Since 6 November 2026, local authorities in England have been able to charge for processing certain statutory notices and certificates submitted by Registered Building Control Approvers (RBCAs) such as Salus. For clients, the change affects both project costs and when the local authority’s decision period starts.
The Building (Local Authority Charges and Amendments Relating to Charging) (England) Regulations 2026 allow councils to recover the cost of carrying out these statutory functions. The submissions covered include initial notices, amendment notices, plans certificates and final certificates.
What does this mean for your project?
Costs can vary by local authority. Each council sets its charges through its published charging scheme, so the amount will depend on where your project is and which submissions are required. The client is responsible for these charges, which are separate from the RBCA’s professional fees.
Payment timing matters. Where a charge applies to an initial notice, amendment notice, plans certificate or final certificate, the statutory decision period runs from the date of submission or the date of payment, whichever is later. Agreeing how payment will be made ahead of submission can help avoid losing time on the project programme.
How Salus will handle the charges
We’ll continue to manage statutory submissions for our clients. Wherever practicable, and subject to the local authority’s payment arrangements, we’ll also pay the relevant charges on your behalf. We’ll show any council charges we pay separately from our professional fees when we recharge them to you.
If you have an upcoming submission and want to understand how the changes could affect your costs or programme, speak to your Salus contact.