Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the Building Regulations 2000 and the Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 2000.

Regulation 2 amends the Building Regulations 2000. In particular:

Paragraph (2) amends regulation 20C to ensure that the requirement to notify the local authority that new or altered fixed building services have been commissioned in accordance with an approved procedure only applies where such commissioning is possible and could affect the energy efficiency of the fixed building service.

Paragraph (3) amends Part L of Schedule 1 to clarify the energy efficiency requirements for new and altered fixed building services.

Paragraph (4) amends Schedule 2A to change the registration category for self-certification schemes for oil-fired installations from ‘individual’ to ‘person’, to add new bodies who are able to register persons in such schemes, and to increase the maximum heat output of a solid fuel burning combustion appliance which can be installed under a self-certification scheme.

Paragraph (5) amends Schedule 2B to alter, and to extend, the categories of building work for which notification to the local authority is not required.

Regulation 3 amends the Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 2000. In particular:

Paragraph (2)(a) amends regulation 12C to ensure that the requirement to notify the approved inspector that new or altered fixed building services have been commissioned in accordance with an approved procedure only applies where such commissioning is possible and could affect the energy efficiency of the fixed building service.

Paragraph (2)(b) has two effects. First, new paragraph (4) of regulation 12C amends the time limit for giving the notice required by that regulation in cases where regulation 11A applies (i.e. where work has been carried out under a self-certification scheme).The time limit is amended from not later than 5 days after completion of the work included in an initial notice to not more than 30 days after completion of the self-certified work, which is the time limit in regulation 11A. Secondly, new paragraph (5) of regulation 12C ensures that where regulation 18 (which sets out the events that cause an initial notice to cease to be in force) applies the notice must be given on or before the date an initial notice ceases to be in force.

Regulation 4 contains transitional provisions.

The Secretary of State intends to approve, under section 6(4) of the Building Act 1984, four new approved documents providing practical guidance with respect to the requirements of regulation 20C of, and Part L of Schedule 1 to, the Building Regulations 2000 (and also regulations 4A, 4B, 17C, 17D, 20B and 20D of those Regulations).

The approved documents will be published by NBS, part of RIBA Enterprises Ltd, and will be available via the Communities and Local Government website at www.communities.gov.uk/buildingregs.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.