What we do
This page gives an indication of the services West Lothian Council building standards provide
Our function is to administer the building regulations to secure the health, safety, welfare and convenience of persons in or about buildings.
When building work or a conversion takes place the completed building must meet the essential standards in order to satisfy the building regulations.
The building standards team is also involved in a variety of public safety issues which range from dangerous buildings, safety of raised structures such as stages, licensed premises and houses in multiple occupation.
Additionally Building Standards provides discretionary services in response to enquiries about building and conveyancing matters. All our services, statutory and discretionary, are underpinned with a strong customer focus.
Building Standards deals with:
- Processing building warrants
- Processing certificate of completion submissions
- Inspecting construction work relating to building warrants
- Carrying out enforcement of building standards
- Inspecting and assessing dangerous structures
- Assessing and inspecting regulated stands, staging and raised structures
- Issuing letters of comfort
- Providing consultation and inspection reports to the licensing board
The purpose of the building standards system is to protect the public interest.
The building standards system checks that proposed building work or conversion of a building satisfies regulatory standards. This is supported by an inspection and compliance process that is designed to ensure at minimum that a reasonable enquiry in relation to meeting the necessary approved standards is achieved and that the relevant legislation is not avoided.
As mentioned above, the building standards system, generally, is to protect the public interest and is not intended to provide protection to a client or owner in a contract with a builder.
West Lothian Council building standards will operate an inspection regime, but inspections during construction and after completion will be limited to the minimum necessary to ensure compliance with the Standards: not to ensure that the works are being carried out to the satisfaction of the owner. That is the owner's responsibility.
