Dangerous Structures

The Process

• Legislation
• Response
• Procedure
• Costs
• Contacts
• Online Form
• Dangerous Structure Customer Guide

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The Process

Legislation

All Local Authorities have a duty of care to protect the public from dangerous buildings or structures under Sections 77 and 78 of the Building Act 1984.

Buildings and Structures may become dangerous due to old age, rapid deterioration, inclement weather or by more dramatic causes such as fire, explosion or impact by vehicles.

Response

The Building Control Service operates a 24 hour / 365 day emergency service that will take appropriate action if a building or structure poses a potential danger to the safety of people in its immediate vicinity. Most out of hours call out requests are received from the Police or Fire Service.

Procedure

On receipt of a report, a Building Control Surveyor will inspect the building, decide whether there is a danger, and if so, whether it is potentially or imminently dangerous.

Where structures are imminently dangerous, the Local Authority has the power to take emergency action to either remove the danger or barricade it off.

Every effort will be made to contact the owner before any action is taken. The Local Authority has the legal powers to require the owner of the dangerous building or structure to remedy the defects or may direct a contractor to make the building or structure safe. The cost of any such work is recoverable from the owner of the building.

Where the danger is immediate and life threatening, we may liaise with the emergency services to close off the danger area, and arrange emergency works with the owner or independantly. This may include temporary works such as scaffolding or shoring to make the building safe, until permanent work can be arranged, or the removal of the hazard by more direct means.

If the structure requires attention to make it safe but is not immediately dangerous at the time of inspection, we can serve a notice on the owner to undertake repairs within a reasonable time. If the owner fails to comply with the notice we may go in and carry out the work and charge them.

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Costs

The owner of any building that becomes dangerous is responsible for all the costs involved in making the building safe. If the Council are unable to contact the owner at the time, and the building needs to be made safe, the Council may carry out the emergency works, and claim the costs back from the owner.

Contacts

If you consider that a building has become dangerous to members of the public, please contact :

During office hours

The contact number is 01628 796872.

Out of office hours

The emergency number is 01753 853517. 

Online Form

Our online form can be used to notify of a dangerous structure, please do not use if the matter is urgent.

Email

Please do not use email if the matter is urgent. Our email address is unattended out of hours and your email will only be seen on the next working day.

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Customer Guide

Our customer guide will help you understand how a situation involving a dangerous structure may be dealt with.

•   Dangerous Structures and Demolitions Customer Guide (pdf) 169kb