Tools · Paperwork checker

Loft conversion or extension: the paperwork you should have

Structural projects cannot be self certified by any scheme: building control follows the build and issues the completion certificate that every buyer's solicitor asks for. An uncertified loft room cannot safely be sold as a bedroom.

England rules, checked against the official sources on 2026-07-17. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland run their own building control regimes.

Building control completion certificate

Who gives it to you: The council's building control team, or the private registered building control approver who inspected the build, issues it after the final inspection. Since October 2023 private inspectors are called registered building control approvers.

What it proves: The structural work was inspected through the build and signed off as complying with building regulations.

Check it or get a copy: Ask the council building control team (or the approver) for a copy; councils charge a small admin fee and typically take 10 to 20 working days. Official page (opens in new tab)

Worth knowing

  • The rules on unauthorised building work changed in 2023 and many guides are still wrong about it. A council can now serve a section 36 notice requiring work to be pulled apart or fixed for 10 years after completion (it used to be 12 months), and prosecution for breaching building regulations carries an unlimited fine and up to 2 years with no time limit. Missing paperwork does not quietly expire. Building Act 1984, sections 35 and 36, as amended by the Building Safety Act 2022 (opens in new tab)
  • When you sell, the Law Society TA6 property information form asks you to disclose alterations and attach the paperwork: planning permissions, building regulations approvals, completion certificates and scheme certificates such as FENSA. The TA6 6th edition becomes mandatory for accredited firms on 30 March 2026. Law Society: TA6 6th edition (opens in new tab)
  • Indemnity insurance is a product solicitors sometimes discuss for missing certificates (roughly £20 to £300). Whether it applies is a question for your solicitor: it does not make the work compliant or safe, and because contacting the council about the work can affect eligibility, talk to your solicitor before making any calls. HomeOwners Alliance: no building regulations approval (opens in new tab)
  • Planning permission and building regulations are separate systems. A Lawful Development Certificate covers planning only and does not remove the need to comply with building regulations, and a building regulations certificate is not planning permission. GOV.UK: lawful development certificates (opens in new tab)

If the work still needs doing, or redoing

Find a builderFind a architect

Common questions

What paperwork should I have for a loft conversion or extension?

Building control completion certificate. Structural projects cannot be self certified by any scheme: building control follows the build and issues the completion certificate that every buyer's solicitor asks for. An uncertified loft room cannot safely be sold as a bedroom.

What if the building control completion certificate is missing?

Work was inspected but the certificate is lost: request a copy from the council or approver. This is routine. Source: LABC: getting a copy of your building certificate.

Does missing paperwork stop me selling the house?

Not by itself, but the TA6 property information form asks sellers to disclose alterations and attach the paperwork, and buyers' solicitors chase gaps. Reordering a lost certificate is usually cheap and fast; where work was never signed off, regularisation and other options exist to discuss with your solicitor.

This is guidance from the public rules, not legal or conveyancing advice. Your council, the scheme body and your solicitor have the final say on your situation.

More ways to check who to trust

Free, independent checks. No ads, no paid placement.

Or browse traders by trade