Roles and Responsibilities of Duty Holders

There are three new dutyholders defined in the amended regulations

·       Client including Domestic Clients -previously known as the Applicant
·       Principal Designer - previously known as the Agent
·       Principal Contractor – previously known as the Builder

The regulations tell us that all dutyholders are obliged to have arrangements and systems in place to plan, manage and monitor both the design work and the building work to ensure compliance with building regulations. This includes residential homeowners who may be embarking on a project for the first time, residential homeowners are referred to as Domestic Clients.

The duty to ensure compliance remains with those who procure the building work and those who have key roles in the design and construction process and who are responsible for ensuring that building work is designed and built to be compliant with building regulations. The dutyholders are required to work together to ensure that the project complies with the requirements of the regulations and ultimately ensures that the Building Control Body can issue its completion certificate.

Clients Domestic Clients

The homeowner and not part of any business

Main duties, what they must do

where there is more than one person working on different aspects of the project, a Domestic Client should appoint a Principal Designer to be in control of design work and a Principal Contractor to be in control of the building work.
if a Domestic Client does not appoint either a Principal Designer or Principal Contractor, then the designer in control of the design phase of the project is the Principal Designer and the contractor in control of the construction phase of the project is the Principal Contractor. 
must provide building information that they have, or it would be reasonable for them to obtain, to the designers and contractors working on the project. 
must cooperate with anyone working on or in relation to the project to the extent necessary to enable them to comply with their duties or functions.

Clients Larger Commercial

Organisations or individuals for whom a construction project is carried out that is done as part of a business.

Main duties, what they must do

make suitable arrangements for planning, managing, and monitoring a project, including the allocation of sufficient time and resource, to deliver compliance with building regulations. In practice, this means appointing the right people, with the right competencies (the skills, knowledge, experience, and behaviours) for the work and ensuring those they appoint have systems in place to ensure compliance with Building Regulations.
where there are several firms working on different aspects of the project, the Client will need to appoint a Principal Designer to be in control of design work and a Principal Contractor to be in control of the building work.
provide building information to every designer and contractor on the project and have arrangements to ensure information is provided to designers and contractors to make them aware that the project includes any existing or proposed higher-risk building work.
cooperate and share information with other relevant duty holders.

Principal Designers

A Designer appointed by the Client in projects. They can be an organisation or an individual with sufficient knowledge, experience, and ability to carry out the role.

Main duties, what they must do

plan, manage and monitor the design work during the design phase.
take all reasonable steps to ensure the design work carried out by them and anyone under their control is planned, managed, and monitored so that the design is such that, if built, it would comply with all relevant requirements of the Building Regulations.
ensure that they, and all those working on the project, co-operate, communicate and co-ordinate their work with the client, the Principal Contractor, and other designers and contractors.
liaise with the Principal Contractor and share information relevant to the building work.
assist the client in providing information to others.

Principal Contractors

A contractor appointed by the client to coordinate the construction phase of a project.

Main duties, what they must do

plan, manage and monitor the building work during the construction phase.
cooperate with the Client, the Principal Designer, and other designers and contractors to the extent necessary to ensure that the work complies with all relevant requirements of the Building Regulations.
ensure that they, and all those working on the project, co-operate, communicate and co-ordinate their work with the Client, the Principal Designer, and other designers and contractors.
liaise with the Principal Designer and share information relevant to the building work. Assist the Client in providing information to others.

Change Of Duty Holder

Information must be provided to Building Control following changes to the appointment to duty holder roles. It can be completed by a third party but must be signed by the client.

Last Updated: 04 April 2024