ventilation

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VENTILATION WORK
Building regulations
All fixed mechanical ventilation systems, where they can be tested and
adjusted, shall be commissioned and a commissioning notice given to the
Building Control Body (BCB).
For mechanical ventilation systems installed in new dwellings, air flow rates
shall be measured on site and a notice given to the Building Control Body
(BCB). This shall apply to intermittently-used extract fans and cooker hoods,
as well as continuously running systems.
The owner shall be given sufficient information about the ventilation system
and its maintenance requirements so that the ventilation system can be
operated to provide adequate air flow.

Notification of work covered by the ventilation requirements

In most cases, where it is proposed to carry out notifiable ventilation work
on a building, it will be necessary to notify the work to a BCB in advance. This
notification would usually be by way of a full plans application or a building
notice given to a local authority or an initial notice given jointly with the
approved inspector. However, there are three circumstances where such work
need not be notified to a BCB in advance:

Minor works
Where the work is of a minor nature as described in the schedule of non-
notifiable work (Schedule 4 to the Building Regulations), the work must still
comply with the relevant requirements but need not be notified to the BCB.
In relation to mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning systems such
work includes:
Replacement of parts, or the addition of an output or control device
where testing and adjusting is not possible or would not affect the
system’s energy efficiency;
Provision of a self-contained mechanical ventilation or
air-conditioning appliance provided that any electrical work
is exempt from a requirement to give advance notice to a BCB, and
testing and adjustment is not possible or would not affect its energy
efficiency, and the appliance is not installed in a room containing an
open-flued combustion appliance. Examples might be a cooker hood,
a bathroom extract fan or a room air-conditioning unit, which cannot
be adjusted from their factory settings. If a combustion appliance is installed, Approved Document J: Combustion
appliances and fuel storage systems should be consulted.
Refurbishing a kitchen or bathroom in an existing dwelling *The definition of ‘building work’ in regulation 3 of the Building Regulations includes a range of
building activities in existing buildings, and includes all work on controlled services. For more
information see the Building Regulations 2010 at: www.planningportal.gov.uk.
If any of the work being carried out in the kitchen or bathroom of an
existing building is ‘building work’*, as defined in regulation 3 of the Building
Regulations, the Regulations require that the installer complies with the
Competent person self-certification schemes
appropriate requirements of the Regulations, and in doing so they do not
make compliance with other requirements of the Regulations, including It is not necessary to notify a BCB in advance of work which is to be
ventilation, worse than before. carried out by a person registered with a competent person self-
certification scheme for that type of work. In order to join such a
The Regulations also require that before they start work, the work is notified
scheme a person must demonstrate competence to carry out the type of
to a BCB, except in certain circumstances. (See Notification of work covered
work the scheme covers, and also the ability to comply with all relevant
by the ventilation requirements above for details of notification requirements
requirements in the Building Regulations.
and exemptions.)
Where work is carried out by a person registered with
If they carry out any ‘building work’, and there is an existing extract fan or
a competent person scheme, regulation 20 of the Building Regulations
passive stack ventilator (or cooker hood extracting to outside in the kitchen),
and regulation 20(1) of the Approved Inspectors Regulations require that
they should retain or replace it. However, if there is no existing ventilation
the occupier of the building be given, within 30 days of the completion
system they need not provide one. Replacing an extract fan or cooker hood
of the work, a certificate confirming that the work complies fully with all
with a similar type, and using the existing cabling, need not be notified
applicable building regulation requirements. There is also a requirement
to a BCB.
that the BCB be given a notice of the work carried out, again within
30 days of the completion of the work. These certificates and notices are To become registered, you need to be able to show your assessor the
usually made available through the scheme operator. type of work you wish to self-certify. For example, if you wish to be
registered to self-certify the installation of a MVHR System, you will
BCB’s are authorised to accept these certificates and notices as evidence need to show us a MVHR system you have installed.
of compliance with the requirements of the Building Regulations. Local
authority inspection and enforcement powers remain unaffected, but
they are normally used only in response to a complaint that work does Qualifications
not comply.
The qualifications required to be registered on a competent person
scheme are detailed in the Minimum Technical Competency document.
What ventilation work can registration cover? For ventilation work, this requires your nominated competent person
holds either a BPEC or the NICEIC Domestic Ventilation Qualification
In order to work in compliance with Building Regulations, certain types or qualifications that meet the requirements of the Minimum
of work, domestic and non-domestic, needs to be either advised to Technical Competencies.
building control before work commences or installed by a registered
company. Although you will be registered against specific areas as shown For additional guidance on application, assessment and registration
below, installations shown for assessments will need to be compliant please refer to our Competent Person Schemes Guide which is available
with all applicable building regulations. Below is a list of ventilation on our website niceic.com
works that require notification:
Install a mechanical ventilation system in a dwelling
Install a mechanical ventilation heat recovery system in a dwelling
Useful contact information

Customer Service
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customer.services@niceic.com

Head office: NICEIC Part of Certsure LLP, Warwick House, Houghton Hall Park, Houghton Regis, Dunstable, LU5 5ZX

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