Reporting suspected unauthorised works: location, records and safety

Identify the scope and records

BD's identification guidance recommends obtaining building records, including approved plans and minor-works records, comparing them with the premises and seeking professional advice when discrepancies arise. A difference can indicate potential unauthorised work, but appearance, long use or a manager's past permission alone does not establish approval status. Check the date and coverage of the records as well, because comparing a partial plan with a later alteration can produce an incomplete conclusion.

BD's contact page provides an electronic reporting form, hotline and written channels for matters including private-building UBWs and dangerous buildings. A routine suspicion, an assessment of your own property and an immediate collapse or falling-object danger require different responses. The official page directs emergency cases to 999 for immediate referral. An online report is useful for a documented non-emergency case, but cannot replace immediate assistance where people are presently at risk.

Practical steps to follow

1. From a safe position, record the full address and locate the component, such as a specified floor's exterior or a roof area beside a staircase. Add date and viewing direction to photographs without climbing outside, entering another unit or approaching loose components for a better image.
2. Separate observation from uncertainty: 'a new enclosure is visible' is a fact; 'it has no approval' remains to be checked. State whether work is ongoing, access is affected or looseness is visible so the authority can assess the reported circumstances.
3. Submit through BD's official form or contact channel and keep the reference and attachments. Add later evidence to the existing case where possible, correcting an address or location error promptly instead of creating several vague reports that cannot readily be matched.
4. For your own premises or a contemplated purchase, obtain relevant records through the Building Information Centre or BRAVO and arrange a professional comparison. If an order is served, separately check its scope, deadline and appropriate professional arrangements rather than treating the earlier enquiry as compliance.

A worked example and wording to adapt

A resident sees work on an external projection and reports: 'At ___, floor ___, a new metal component has been visible since ___. Photographs face ___. I cannot establish the approval records; please check. The observed condition is ___ and the pedestrian-path impact is ___.' Further location details or access questions are handled using the same reference. The resident describes the object as pending verification in the building chat rather than declaring a concluded illegality, and does not attempt removal personally.

Follow-up and completion checks

A case reference supports follow-up; referral, inspection and a formal conclusion are separate stages. Ask about status and missing information and retain the authority's response on records or enforcement scope. Silence or the passage of time does not establish that a structure has been approved.

Village houses, subdivided flats and other private premises may require different official branches. A government report also does not automatically resolve a DMC, ownership or private-loss dispute. Obtain the relevant professional advice for a claim or purchase decision, using the checked records and correspondence to define the question.