Special measures to enable occupation of new buildings as a result of COVID-19 outbreak

Housing Minister Kevin Stewart has written to chief Executives of local authorities regarding special measures to enable the occupation of new buildings as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The letter says: "The construction industry is a significant part of the Scottish economy and building standards services play a significant role in ensuring that new buildings are healthy and safe to occupy. However, the exceptional challenges facing the country from the coronavirus (COVID-19) means that there is a need to be more pragmatic and flexible in the way that building standards are delivered. To manage the current situation it is vital that support is given to communities, individuals and businesses to maintain revenue streams and to take possession of new homes and business premises.

"As such the purpose of this letter is to make clear that building standards verifiers across all local authorities must work with the relevant person, whether the owner or developer, to take measures that continue to allow occupation of new domestic and non-domestic properties. Such buildings need to be safe for occupation, but this guidance recognises that there will be difficulties in offering a normal site inspection and reasonable inquiry process in the coming months. As a result it is necessary for verifiers to take a pragmatic and flexible approach to the processing of completion certificates."

You can read the full letter in the downloads section to the right of this page.