Submitting a Completion Certificate
You may have your Building Warrant, but this will have been a waste of time and money unless you submit a Certificate of Completion. You have paid for it, so make sure you get it.
If you sell your property, the buyer's solicitor will expect to see a Notice of Acceptance of Completion Certificate for any alterations that the surveyor highlights in his report. You run the risk of losing a sale should this result in delays.
It is also an offence under the Building (Scotland) Act 1959 or 2003 to occupy a building without a Notice of Acceptance of Certificate of Completion or Authorisation of Temporary Occupation/Use, with the possibility of an accumulating daily fine.
Note that if the Building Warrant has expired (normally after three years from the issue date), you will need to extend the warrant duration as described on the ‘Starting Works and During Construction’ page before submitting your Certificate of Completion.
The 'Relevant Person' (owner, tenant or developer) must, when the works are completed, fill out and submit the Completion Certificate. An authorised agent may also complete this, but must not enter themselves as the Relevant Person. This certificate must be accompanied by any certificates from approved certifiers of construction or any documents required relative to electrical works where an approved certifier has not been used. Other test certificates or reports may be requested, dependant on the type of building. For example, if an Approved Certifier of Design has been used a Form Q certifying that they have checked the contractors design must be submitted along with the completion certificate submission. An as-built energy rating for all new dwellings must also be submitted and, for newly constructed or converted non-domestic buildings, a Fire Safety Design Summary will be required at this stage.
Once we receive a Completion Certificate, we must respond within 14 days. An inspection of the completed works will usually be required. A Notice of Acceptance of Completion Certificate will either then be issued, or you will be notified of any non-compliances that need rectified prior to acceptance. In certain circumstances it may be acceptable to issue an Authority for Temporary Occupation or Use, pending finalisation of minor non-safety critical works.