Dangerous buildings bill passes Stage 3

Legislation which will allow local authorities to recoup the costs incurred in making defective or dangerous buildings safe has passed the final stage in the Scottish Parliament.

Labour MSP David Stewart’s Buildings (Recovery of Expenses) (Scotland) Bill is the first opposition member’s bill passed this session and received unanimous support by all parties.

This legislation reintroduces charging orders which will enable local authorities to recover their costs in a more efficient and cost-effective manner.

Stewart said: “I am delighted that my Bill passed Stage 3 with support across the chamber, and this is the culmination of four years hard work.

“During its passing through parliament and during the evidence session in the Local Government and Regeneration Committee, it was clear that this measure had widespread support from councils and the wider building sector. It is a testament to what can be achieved when ordinary members and the Government work co-operatively.

“Too many buildings have been allowed to drift into disrepair and need urgent remedy. It is, of course, the owners’ responsibility to repair buildings. My Bill aims to enable councils to carry out desperately needed repairs whilst shifting the financial burden back to the owners themselves.

“I am optimistic that local authorities will proactively use this new power to ensure they will not be out of pocket when stepping in to deal with building standards issues. This will mean they will feel more confident in carrying out repairs, hopefully leading to less repairs being delayed, scaled back or even cancelled due to concerns over cost recovery. Indirectly, it will hopefully also stimulate the repair and maintenance sector of the construction industry as more repairs will be carried out.”

Scottish Building Federation managing director, Vaughan Hart, said the organisation supports this legislation as a welcome move to support the repair of unsafe buildings in Scotland.

He added: “Buildings that are not properly maintained can pose a major risk to the public, particularly in built-up areas. Local authorities have an important responsibility to protect the public by repairing buildings that are dangerous. This legislation would enable them to do that with greater confidence as they can recover the associated costs from the building owner.”