Dangerous structures and public safety

The local authority has a responsibility to deal with buildings which have become dangerous due to old age, deterioration or settlement, or by more dramatic causes.

The Council's Environmental Health Unit have the delegated responsibility to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure the safety of the public when a building is found to be in a dangerous condition.

A dangerous building or structure can be anything on or about a building or structure that may be a danger to members of the public.

These can include:

• Loose or falling roof tiles
• Walls or fences that are in danger of collapse
• Unstable chimneys
• Buildings that have become unstable because of their age, storm damage, fire damage, or vehicle impact.
• Buildings that have become dangerous due to negligent actions of builders or other persons carrying out alteration works

The powers the Council uses are contained in The Building Act 1984:

• section 77 Dangerous Buildings
• section 78 Dangerous Buildings - Emergency measures

Reporting a Dangerous Building or Structure

If you need to report a dangerous building or structure, you should contact the Council's Environmental Health Unit

Tel: 01289 301734

Fax: 01289 330540

Email: Health@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk

Our normal office hours are Tuesday to Thursday 8.45am - 5.15pm, Mondays and Fridays 8.45am – 5.00pm

Out of hours please ring 01289 330044 and you will be redirected to a duty official who will try to locate an officer to respond though this function is not covered by an official out of hours service.

You may also send a report via the Internet by completing our general contact form. Please give full details of the address of the property and the nature of the problem.

Procedure

In most cases the owner of the building will be contacted and asked to remove the danger at his or her own cost.

If the danger is immediate and life threatening we may liaise with the emergency services to close off the danger area, and arrange emergency works either in agreement with the owner or independently.

This may include temporary works such as scaffolding or shoring to make the building safe, until permanent work can be arranged, or the direct removal of the hazard.

Costs

The owner of any building that becomes dangerous is responsible for all the costs involved in making the building safe. If the Council is unable to contact the owner at the time, and the building needs to be made safe as a matter of urgency, the Council may arrange for emergency works to be carried out and claim the costs back from the owner.