When a building is assessed as dangerous, councils have a duty to act to protect the public from harm.

Councils are responsible for receiving and processing applications for building warrants before most construction, alteration, or demolition work begins.

At the request of a building owner, councils can carry out a building standards assessment of an existing building.

Councils must keep accurate and up‑to‑date records relating to building standards activity in its area.

Where a building poses an immediate and serious risk to public safety and the owner has not taken appropriate action, the council can step in and carry out emergency works to make the building safe.

Councils are formally appointed by the Scottish Ministers to act as the official “verifier” for building standards in its area.

Once building work has finished, the owner must submit a completion certificate declaring that the work complies with the approved building warrant and building regulations.

If building work that requires a building warrant is carried out without one, or if work significantly departs from what was approved, councils have enforcement powers to intervene.

Some building regulations apply not just at the time of construction but for the lifetime of a building. These are known as continuing requirements.

Where a building has defects that could affect safety or wellbeing but does not present an immediate danger, councils can investigate the condition of the building.

Authorised council officers have powers to enter land or buildings to inspect building work, investigate potential breaches of building regulations, or assess safety risks.

If a building is considered to pose a serious and immediate risk to life or health, councils can require people to leave the building and prevent it from being occupied or used.

Where building standards legislation has been breached, councils can investigate the matter and report it for prosecution.

When councils incur costs as a result of enforcement action or safety works that a building owner has failed to carry out, they can recover those costs.

Councils must make key building standards information available to the public, including records of building warrants and completion certificates.

For certain types of work, approved professionals can certify that designs or construction meet building regulations.

In specific circumstances, councils can allow certain building regulations to be relaxed or not applied.

Councils can grant building warrants for buildings intended to be used for a limited period, such as temporary structures.

If a building standards decision is challenged, councils have a role in handling appeals and providing information where matters are referred to Scottish Ministers.

Councils control demolition work through the demolition warrant process.