Construction & Property

Step-by-step routes through what construction & property businesses must do.

Curated by what's changing, what's most consequential, and where things go wrong.

The bodies that set rules and enforce compliance for construction & property.

Ranked by how much of the legislation this sector's guides cite each one enforces.

The Acts and statutory instruments that set duties for this sector.

Ranked by how many of this sector's guides cite each — the legislation most central to the sector appears first.

• SI
  Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (opens in a new tab) Cited by 20 of this sector's guides
• Act
  Building Safety Act 2022 (opens in a new tab) Cited by 17 of this sector's guides
• Act
  Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) (opens in a new tab) Cited by 11 of this sector's guides
• SI
  Higher-Risk Buildings (Keeping and Provision of Information… (opens in a new tab) Cited by 6 of this sector's guides
• SI
  Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regul… (opens in a new tab) Cited by 6 of this sector's guides
• SI
  Building Regulations 2010 (opens in a new tab) Cited by 6 of this sector's guides
• Act
  PLBCASA 1997 (opens in a new tab) Cited by 6 of this sector's guides
• Act
  Building Act 1984 (opens in a new tab) Cited by 6 of this sector's guides

All guidance for construction & property

158 guides for this sector.

Grouped by topic area, with the topic holding the most guidance first; within each, the most comprehensive guides lead.

All journeys

• Grow your construction business Scale your construction business - win public contracts, build your workforce, achieve accreditations, and manage subcontractors at scale
• Run a construction business Ongoing compliance, site safety, and operational requirements for established construction businesses
• Meet environmental compliance requirements Navigate your environmental obligations including waste duty of care, pollution prevention, packaging responsibilities, and energy reporting
• Planning permission for new development A complete guide to getting planning permission for your first development project, from understanding when you need permission …
• SME housebuilder planning guide Comprehensive planning guidance for small and medium housebuilders. Learn how to navigate the planning system efficiently, take advantage …
• Getting started with CIS A comprehensive learning path for anyone new to the Construction Industry Scheme. Understand how CIS works, decide whether …
• Prepare for the Building Safety Levy Check whether your residential scheme is in scope of the Building Safety Levy from 1 October 2026, work …
• Responding to CDM enforcement action What to do when HSE takes enforcement action or investigates your construction site for CDM breaches. Covers improvement …
• Start a construction business Set up and register a construction, building, or trades business
• Building regulations compliance for renovation Navigate building control approval, thermal upgrade requirements, and competent person schemes when renovating business premises
• Construction near a heritage site in Scotland Learning path for construction businesses working near protected heritage assets in Scotland. Covers scheduled monuments, listed buildings, conservation …
• Drainage and utilities infrastructure compliance Complete learning path for property developers and contractors working on drainage and utilities infrastructure. Covers Approved Document H …
• Set up a real estate business
• Starting a waste business Complete compliance guide for waste transfer stations, treatment facilities, skip hire, and recycling centres. Covers environmental permits, waste …
• Understanding construction tax obligations A complete picture of how CIS, VAT reverse charge, CITB, and PAYE work together for construction businesses. Learn …
• Responding to planning enforcement What to do if you receive a planning enforcement notice. Understand the type of notice you have received, …
• Start a lettings agency Compliance requirements for starting a property letting business in the UK
• New higher-risk building development compliance Learning path for developers undertaking their first higher-risk building project under the Building Safety Act 2022. Covers the …
• CDM compliance quick check Quick CDM checklist before construction begins. Four key actions: check if notifiable, appoint duty holders, submit F10 if …
• Managing an occupied higher-risk building Learning path for Accountable Persons and property managers responsible for higher-risk buildings under the Building Safety Act 2022. …
• Obtaining an environmental permit for regulated activities Determine if you need an environmental permit, navigate the application process, and understand permit conditions for pollution control
• Development affecting protected species in Scotland Learning path for developers whose projects may affect protected species in Scotland. Covers the legal framework, ecology surveys, …
• Ecological compliance for development projects Learn the full lifecycle of ecological obligations when developing land, from protected species surveys and wildlife licensing through …
• Small site planning fast track Quick checklist for SME developers submitting minor residential applications (1-9 dwellings). Skip the explanation - get straight to …
• VAT compliance for construction Construction-specific VAT guidance including the domestic reverse charge. Essential for subcontractors and main contractors to understand when the …
• Water Framework Directive compliance for businesses Complete compliance pathway for businesses whose activities may affect water body status — from understanding the WFD framework …
• CIS essentials for small builders The 5 things you need to know about CIS if you use subcontractors. A 5-minute guide for builders, …
• Complete your CIS monthly compliance A practical week-by-week workflow for CIS contractors. Know exactly what to do on each day of the tax …
• Building Safety Act for SME contractors A learning path for small and medium construction businesses working on higher-risk building projects under the Building Safety …
• Fix CIS payment errors Something gone wrong with CIS? This troubleshooting guide helps contractors and subcontractors identify and fix common Construction Industry …
• I've made a CIS mistake - how to fix it Something gone wrong with CIS? This troubleshooting journey helps contractors identify their mistake, correct errors, reduce penalties, and …
• Plan safe work at height Learning path for planning and managing work at height safely. Covers the hierarchy of controls, equipment selection, scaffolding …
• Scottish heritage compliance quick check Rapid compliance check for works affecting scheduled monuments, listed buildings, and conservation areas in Scotland. Covers Historic Environment …
• Structural works pre-start compliance check Quick pre-start checklist for structural works: demolition notices, asbestos surveys, temporary works design, excavation safety, and LOLER examinations. …
• Managing CDM Regulations compliance on construction projects Navigate your CDM 2015 duties - from identifying your role to HSE notification and construction phase planning
• Managing business waste and duty of care compliance Navigate your legal obligations for business waste - duty of care, waste carriers, transfer notes, recycling separation, and …
• CIS compliance quick check Monthly CIS compliance essentials for experienced contractors. Three key actions: verify subcontractors, calculate deductions, submit your return by …
• Do I need an environmental permit? Quick assessment of whether your business activities require an environmental permit from the Environment Agency or local council.
• Meet anti-money laundering requirements Essential guide to AML compliance for UK businesses in regulated sectors. Covers registration with supervisors, customer due diligence, …
• Complete guide to highway works compliance End-to-end learning path for contractors new to highway works in England. Covers the legal framework, permit types, required …
• Construction materials regulatory compliance Learning path covering the regulatory obligations for construction materials in Great Britain. Understand product marking (CE and UKCA), …
• Developing contaminated or brownfield land Complete guide to developing contaminated sites - from initial due diligence through site investigation, remediation, and verification. Covers …
• Do I need permission to fell trees or remove hedgerows? Quick check covering felling licences, TPOs, conservation areas, and hedgerow regulations. Determine what permissions you need before carrying …
• Highway works quick compliance check Quick-check permit type, notice period, qualification requirements, and fixed penalty notice amounts before starting highway works. For experienced …
• Keep and maintain your gross payment status Everything you need to know to keep your CIS gross payment status once granted. Learn when HMRC reviews …
• Responding to a heritage enforcement notice in Scotland What to do if you receive a heritage enforcement notice in Scotland. Covers listed building enforcement notices, scheduled …
• Responding to environmental enforcement What to do if you receive an enforcement notice or warning letter from an environmental regulator. Covers types …
• Structural incident on site: what to do now Emergency response for excavation collapse, structural instability, or unexpected failure during construction works. Covers immediate safety actions, RIDDOR …
• Your GPS was cancelled - recovery path Steps to take after your CIS gross payment status is cancelled. Understand the critical difference between cancellation and …
• Respond to BSR enforcement action What to do when you receive enforcement action from the Building Safety Regulator for a higher-risk building.
• Do I need a wildlife licence for my project? Quick decision tree to determine if your development or land management activity requires a wildlife licence from Natural …
• Achieving nutrient neutrality Step-by-step guide to achieving nutrient neutrality for development in affected catchments. Learn how to calculate your nutrient budget, …
• Contamination discovered on your site What to do when contamination is discovered during construction or building works. Covers immediate steps, reporting obligations, liability …
• Development blocked by nutrient neutrality Your site is in a nutrient-affected catchment and you cannot get planning permission. This guide explains your options …
• Golden thread compliance check Quick compliance check for duty holders to verify their golden thread meets Building Safety Act requirements. Covers format, …
• Planning appeal process What to do when your planning application is refused. Understand your options, assess your chances, and decide whether …
• Protect your business from CIS supply chain fraud Since 6 April 2026, contractors face severe penalties if they 'knew or should have known' about fraud in …
• Protected species found on your development site What to do when protected species are discovered on your development site, from immediate actions through licensing and …
• Respond to highway works penalties and enforcement What to do when you receive a Fixed Penalty Notice, Section 74 overrun charge, or reinstatement defect notice …
• Utility strike: what to do now Emergency response for striking gas, electric, water, or telecoms services during digging. Covers immediate danger actions in the …
• SuDS approval in Wales: quick guide Quick checklist for mandatory Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) approval in Wales. Check if you need approval, how to …
• Using occasional labour - CIS quick check A 3-minute decision tree for sole traders wondering if CIS applies when they pay a labourer or mate …
• Respond to Gateway 2 rejection What to do if your Gateway 2 application has been rejected. Covers understanding rejection reasons, your options for …
• Higher-risk building registration checklist Quick registration checklist for Principal Accountable Persons registering a higher-risk building with the Building Safety Regulator. Covers eligibility, …
• Gateway 2 preparation checklist Quick readiness check before submitting your Gateway 2 application to BSR. For teams already familiar with the Building …

Subsectors

SIC 2007 divisions covered by this sector.