Report a dangerous building or structure
A dangerous building or structure is one that poses an immediate risk to public safety.
You should report a dangerous building or structure straight away so we can assess the risk and take action if needed.
What counts as a dangerous building or structure
Dangerous buildings or structures can include:
- public or private buildings
- parts of buildings, such as damaged chimneys, loose tiles, signs or hoardings
- boundary walls or garden walls
- walls in public areas, such as those next to footpaths, roads or open spaces
Buildings and structures can become dangerous after sudden damage, including:
- vehicle impact
- fire
- explosion
- severe weather damage
They can also become dangerous over time because of:
- age
- neglect
- vandalism
- ground subsidence
- weathering
Report a dangerous building or structure
If you think a building or structure is dangerous, report it via the online form below or contact the Building Control Team immediately.
Report a dangerous building or structure
You will need to tell us:
- where the building or structure is
- why you think it is dangerous
- your name and contact details
We may use your contact details if the building control surveyor needs to check any information after visiting the site.
What happens after you report it
After we log the details, a building control surveyor will visit the site. They will assess the situation and decide how serious the danger is.
We have a 24-hour call-out system for dangerous structures. This is available every day of the year.
In normal circumstances, a building control surveyor will visit the site within two hours of your call.
What we can do about dangerous buildings and structures
We must take appropriate action to remove or reduce danger from dangerous structures under the Building Act 1984.
If a building or structure is dangerous, we will ask the owner to make it safe.
Under Section 77 of the Building Act 1984, we can give the owner a formal request to make the structure safe. The owner must do this within a set time.
They may need to:
- repair the structure
- demolish the part of the structure that is dangerous
The surveyor will visit the site again to check that the structure is no longer dangerous.
If there is an immediate danger
If the structure is immediately dangerous and poses an imminent risk to the public, we will ask the owner to take immediate action.
The surveyor will try to find and contact the owner. We may serve a Section 78 notice under the Building Act 1984.
The owner will usually have the option to arrange immediate work to make the structure safe.
If the work is minor, the owner may do the work themselves. They may also choose to pay a building contractor to do the work.
If the owner cannot arrange immediate action, the surveyor will arrange for the danger to be removed.
We will recover the cost of this work from the property owner.
Charges for this service are not set by us. They are likely to be much higher than the cost of using the owner’s own privately appointed contractor.