How to check Building Regulations on a property

At a glance

Building regulations are the legal standards that govern how construction work must be carried out in England and Wales. When buying or selling a property, checking whether past work was properly approved and certified is an essential part of the legal process. Missing building regulations paperwork does not always prevent a sale, but it can delay it, affect mortgage offers and reduce buyer confidence. This guide explains what building regulations cover, which types of work require approval, how to check whether work on a property was approved, and what to do if certificates are missing.

What Are Building Regulations?

Building regulations are a set of minimum standards for the design, construction and alteration of buildings in England and Wales. They are enforced under the Building Act 1984 and set out in the Building Regulations 2010, which have been amended several times since and remain the primary framework as of 2026.

The regulations cover a wide range of technical requirements, including:

• Structural integrity — ensuring buildings are structurally sound
• Fire safety — means of escape, fire detection and fire resistance
• Energy efficiency — insulation, heating systems and airtightness
• Ventilation — adequate air circulation in habitable rooms
• Drainage and plumbing — proper waste and water systems
• Electrical safety — safe installation of electrical systems
• Accessibility — minimum standards for access to and within buildings

Building regulations are separate from planning permission. Planning permission governs what you can build — its size, appearance and impact on neighbours. Building regulations govern how it must be built, focusing on safety, energy efficiency and structural performance. A project may require both, either, or in some cases neither.

The technical requirements for each area are set out in a series of Approved Documents published by the government. Each covers a specific area — Approved Document A covers structure, Approved Document B covers fire safety, Approved Document L covers energy efficiency, and so on.

Which Types of Work Require Building Regulations Approval?

Most significant building work on a residential property requires building regulations approval, regardless of whether planning permission is also needed. Without approval, you will not have the certificates of compliance you may need when you want to sell your home. The gov.uk building regulations approval page sets out the full scope of what requires approval and what is exempt.

Note: This table provides general guidance only. Always confirm with your local building control department before starting or assuming work is exempt.

What Is a Building Regulations Completion Certificate?

A building regulations completion certificate — sometimes called a building control completion certificate — is the document issued by the relevant building control body confirming that the completed work has been inspected and found to comply with the applicable building regulations.

According to Designing Buildings, completion certificates are issued by the local authority to confirm that it has taken reasonable steps to ensure there is evidence, though not necessarily conclusive evidence, that the work complies with the relevant requirements of the Building Regulations.

The certificate is issued after the final inspection of the completed works. Under gov.uk guidance on how to apply for building regulations approval, you will usually get a completion certificate within 8 weeks of completion of the building work, as long as it complies.

This document is important because:

• It provides the buyer's solicitor with evidence that the work was properly approved
• Mortgage lenders often require it before lending against a property with significant works
• It confirms that the work was carried out to a minimum safety standard
• It protects both buyer and seller if questions arise about the work later

The completion certificate is distinct from the initial building regulations approval. Approval confirms that the plans were acceptable before work started. The completion certificate confirms that the finished work was inspected and passed.

How to Check Building Regulations on a Property You Are Buying

When buying a property, checking for building regulations paperwork is primarily the role of your conveyancing solicitor. During the legal process, the solicitor will raise enquiries with the seller, asking them to produce evidence of approval and completion certificates for any significant works carried out.

You can also carry out your own checks before or alongside the legal process, but before contacting your local authority about any missing paperwork, speak to your conveyancing solicitor first. If you are considering indemnity insurance as a resolution, making a direct enquiry to the council about the absence of a certificate may invalidate that policy. Your conveyancer will advise on the right order of steps for your specific situation.

Step 1 — Ask the Seller

The starting point is to ask the seller, through their agent, to provide all building regulations documentation for any work carried out during their ownership. This should include both the initial approval notice and the completion certificate for each project.

Step 2 — Search Your Local Authority's Building Control Register

Every local council holds its own building control register. Use your local council's building control register as the first port of call — search for "building control" or "building regulations" on your council's website and look for an application register or search function. The Planning Portal can help you find guidance and identify the right routes to apply or make enquiries, but building control records are held individually by each council rather than centrally.

Not all councils make their full building control records searchable online. For older records or detailed information, you may need to make a written request directly to the building control department.

Step 3 — Submit a Formal Records Request

Copies of building regulation plans, approval notices and completion certificates can be obtained by written request through post or email to your local authority. There is usually a small administrative fee. When making a request, provide the full property address, the approximate date of the work if known, and specify what documents you are requesting.

Note: If you are considering indemnity insurance, speak to your conveyancer before making any enquiry to the local authority, as this could affect the availability of a policy.

Step 4 — Contact the Approved Inspector If Applicable

Building regulations approval can be granted by a local authority or a private registered building control approver. If the work was carried out under a private approved inspector rather than the local authority, the completion certificate will have been issued by that inspector. Contact them directly for a copy.

Step 5 — Check Competent Person Scheme Certificates

For some types of work — particularly replacement windows and doors, boiler installations and electrical work — the contractor may be registered under a government-authorised competent person scheme. Under these schemes, the contractor self-certifies compliance and issues their own certificate directly to the homeowner.

How to Check Planning Permission Alongside Building Regulations

Planning permission records are publicly accessible through your local authority's planning portal. Most councils make their planning application records searchable online by address. The Planning Portal provides links to local authority planning search tools across England and Wales.

Note: Finding a planning permission does not confirm that building regulations were also obtained, and vice versa. Both should be checked independently.

What If Building Regulations Certificates Are Missing?

Missing building regulations paperwork is a common issue in property transactions, particularly for older work or work carried out before the seller's ownership. There are several options available depending on the circumstances. Your conveyancing solicitor should be the first point of contact before taking any of the steps below.

Option 1 — Apply for a Regularisation Certificate

If work was carried out without building regulations approval, you can apply for a regularisation certificate from the local building control department. The authority will retrospectively inspect the works. If compliant, a certificate is issued. If remedial work is needed, it must be completed before certification can be granted. Information on applying is available through your local authority's building control department.

Option 2 — Obtain Indemnity Insurance

Building regulations indemnity insurance provides cover against the financial consequences of enforcement action by the local authority. It does not prove the work was done correctly — it provides financial protection only.

Important: if you seek indemnity insurance, speak to your conveyancing solicitor before making any enquiry to your local authority about missing certificates. Contacting the council directly about the absence of a certificate may invalidate the policy. Always take advice from your conveyancer before deciding how to proceed.

Option 3 — Request a Copy of a Lost Certificate

If approval was obtained but the certificate has been lost, a copy can usually be obtained from the local authority or the approved inspector. A fee may be payable.

Building Regulations and Selling a Property

If you are selling a property and have carried out work that required building regulations approval, having the correct paperwork in place before marketing is strongly advisable. Missing certificates will be picked up during the buyer's legal process, and discovering the issue late can delay or complicate a sale.

Before listing a property for sale, it is worth checking:

• Whether any work carried out during your ownership required building regulations approval
• Whether you have both the initial approval notice and the completion certificate for each project
• Whether any competent person has filed scheme certificates with the property documents
• Whether any work was carried out by previous owners that may need to be investigated

If you have planning permission for work but are unsure whether building regulations were also obtained, speak to your conveyancer before contacting building control, especially if indemnity insurance may be considered.

Choosing an estate agent with good experience selling properties with complex histories is worth considering. GetAgent's comparison tool lets you compare local estate agents by their performance data before deciding who to instruct.

Building Regulations in Scotland and Northern Ireland

The information in this guide applies primarily to England and Wales. Building regulations in Scotland and Northern Ireland operate under different legislative frameworks.

For properties in Scotland, the equivalent of a building regulations completion certificate is a completion certificate under the building warrant system, issued by the local authority's building standards department. Guidance is published by the Scottish Government's Building Standards Department.

Recent Changes — Building Safety Act 2022 and 2026 Updates

In England, the Building Safety Act 2022 introduced significant reforms primarily focused on higher-risk buildings — those at least 7 storeys or 18 metres high with at least 2 residential units, now regulated by the Building Safety Regulator within the Health and Safety Executive.

For most homeowners, the practical impact is limited. Two points worth noting:

1. From 1 October 2026, some applications for building control approval for new residential development in England may be subject to the Building Safety Levy, subject to exemptions.
2. Private building control approvers in England must now be registered with the BSR — only registered approvers can issue building control approval and completion certificates.

References

1. APHC — Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors
2. Building Act 1984 — legislation.gov.uk
3. Building Regulations 2010 Approved Documents — gov.uk
4. Building Regulations approval — gov.uk
5. Building Regulations approval — how to apply — gov.uk
6. Building Safety Act 2022 — legislation.gov.uk
7. Building control — Planning Portal
8. Building regulations completion certificate — Designing Buildings
9. CERTASS — replacement windows and doors competent person scheme
10. FENSA — replacement windows and doors competent person scheme
11. Gas Safe Register
12. HETAS — solid fuel heating appliances
13. NAPIT — electrical competent person scheme
14. NICEIC — electrical competent person scheme
15. Planning Portal
16. Scottish Government — building standards