Building Standards - Service Standards - January 26 RevA - FINAL
Renfrewshire Council · 20 January 2026
Back to Planning and Climate Change Policy Board — 20 January 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
2 PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Planning and Climate Change Policy Board On: 20 January 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Service Standards – Building Standards ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report seeks to outline the proposed service standards as they apply to the Building Standards Service. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board agree the Service Standards outlined in Appendix 1 of this report. _________________________________________________________ 3. Service Standards 3.1 The Building Standards Service is a statutory function and is responsible for delivering a wide range of services. 3.2 The service is primarily responsible for the processing, consideration and determination of building warrant applications, issuing of completion certification and undertaking relevant enforcement under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003. The team are also responsible for Dangerous Buildings, matters relating to the Safety of Sports Grounds Act, and temporary raised structures (stage for events). 3.3 In order to ensure the service provides a high-quality customer service and meets key performance indicators it is considered important to outline the service standards which apply to the Building Standards Service at Renfrewshire.
Page 2
3 PUBLIC 3.4 Appendix 1 outlines the service standard as it applies to the Building Standards Team. 3.5 The service standards seek to ensure that the service is responsive, helpful and meeting the needs of all our customers. 3.6 In order to ensure applications for building warrants and other such applications are processed in an efficient and effective manner the service standards outline what can be expected when submitting an application. 3.7 In addition, it should be noted that the service standards outline circumstances whereby applications will be returned, or potentially refused, owning to invalid submissions or the lack of information provided. 3.8 Expectations are also detailed in relation to the reporting of potentially unauthorised works and the reporting of dangerous buildings. ___________________________________________________________________ 4. Monitoring and Review 4.1 The Service Standards will be monitored and reviewed on a regular basis to ensure they remain fit for purpose and meet the needs of both the service and our customers. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – None. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None 3. Community/Council Planning – None. 4. Legal – None. 5. Property/Assets – None. 6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report 8. Health & Safety – None. 9. Procurement – None.
Page 3
4 PUBLIC 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact – None. 12. Cosla Policy Position – None. 13. Children’s Rights – None. 14. Climate Risk – None. Author: David Love, Chief Planning Officer. Tel: 07483410182; Email: david.love@renfrewshire.gov.uk
Page 4
5 PUBLIC APPENDIX 1 Service Standards – Building Standards Introduction This Charter details what the Building Standards Service does and sets out what our customers can expect when engaging with us in relation to building standards matters. The Building Standards Team is responsible for the processing, consideration and determination of building warrant applications, issuing of completion certification and undertaking relevant enforcement under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003. The team are also responsible for Dangerous Buildings, matters relating to the Safety of Sports Grounds Act, and temporary raised structures (stage for events).
Page 5
6 PUBLIC Overall Expectations We will: ▪ Always be polite, respectful, professional and helpful; ▪ Deal with all customers equally; ▪ Ensure that suitably experienced staff are able to deal with each respective query; ▪ Seek, where possible, to resolve enquires at the first point of contact; ▪ Direct customers to the relevant person/department should the Planning and Building Standards Service not be able to assist. ▪ Use plain English when communicating with customers and avoid the use of any technical language or jargon. ▪ Direct customers to further information which may be available online. ▪ Be honest, open and accountable for our actions. ▪ Listen to our customers and consult with others. ▪ Promote a culture of continuous improvement in our processes, procedures and services. If you contact us by telephone, we will: ▪ Answer your call promptly. ▪ Introduce ourselves. ▪ Help you on the spot if we can. ▪ Direct you to further information online where relevant, including online forms and guidance. ▪ Where we are unable to resolve your query on the spot we will take further details and call you back at a convenient time. We will return calls between 9am-12.30pm, Monday to Friday. If you write or email, we will: ▪ Provide a full response within 10 working days, or we will tell you if a longer timescale will apply. ▪ Reply in plain English which is free from technical language or jargon. ▪ Direct you to further information online where relevant, including online forms and guidance. ▪ Provide the name and contact details of the person dealing with your query. If you visit us, we will: ▪ Agree an appointment time which is convenient to you. ▪ Wear identification badges. ▪ Direct you to further information online where relevant, including online forms and guidance. ▪ Provide follow up details within a timescale agreed at the meeting. When we visit you, we will: ▪ Visit at a time which is convenient to you. ▪ Wear identification badges. ▪ Seek to keep our appointment time, however should this not be possible or we are delay we will inform you as soon as it is possible to do so.
Page 6
7 PUBLIC Building Standards The Building Standards Team are responsible for the processing of applications for building warrants, issuing completion certificates and conducting enforcement under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003. Responsibility for Dangerous Buildings, the Safety at Sports Grounds Act, and temporary raised structures (stages for events) also falls within the remit of the team. We would encourage everyone to submit all applications via the Scottish Government ePlanning website at https://www.edevelopment.scot/eDevelopmentClient/default.aspx. What you can expect from us when submitting a building warrant application: ▪ Within 3 workings days of submitting your application we will aim to acknowledge receipt and register your application. ▪ Within 5 working days of submitting your application we will aim review your application and advise of any issues which would prevent the application being registered as a valid application. ▪ Within 20 working days of validation, we will aim to undertake a full technical check of all valid applications. In the event that we do not achieve this initial 20 working day target we will inform you of our failure to do so and we will aim to responding within a further 15 working days. ▪ In the unlikely event that we should fail to respond to your application within 35 working days of the submission of a valid building warrant application you have the right to request a resolution to this matter. In the first instance this may be achieved by contacting our Building Standards Manager. ▪ Within 10 working days, following receipt of satisfactory revised/updated information which responds to previous technical requests, we will issue a building warrant approval. ▪ In the event that all requested information is not satisfactorily received within 9 months of the submission of the building warrant application we will consider how best to proceed which may include refusing the application due to a lack of information. ▪ Within 14 working days of a completion request, we will aim to respond and/or undertake appropriate assessments. What can you expect when reporting a dangerous building: ▪ We will aim to undertake site visit within 2 working days, depending on the circumstances of the report received. ▪ We aim to take appropriate action immediately should the building in question be considered dangerous. ▪ We will consider how best to proceed which may include refusing the application due to a lack of information.
Page 7
8 PUBLIC What can you expect when reporting potentially unauthorised works: ▪ We will not accept any anonymous reports of potentially unauthorised works. It should however be noted that the details of those reporting unauthorised works will kept confidential. ▪ We will aim to undertake a site visit within 5 working days. ▪ In the event that unauthorised works are identified, we will aim to issue appropriate notices within 5 working days. ▪ We will aim to keep you updated on the progress of any investigation and advise of the outcome.