Assent Building Control Compliance now in liquidation
The Health and Safety Executive has published an update on the collapse of building control firm Assent Building Control Compliance which has now gone into liquidation.
Assent was set up in 2005 and its services included building control, fire safety, building regulation advice and consulting work on the Building Safety Act.
But the Official Receiver has now been appointed as liquidator of the firm and its two Registered Building Control Approvers (RBCA), Oculus Building Consultancy Ltd and LB Building Control Ltd.
The HSE said work on high-risk buildings should stop in the event of a cancellation notice, telling project owners: “Do not carry out any further building work described in the initial notice until you get a notice of valid application from BSR. Apply to BSR [Building Safety Regulator] for building control approval to restart the work.”
It added: “Where applicable, any part final certificates that have been issued remain valid and you should tell BSR about them.”
Last week, the BSR said: “We are working to confirm the exact number but we are currently aware of 10 HRB projects still held by LB or Oculus under the pre-HRB transition model. We have asked the RBIs [registered building inspectors] involved in these projects to get in touch with us directly.”
For non-higher risk buildings, project owners are told: “Work can continue on your project, but you must make arrangements for the work to be inspected. After receiving a cancellation notice, you have 7 days to appoint another RBCA.”
In its last set of accounts for the year to December 2023, Assent blamed an “operational restructure to ensure the effective management of all projects” for turnover falling nearly 60% to £2.8m.
The firm remained in the red although pre-tax losses narrowed to £354,000 from £1.4m. According to the accounts, Assent had 71 employees.
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