Regulating the building control profession

As well as BSR becoming the Building Control Authority for higher-risk buildings, further steps towards regulating the whole of the building control profession in England were introduced last month.

Building control inspectors appointed to undertake any type of building control work in England will need to register with BSR ahead of the profession becoming regulated in April 2024.

To complete the registration process, inspectors will be required to demonstrate competence in their work and compliance with the Building Safety Act 2022, as well as existing building regulations. Additionally, all private sector businesses that want to undertake building control work must also apply to register as a building control approver (RBCA).

From 1 April 2024 it will be an offence to carry out building control work if you are not a registered building inspector or approver.

Registration is now open:

• read the guidance for registering as a building control inspector
• read the guidance for registering as building control approvers

Sandra Ashcroft, competence work stream lead in the Building Safety programme at HSE, says: "Becoming a Registered Building Inspector is a commitment to public safety. Both the public and the built environment rely on the expertise and diligence of inspectors to make certain that buildings are constructed and maintained to rigorous standards of safety and quality.

"The BSR has set rigorous standards that all inspectors must meet. This means that every individual practicing in the building control sector will be held to the same high bar, guaranteeing a consistent level of competence across the board.

"We are encouraging all building control professionals to act now and undergo assessment as soon as possible, ahead of when registration becomes mandatory from April 2024."