Do I need copy of building control certificate before I pay?

[Snog]

I'd be really grateful for any help on this one...
I've just had an invoice for my new roof. Part of the invoice covers building control inspection which was arranged by the roofing company.

The company have invoiced but have not sent me the building control certificate. I requested it as I would like to see it before I pay to check everything has been done to the satisfaction of building control. The roofing company say they will only send it to me after I have paid their invoice.

Am I right to want to see the certificate BEFORE making payment?

I have no experience in this kind of thing so I'm not sure if IABU!

I had to pay the council building inspector before getting certificates. Check your contract?

Directly I mean. I didn't pay my builder final balance until I had it.

I paid my builder to arrange for the certificate on my behalf

I felt that if I pay without seeing the certificate I am taking it on trust that they have got the certificate and that they will send it on to me once I have paid.

Whilst they are a reputable local company I am concerned about this. But I'm quite out of my comfort zone!

Have a look on your local authority building control portal. You'll be able to see whether or not the certificate has been granted, its a public register.

Oh that's a great idea, I didn't know I could do that

I would check with the Council that they have issued a final inspection certificate. Give them a ring.

I can't view the register unless I pay £60 apparently so I'm not keen to do that

Can I not just insist that the roofer gives me the certificate since I have paid for that service?

I didn’t pay my final extension payment until I had the certificate, they didn’t complain even though it took a while to get. So I assume it’s normal to see it first.

@Snog wow never heard of this. Which local authority is it?? Bit absolutely yes see the certificate first before paying. You wouldn't know whether it's been done to standard otherwise?

@De88 I phoned them up and no mention of the charge, but they said the approval is being done by a private consultancy instead of the local authority. I tried to contact this consultancy but they weren't answering their phone so I'll try tomorrow.

I think I've made my mind up to say to the roofing company that I need the certificate before I can pay the final invoice.

V grateful for advice from all posters

[quote Snog]@De88 I phoned them up and no mention of the charge, but they said the approval is being done by a private consultancy instead of the local authority. I tried to contact this consultancy but they weren't answering their phone so I'll try tomorrow.

I think I've made my mind up to say to the roofing company that I need the certificate before I can pay the final invoice.

V grateful for advice from all posters[/quote]
I've used a private company for building control on a previous project. They were a fucking nightmare. Call them direct and ask if the project has been signed off. The certs can take forever to come through and it would be unfair to withhold payment from your builder because of this.

@De88

www.3csharedservices.org/building-control/view-building-control-applications/

This is what I got when I tried to search online

Inwoukd tell the builders that you are happy to just be shown a copy of the certificate (ie hard copy shown to you by builder) so you know it exists. You can say you’re happy not receive your own copy u til you’ve paid.

By saying this, they know you will pay, as you do t have the cert yourself, but you’ll be satisfied it exists.

I have in fact already paid an earlier invoice for about 80% of the work which specifically included the cost of the inspection and certificate. So strictly speaking I paid for the certificate 3 months ago and did request it then (in June).

The company is very slow on replying to my emails unless they are chasing payment. So I am worried that whilst I think the certificate probably exists (hopefully can verify this with the building consultancy tomorrow) they will not send it to me after I pay due to lax admin.

@Snog ah is that fee for all searches? or only for "archive" searches (ie the searches you pay for when buying a house)? I've not seen that before. Where I am, across three different councils nearby you can just openly search and see results. Not actual certificates, but applications and whether certificates have been granted etc. Discovered by accident when I went online to see if my builder had submitted an application on some work (he hadn't!) then saw I could have a proper nosey at work all neighbours had done... so out of curiosity searched on other houses I've lived in in the past. Really handy when I was looking to buy properties, to find out how old boilers were, whether permission in place for extensions etc.
All there for the public to see. Interesting!

Wow that sounds super interesting!
I can't find the same thing online in my area. The local authority were helpful when I rang though, but don't hold records anyway for the approvals given by a private consultancy rather than the LA. They did however give me the name and phone number of the consultancy that my builders were using.