Coronavirus (COVID-19): addendum to guidance on duration of building warrant - letter from Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning
Letter from the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning Kevin Stewart MSP to local authorities giving additional guidance on the duration of building warrants (extending the validity and determination of application – refusal and deemed refusals) as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The details outlined in this letter are no longer in force.
The Building (Scotland) Act 2003
The Building (Procedure)(Scotland) Regulations 2004
Addendum to Guidance on Duration of building warrant – extending the validity and determination of application – refusal and deemed refusal as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak
I refer to my letter of 7 April 2020 providing guidance on the extension to building warrant duration and deemed refusal over the period affected by COVID-19. The intent of the guidance was to ensure that where work was paused as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic that applicants would not be disadvantaged through the expiry of their building warrant.
I appreciate that granting an extension to a building warrant requires further work and as a result a fee is normally charged. However, at this time it is important that the fee does not prevent contractors getting back to work in a safe and responsible manner in order to complete works for applicants. As such you should use your discretion with regards to charging or waiving fees. You should consider using this discretion at this time, particularly for small works that were halted by the pandemic.
This guidance specifically addresses small works including those to existing homes and businesses premises, and where delays to the completion of works have been caused by the pause in construction due to the pandemic.
This letter and the guidance contained within it will remain in force until no later than 31 October 2020. This timescale allows for any work that was paused due to the pandemic to have restarted and any necessary extension to warrant to have been applied for.
Officials from Building Standards Division at Scottish Government will be available to respond to any queries that may arise, contact in the first instance should be via Stephen Garvin, Head of Building Standards Division (07836 504 781, Stephen.garvin@gov.scot).
KEVIN STEWART
Contact
Email: buildingstandards@gov.scot
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