Dangerous Structures.
Where a building is in such
a condition that it may place people in danger, the Borough Council
have legal powers to investigate, and to require that it be made
safe. Typical examples would be walls that are leaning over
or unstable, and roof tiles which are being blown off in high
winds. In order to be considered dangerous, a building must
actually pose a threat of causing harm to a person.
Buildings which are simply dilapidated or run down would not
necessarily therefore be considered dangerous, and minor items
(damaged timber fencing panels for example) are also unlikely to
qualify. Where we investigate a report of a dangerous
structure, and agree that action is required, this will usually
take one of two forms;
- If the building is so dangerous that we consider immediate
action necessary, we will employ contractors to make it safe
straight away. In many cases this will take the form of
fencing-off the affected area to allow remedial work to be carried
out later by the owner.
- Where the building is considered dangerous - but not
immediately so, we will normally try to contact the owner and
require that the work be made safe within a reasonable period of
time. If the owner fails to do so, we can apply to a
Magistrates Court for an order allowing us to do so instead.
Note that in both the above
cases we can only require the minimum amount of work necessary to
make the building safe, and will attempt to recover any costs we
incur in doing so from the building owner. If you are a
building owner and are concerned that part of your property may be
dangerous, please contact us and we will be happy to offer you
advice free of charge.
If you notice a building in
Melton Borough that you think may be dangerous, please contact us
and we will arrange for it to be inspected.
buildingcontrol@melton.gov.uk
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