Customer charter

Our aim is to provide a positive and responsive customer orientated service which is efficient and cost effective in providing the highest quality of service. We will continually monitor our procedures to make sure that we maintain and improve the quality of our building standards service. This section sets out the minimum level of service you can expect from us.

An efficient service

We will register all valid applications within three working days of receiving them. We will send an acknowledgement letter with the name and contact details of the case surveyor dealing with the application.

• If an application is not valid we will notify you or your agent in writing within three working days stating what extra information or fee we need
• If building warrant approval is not needed, we will return the application within three working days of receiving it and arrange to return the application fee
• We will strive to provide a minimum of 100% of applications with a technical response within 30 working days. (This is one of the ways we measure how we are performing)
• If you ask us, or your agent asks us, we will explain how the application is progressing and give the reasons for any delay
• We will explain in writing your right to appeal against refusal of a building warrant or against conditions imposed as part of the warrant
• Building warrants must be decided within nine months of being registered. If problems remain unresolved towards the end of this period we will send you or your agent a reminder letter within 14 days of the period ending
• If someone complains about a dangerous building we will respond immediately if we can, or as soon as possible, and take action to ensure the public's safety
• When you submit a completion certificate we will respond within five working days
• We will accept a completion certificate - or explain why we won't accept it - within seven working days of our final inspection.

A quality service

We recognise the importance of quality and we will strive to give customers the level of service they expect.

• We will deliver a courteous and helpful service at all times
• We will try to answer all telephone calls as soon as possible
• We will answer all letters within 10 working days. If we don't we will tell the customer how long it will take and who is dealing with it
• We will advise and help customers to fill in building warrant applications. If asked, we will visit the homes of customers who have mobility difficulties and can't call into our offices
• We will provide equal access to our services for all users
• We will discuss complex developments with applicants or their agent before they apply for building warrants, in line with our procedures for such cases (our building warrant pre-submission service)
• We will have someone available to answer general queries from 9am-5pm, Monday - Thursday & 9am-3:45pm Friday. But if your query is about a specific warrant, please arrange an appointment with the surveyor dealing with your application.

Your views

We promise to deal with your comments and complaints:

• in confidence
• fairly
• as quickly as possible
• efficiently.
  

We will try to resolve complaints "on the spot" where possible. If your complaint cannot be resolved on the spot, we will:

• send a written acknowledgement of your complaint within five working days from receipt of complaint
• carry out a thorough investigation of your complaint
• inform you of the outcome (in writing) within 20 working days from the date we received the complaint.