Demolition of Dangerous Buildings
Building Control also carry out other duties. These include:
1. Control of Demolition
Anyone who is going to demolish a building has to give eight weeks notice of the demolition to the City Council under Section 80 of the Building Act 1984.
The demolition work should not start until either:
A. A notice under Section 81 of the Building Act 1984 has been received from the City Council
Or
B. A period of 6 weeks has passed from the time of telling the City Council without any such notice being received.
The notice as served may include certain requirements which the people carrying out the demolition must adhere to in the interest of public safety.
It should also be noted that if the demolition work relates to a listed building then Listed Building Consent to demolish will be needed under the Town and Country Planning Act.
2. Dangerous Buildings
Dangerous buildings are the responsibility of the building owner but the City Council can, under Section 77 and 78 of the Building Act 1984, take action in certain circumstances.
Section 77 is used where a building or part of a building is in such condition or used to carry such loads as to be dangerous.
The City Council can apply to a Magistrates court for an Order.
If the court is satisfied that the danger exists then an Order is given and the owner must remove the danger. Or the owner can demolish the building within a stated time period.
If the person does not carry out the work in the stated time, the City Council can carry out the work and get back costs from that person.
Also, the person may be given a fine for not to complying with the original order.
Section 78 is used in similar circumstances to the above, but this is when action needs to be taken right away to remove the danger.
The City Council carries out work to remove the danger, but in getting back its costs from the owner it may have to show to the court that it could not reasonably have gone ahead under Section 77.
Building Control provides a 24 hour, seven days a week emergency service to deal with dangerous building problems.
During normal working hours you can contact us by telephone on 0151 233 3021 or by emailing us at buildincontrol@liverpool.gov.uk.
Outside normal working hours dangerous buildings should be reported to Merseyside Police by telephoning 0151 709 6010 and they will then get in touch with a Building Control Officer.
The officer will visit the location, look at the problem and then take action. When buildings are found to be in a dangerous condition the owners are responsible for all reasonable costs paid by the City Council in removing the danger.
3. Ruinous and Dilapidated Buildings
These buildings are also the responsibility of the owner, but where the building can do serious harm to the amenities of the neighbourhood, the City Council can take action under section 79 of the Building Act 1984.
A notice is served on the owner stating works of repair; restoration or if the owner chooses, total demolition and site clearance. There can be difficulties with this though as such buildings are usually abandoned and may have been so for a long time.
Again in this case, if it is found that work is necessary, when the owner can not be found, the cost of the work involved will be charged to the owner of the building, structure or site concerned. Costs may be registered as a land charge.
4. Insecure Buildings
The local authority has powers under Section 29 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, to secure any insecure buildings in their area.
They to serve a notice on the owner or occupier of the premises, if known, telling them of the intention to carry out the work.
The City Council must then wait 48 hours before starting work. In certain cases, for example where it is not reasonable to find out the owner of the property, the City Council need not give notice.
The law will only allow the authority to act when a building is insecure, not where the building may become insecure.
The costs paid by the City Council in carrying out this work are charged to the building owner