UK Act of Parliament 1984 United Kingdom

Building Act 1984

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At a glance

Enforced by

BSR

What's here

57 compliance obligations, 13 practical guides across 2 topics · 9 journeys · 2 statutory instruments

Penalty landscape

10 of 57 obligations carry an unlimited fine. 20 carry different penalties and 27 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Who this Act binds

Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.

  • Any Person 30
  • Trader 4
  • Occupier 2
  • Contractor 1
  • Director or Officer 1
  • Applicant 1

Plus 18 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.

Step-by-step journeys using this legislation

Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.

Relevant guidance

Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.

Direct — cites this Act

3 guides

Supporting — topic alignment

4 guides

Mentioned in related content

6 guides
View all 13 guides →

Other Acts binding the same actors

For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Traders also bound by 826 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Occupiers also bound by 259 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Contractors also bound by 178 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Directors and Officers also bound by 425 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Applicants also bound by 294 other Acts (top 5 shown)

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

Part I — Building Regulations

s.001

Buildings of special historical or architectural interest

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Government must consider preservation of heritage buildings in regulations Crown / Minister / Government department
s.002

Review of minimum energy performance requirements

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must review minimum energy performance for dwellings Crown / Minister / Government department
s.035

Compliance notices

2 years imprisonment
  • Fail to comply with a building regulations compliance notice Any Person
s.035

Stop notices

2 years imprisonment
  • Failure to comply with a building work stop notice Any Person
Browse 40 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.002

Continuing requirements in relation to fuel, power and emissions

s.002

Optional requirements

s.030

Determination of certain applications by appropriate national authority

s.035

Time limit for prosecution for contravention of ... building regulations

s.035

Compliance and stop notices: supplementary

s.039

Appeals against compliance notices and stop notices etc

s.043

Appeals under sections 20, 39 and 50: England

s.046

Building control authorities: restricted activities and functions

Part 2A — REGULATION OF BUILDING CONTROL PROFESSION

s.058

Code of conduct

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • BSR must publish a code of conduct for building inspectors Statutory regulator
s.058

Offences relating to registration

Unlimited fine
  • Performing restricted building inspector activities outside of registration Any Person
s.058

Offence of acting as, or pretending to be, a registered building inspector

Unlimited fine
  • Impersonating a registered building inspector Any Person
s.058

Professional conduct rules

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • BSR must create and publish professional conduct rules for building control Statutory regulator
s.058

Offence of registered building control approver acting outside scope of registration

Unlimited fine
  • Act outside the scope of building control registration Any Person
s.058

Offence of pretending to be a registered building control approver

Unlimited fine
  • Falsely claiming to be a registered building control approver Any Person
Browse 29 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.058

“Regulatory authority”

s.058

“Registered building inspector”

s.058

Register of building inspectors

s.058

Application for registration as building inspector

s.058

Variation or cancellation of registration as building inspector

s.058

Registered building inspectors: information notices

s.058

Professional misconduct investigations

s.058

Sanctions for professional misconduct

s.058

Interim suspension for suspected serious professional misconduct

s.058

Suspension orders: further provision

s.058

“Registered building control approver”

s.058

Register of building control approvers

s.058

Application for registration as building control approver

s.058

Variation or cancellation of registration as building control approver

s.058

Registered building control approvers: information notices

s.058

Investigations into contraventions of professional conduct rules

s.058

Sanctions for contravention of professional conduct rules

s.058

Interim suspension for suspected serious contravention

s.058

Delegation of registration functions

s.058

Appeal to Crown Court

s.058

Reporting requirements

s.058

Information: Wales

s.058

Investigations

s.058

Improvement notice

s.058

Serious contravention notices

s.058

Continuing failure to meet standards: registered building control approvers

s.058

Continuing failure to meet standards: local authorities in England

s.058

Inspections

s.058

Sharing of information between regulatory authorities

Part II — Supervision of Building Work etc. otherwise than by building control authorities

s.050

Plans certificates.

  • Registered building control approver must issue plans certificate when asked and conditions are met Trader
s.051

Final certificates.

  • Building control approvers must issue a final certificate upon completion Trader
s.052

Cancellation of initial notice when work becomes higher-risk building work

Unlimited fine
  • Fail to notify authorities when work becomes higher-risk building work Any Person
s.053

New initial notice: change of registered building control approver

  • Assess and certify unfinished work when changing building control approvers Trader
s.053

Consideration of transfer certificate and report

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local authority must accept or reject building control transfer certificate Local authority
s.053

Restriction on functions of registered building control approvers

  • Do not exercise building control functions during transfer transition period Trader
s.054

Registered building control approvers: restricted activities and functions

Unlimited fine
  • Misuse of restricted building control functions or activities Any Person
Browse 17 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.051

Variation of work to which initial notice relates.

s.051

Effect of amendment notice

s.051

Change of person intending to carry out work

s.052

Effect of initial notice ceasing to be in force where work becomes higher-risk building work

s.053

Lapse of initial notice

s.053

Cancellation of initial notice: change of registered building control approver

s.054

Public bodies and higher-risk building work

s.056

Giving information by electronic means: England

s.056

Requirement to keep register: England

s.056

Delegation of functions

Part III — Other Provisions about Buildings

s.062

Disconnection of drain.

Fine up to £200
  • Failure to properly seal or notify of drain disconnection Any Person
s.073

Raising of chimney.

Fine up to £200
  • Fail to raise chimneys when erecting a taller building Occupier
s.077

Dangerous building.

Fine up to £200
  • Fail to comply with a court order regarding a dangerous building Any Person
s.079

Wales: exercise of powers under sections 77 and 79 in relation to listed buildings, buildings in conservation areas etc.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local authorities in Wales must prioritize historic preservation laws Local authority
Browse 21 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.090

Functions under this Part: the regulator etc

Part IV — General

s.091

Registers to be kept by local authorities and the regulator

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local authorities and BSR must maintain public registers of building records Local authority
s.091

Cooperation and the sharing of information: Wales

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Welsh local authorities and fire services must cooperate on building safety Local authority
s.091

Section 91ZB : supplementary

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local authorities must review and respond to regulator's notices Local authority
s.092

Form of documents.

  • Use the correct written form for all Building Act documents Any Person
s.101

Appeal: refusal to consider application etc on ground is higher-risk building work

Amended 3 times
s.105

Enforcement of decisions of the First-tier and Upper Tribunal

Amended 1 time
s.105

Fees and charges

Amended 1 time
s.105

Levy on certain applications for building control approval etc

Amended 1 time
s.112

Liability of officers of body corporate etc

2 years imprisonment Amended 3 times
  • Personal liability for directors and officers for building safety breaches Director or Officer
s.120

Regulations

Amended 4 times
s.120

Proposals and consultation relating to regulations made by the Secretary of State

Amended 4 times
s.120

Consultation relating to regulations made by the Welsh Ministers

Amended 4 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Welsh Ministers must consult before making new building-related regulations Crown / Minister / Government department
s.120

Meaning of “higher-risk building”: England

Amended 4 times
s.120

Regulations under section 120D : procedure

Amended 4 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must consult before defining higher-risk buildings Crown / Minister / Government department
s.120

Regulations under section 120D : additional procedure in certain cases

Amended 4 times
s.120

Recommendations about regulations under section 120D

Amended 4 times
s.120

Advice about regulations under section 120D

Amended 4 times
s.120

Higher-risk buildings and higher-risk building work: Wales

Amended 4 times
s.121

Meaning of “building control authority”

Amended 2 times
Browse 20 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.091

The regulator: building control authority for higher-risk buildings in England

s.091

The regulator: building control authority for other work

s.091

Higher-risk buildings in Wales: local authority work

s.094

Electronic service of documents

s.125

Meaning of work

Part V — Supplementary

Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Schedules

Browse 77 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
s.sch001

Building regulations may— (a) provide for particular requirements of the...

s.sch001

(1) Building regulations may make supplementary, incidental, transitional, transitory or...

s.sch001

(1) Building regulations may repeal or modify—

s.sch001

(1) Building regulations may make provision about the procedure that...

s.sch001

(1) Building regulations may in particular make provision for and...

s.sch001

(1) Building regulations may in particular make provision for and...

s.sch001

(1) Building regulations may, in relation to any work, make...

s.sch001

(1) This paragraph applies where building regulations made by virtue...

s.sch001

(1) Where building regulations provide that any document must or...

s.sch001

(1) Building regulations may make provision for and in connection...

s.sch001

Building regulations may provide that any prescribed period for the...

s.sch001

(1) Building regulations may make provision for and in connection...

s.sch001

Building regulations may include provision as to—

s.sch001

Building regulations may provide for requiring local authorities and approved...

s.sch001

Building regulations may— (a) authorise local authorities to accept, as...

s.sch001

(1) Building regulations may— (a) provide for requiring that, in...

s.sch001

(1) Building regulations may provide that in relation to any...

s.sch001

(1) Building regulations may authorise local authorities to charge prescribed...

s.sch001

(1) Building regulations may require prescribed appointments to be made...

s.sch001

(1) Building regulations may, for the purpose of facilitating compliance...

s.sch001

(1) Building regulations may, in relation to any work, impose...

s.sch001

Building regulations may make a prescribed person or class of...

s.sch001

Without prejudice to the generality of section 1(1) of this...

s.sch001

(1) Building regulations may be made with respect to—

s.sch001

Building regulations may authorise local authorities, subject to and in...

s.sch002

This Schedule applies to a direction under section 8 of...

s.sch002

Neither the appropriate national authority nor a building control authority...

s.sch002

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this Schedule, after...

s.sch002

Paragraph 3(1), (3) and (4) above do not apply to...

s.sch002

The giving of a direction to which this Schedule applies...

s.sch002

If, before the giving of a direction to which this...

s.sch003

Application to inner London.

s.sch003

Byelaws about demolition.

s.sch003

Restriction of application of Part IV of Act.

s.sch003

Application of provisions by building regulations.

s.sch003

Repeal and modification of Acts.

s.sch003

Consultation.

s.sch003

Application to inner London.

s.sch003

Application to Temples.

s.sch003

Drainage of new building.

s.sch004

(1) A public body’s notice comes into force when it...

s.sch004

(1) Sub-paragraph (2) applies where— (a) a public body’s notice...

s.sch004

(1) This paragraph applies where a public body’s notice ceases...

s.sch004

(1) Where a local authority cancels a public body’s notice,...

s.sch004

(1) Where a public body— (a) is satisfied that plans...

s.sch004

(1) Where a public body is satisfied that any work...

s.sch004

(1) This paragraph applies where a public body’s notice ceases...

s.sch004

(1) This paragraph applies where— (a) on any day (“...

s.sch004

Building regulations may make provision for requiring, in such circumstances...

s.sch005

After the date on which section 30 of this Act...

s.sch005

Any power that is exercisable by virtue of—

s.sch005

(1) Section 64(5) of the Act of 1936, in so...

s.sch005

Without prejudice to the power to make building regulations, the...

s.sch006

In paragraph 9(5) of Part II of Schedule 11 to...

s.sch006

In section 9(6) of the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises...

s.sch006

In section 2(4) of the Faculty Jurisdiction Measure 1964—

s.sch006

For section 30(3)(a) and (b) of the Fire Precautions Act...

s.sch006

In section 181(2)(a) of the Local Government Act 1972, for...

s.sch006

In section 9(1)(c) of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act...

s.sch006

In section 1(1)(a) of the Local Land Charges Act 1975,...

s.sch006

In section 12(3) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act...

s.sch006

In Schedule 1 to the Interpretation Act 1978, in the...

s.sch006

In section 6(1) of the Public Health Act 1936, after...

s.sch006

In section 168(1)(b) of the Highways Act 1980, for “section...

s.sch006

In section 223(1)(a) of that Act, for “section 66 of...

s.sch006

There is added at the end of section 7(4) of...

s.sch006

In section 269(8)(i) of that Act, for “the building byelaws...

s.sch006

In section 5(5) of the Atomic Energy Authority Act 1954,...

s.sch006

In section 17(15) of the Public Health Act 1961 (as...

s.sch006

In paragraph 19 of Part I of Schedule 11 to...

Read the full Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Official guidance

Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.

Enforcement and responsible bodies

The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.

BSR

Building Safety Regulator

Regulates building safety for higher-risk buildings (18+ metres or 7+ storeys with at least 2 residential units) in England. Established under the …

Connected legislation

2 statutory instruments

These instruments amend, apply, or refer to this Act. They may not all create direct business obligations.

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Regulators

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