survey:

To help improve our service we would be grateful if you would take time to complete the customer survey via the link which can be found on the Other Websites section on this page.

Complaints:

The Council also has a formal complaint process, details of which can be found on the related links section on this page.