PWC Building Control Services Ltd liquidation: advice for homeowners

A private sector approved inspector, PWC Building Control Services Ltd (PWC), filed for voluntary liquidation in August 2024.

The active building projects that it was working on, if they haven’t already transferred, will almost inevitably now have to revert to public service building control teams in relevant local authorities.

Martin Taylor, Executive Director at LABC, says:

“We have a great deal of sympathy for anyone affected by the liquidation of PWC. There are a reported 14,000 consumer creditors, and their projects range in size and value.

“Understandably, there will be much concern about what this situation means for these customers, and what needs to happen next to get the required completion certifications for these projects.

“It is the client’s legal responsibility to ensure that work does comply with Building Regulations and that the appropriate Building Regulation procedures have been followed. Our local authority members will do all they can to support them through this process.

“LABC and our local authority members have a considerable amount of experience in dealing with private company insolvency situations like this. It’s not the first time this has happened. Local authorities are working hard to support all of PWC’s former customers as quickly and efficiently as they can.”

ARE YOU AFFECTED?

Here is LABC’s advice if you are affected by the liquidation of PWC Building Control Services Ltd:

If you were a customer of PWC, it is likely that your project will have to revert to the building control team in your local authority. You can find their contact details here.

If building work has started on site:

We understand that the majority of initial notices submitted by PWC will now have been cancelled by PWC, and where appropriate you will now need to make a ‘reversion submission’ so that the work can revert to the local council. Speak to your local authority building control team and they will discuss with you how to complete this submission.

When work is reverted to a local council’s building control team, you will need to provide them with as much information as possible to help them determine whether the work completed so far complies with the relevant regulations.

All local authorities are obliged to charge a fee, where appropriate, for work reverted to them and this fee will be individually assessed based on the size of the project and the amount of time needed to determine compliance with the Building Regulations.

Any information you have about inspections undertaken so far, plus any building plans, structural calculations and associated details of the work in progress will be of great assistance. The more information you provide the easier it will be for the team to assess; let you know of the next steps and calculate applicable fees.

The council’s building control team will liaise directly with you and/or your builder to establish if any of the building work thus far completed will need to be exposed for inspection. They will then work with you and/or your builder to help you demonstrate regulatory compliance through to completion.

If building work has not started on site:

If the job has not started, it is a very straightforward process to submit a new Building Regulations application. You have the choice of using your local council’s building control team, or another private sector provider (previously known as approved inspectors, now called registered building control approvers).

How long will it take for my project to be reviewed?

We understand that more than 14,000 residential projects have been affected by the PWC liquidation.

Public service building control teams across England and Wales are impacted by this situation in different ways. Some have only a handful of projects to deal with. Others have more than a thousand additional cases.

Because of the suddenness of the situation, it is difficult to confirm timescales at this stage.  The worst affected local authorities may need to prioritise projects based on the level of risk.

We ask for patience while our members plan and schedule-in this work.

Is there anything I can do in the meantime?

We recommend that you assemble all the documentation relevant to your building project. This may include plans, site records and associated details of work under construction and any correspondence/notices with PWC.

This will help your building control team assess the current status of the project.  

Will I have to pay again?

Yes, you will need to pay your council for any work they carry out on your project.

All local authorities are obliged to charge a fee for work reverted to them and this fee will be individually assessed based on the size of the project and the amount of time needed to determine compliance with the Building Regulations.

Where can I find out more information about Building Regulations and the building control process?

Further guidance can be found here.

How do I contact my local council’s building control team?

Enter your postcode here to find direct contact details for your local council’s building control team in England and Wales. They will provide unbiased, independent information you can trust.

If you are an LABC member

LABC has worked closely with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) as this situation has unfolded. Detailed interpretation and guidance in respect of legislation and associated procedures can be found here. You can also contact MHCLG directly via: reversions@communities.gov.uk.