Registration data reflects Building Control profession’s “commitment to high standards”

“The transition extension period,” states the Building Safety Regulator, “ensured sector professionals had sufficient opportunity to align with the new requirements at a realistic pace without disrupting or compromising their ability to provide essential services.”

As of 30 July, there were 4,049 building professionals registered as building inspectors in England and Wales. All registered building inspectors have signed up to – and, what’s more, are accountable under – the Code of Conduct.

Registration by classes is as follows:

*At Class 1 (Trainee): 1,971

*At Class 2 (Registered Building Inspector): 1,614

*At Class 3 (Specialist Building Inspector): 464

*At Class 4 (Building Inspector – Technical Manager): 516

Steady increase

Commenting on the latest figures, Ged Cooper, head of Building Control professional standards at the Building Safety Regulator, explained: “We’re encouraged by this steady increase in numbers and pleased to see a consistent level of success in Class 2 and Class 3. It’s heartening to note that a high proportion are also Class 4 technical managers. We expect to see this positive progress continue.”

Cooper continued: “The Building Safety Regulator is focused on being a fair and pragmatic regulator. Granting an extension for building inspectors to complete their competency assessments shows our commitment to a supportive regulatory environment and a level playing field in building control.”

Further, Cooper noted: “Building Control bodies must take regulatory advice from registered building inspectors of Class 2 or Class 3 registered building inspectors to perform their functions effectively. We’ve started investigations and inspections of these bodies and will require assurance with evidence to demonstrate that they have sufficient resources to deliver on their regulatory duties and responsibilities.”

Challenges for the sector

Throughout the transition period, the Building Safety Regulator has “listened to and acknowledged” the sector’s challenges. This included enabling a limited number of professionals who had completed the competency assessment process by the 6 July deadline, but who were still awaiting their results, to continue to undertake the restricted activities for which they had completed the assessment process.

On the immediate future for the profession, Cooper stated: “As an enabling regulator, the Building Safety Regulator focuses on facilitating compliance and supporting building control professionals through clear regulatory pathways and frameworks. Building Control is crucial in the construction process and we value the role of building inspectors in supporting Building Control bodies.”

In addition, Cooper observed: “The profession is entering a new transformative era. Unified and consistent standards will make it a positive career choice, while enhanced professional standards will lead to stronger compliance with the Building Regulations. For their part, improved practices will set high standards as the norm rather than the exception.”

On an extremely positive note, Cooper concluded: “Looking at the landscape ahead, the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of Building Control activities are set to significantly improve.”

Increased transparency and accountability

The Building Safety Regulator believes that increased transparency and accountability within the Building Control sector will increase confidence and trust, reassuring the public that building work is being strongly and consistently regulated. This improved status will not only help in attracting new professionals into the sector, but also in retaining existing talent, in turn contributing to a more robust and effective Building Control landscape.

Plans for regulation of the Building Control profession were introduced in the Building Safety Act 2022. The Building Safety Regulator has since worked closely with representative bodies from the profession over a considerable period of time to prepare for the implementation of the new requirements.