Dutyholders and Responsibilities: A Guide

Everyone Has a Role: Dutyholders and the Golden Thread – Who Does What and Why It Matters

Who are Dutyholders?

Dutyholders are the people responsible for making sure building work is safe and meets Building Regulations.

  • Client – the person having the work done (usually you)
  • Designer – the person who plans and designs the work
  • Contractor – the person or company doing the work

For larger projects, where there may be more than one contractor or designer, so there should be a principal appointed.

  • Principal Designer – to manage the design side
  • Principal Contractor – to manages the building work

Dutyholder Forms

To help us record the correct appointments and key stages of your project, use the following forms:

These forms ensure that the correct dutyholders are appointed and that changes are properly recorded throughout your project.

The Role of a Homeowner (Client)

Take time to understand your options so you can make the choices that feel right for you and your project.

You are responsible for choosing who works on your project, including your Building Control service, it’s your project, and your choice.

Even if you bring in professionals to help, they will support you through the process, but you still have an important role in making sure the work follows the rules.

Getting Started

  • Check if you need Planning Permission

  • Choose people with the right skills and experience

  • Make sure roles are clear from the start

  • Make sure the right information is gathered and shared with everyone who needs it

During the work

  • Make sure Building Control carries out checks at key stages

  • Book inspections at the right time

  • Do not cover work before it has been checked

  • Stay informed and support clear communication throughout the project

Finishing the project

  • Book a final inspection within 5 days of work being finished

  • Make sure you receive all certificates (e.g. electrics, heating)

  • Submit any required forms (i.e. Notice of Completion)

  • You will receive a Completion Certificate if everything meets the rules

Who Does What (Dutyholders)

Everyone involved in a project has a role to play in keeping buildings safe.

Client

  • Plan and manage the project

  • Choose competent people

  • Share information

  • Make sure everyone works together

Designers (Principal Designer)

  • Make sure designs meet regulations

  • Provide clear plans and details

  • Work with others to address issues or raise concerns

Builders (Principal Contractor)

  • Build in line with plans and regulations

  • Arrange inspections with Building Control

  • Carry out the work safely on site, take local conditions into account, and meet the required standards

Making Informed Choices & Working Together

When planning your project, you may be given advice by others involved, so taking time to understand your options can help you make informed decisions.

  • Ask questions and take time to understand the answers

  • Check experience in similar projects

  • Ask for references or examples of previous work

  • Make sure you receive a clear written quote

  • Understand how the work will be managed and checked

  • Discuss when the work will start and how long it is likely to take

Asking questions can help you feel confident in the decisions you make before work begins. What works for one project may not be right for yours, so it’s worth taking time to find the best approach for you.

Good projects rely on clear communication and shared responsibility. When everyone works together, it helps things run smoothly.

All dutyholders should:

  • Communicate clearly

  • Share information

  • Raise any issues early

This helps avoid problems and keeps projects on track. As your Local Authority Building Control team, we are here to support you by:

  • Check that work meets the regulations

  • Provide clear, independent advice

  • Help you understand what’s needed at each stage

Why are there dutyholders, and why does it matter?

Keeping buildings safe is the main aim of Building Regulations. These rules have changed a lot in recent years and will continue to develop as we learn more and as new technology improves how buildings are designed and built.

Following the Hackitt Review (led by Dame Judith Hackitt), there is now a stronger focus on safety in buildings. This independent review was set up by the government to look at building and fire safety rules. Its aim was to make sure the system is strong for the future and to give communities confidence that their buildings are safe.

The review looked at how buildings are designed, built, checked and managed. One of the most important ideas from the review is the “Golden Thread”. This means having clear, accurate information about a building that is:

  • Kept up to date
  • Easy to find
  • Shared with the right people

This helps make sure buildings are safe not just when they are built, but throughout their life.

  • The Golden Thread also helps make sure there is:
  • Clear roles – everyone knows what they are responsible for
  • Good communication – the right people share information at the right time
  • Accurate records – important details are kept and can be checked
  • Proof of compliance – showing how the work meets the rules

Dutyholders play an important role in keeping buildings safe. They are responsible for making sure the right steps are followed at every stage of a project.
This matters because it helps protect the people who live in, work in, and use buildings every day.

As the Local Authority Building Control team, we check that your project meets the regulations. To do this, we need clear information about who is working on your project so we can speak to the right people and make sure everything is carried out correctly.