PFD report

Glynn Matthew Storey · Prevention of Future Deaths report

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Issued 27 Jul 2018•County Durham and Darlington

Report record

Published report and response evidence

This page connects the concerns raised in this report with statements found in recipients’ published responses. A link shows a clear evidence connection; it does not assign responsibility.

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Concerns
1

Raised in this report

Recipients
1

Named on the report

Responses found
1

Of 1 recipient

Stated actions
2

Described in responses

Recipients and published responses

Source document

Full report text

This is the full text from the original published report.

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Concerns and recipient responses

Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

Concerns raised1

  1. Lack of clarity about responsibility for ensuring that windows meet building standards
Responses linked to these concerns

Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.

Actions described in response An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.1

  1. Action

    Publish publicly available guidance explaining Approved Inspectors’ role and remit.

    Stated by Department of Health and Social CareStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 24 September 2018.

Respondent positions A position is what a recipient says about a concern when it does not describe a specific action.3

  1. Position

    Definitive interpretations of building legislation are outside CICAIR’s functions and can only be provided by a court.

    Stated by Department of Health and Social CareOutside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority.

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Lack of clarity about responsibility for ensuring that windows meet building standards

Wider context from the report

“(1) There is confusion as to whether the approved building control inspector or the builder is responsible for ensuring that such windows meet building standards. Detailed enquiries by the police have shown that responsibility lies with the builder/owner. However, the owner/builder felt that as the building had been inspected on multiple occasions, all safety standards had been met. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

No recurring-concern membership is currently published.

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Publish publicly available guidance explaining Approved Inspectors’ role and remit.

Verbatim wording from the response

“In your report, you have suggested that action needs to be taken to provide clarity on who is responsible for ensuring that buildings meet safety standards. CICAIR publishes clear guidance outlining the role and remit of an Approved Inspector and we operate a complaints procedure whereby allegations that an Approved Inspector has not adhered to the CICAIR Code of Conduct for Approved Inspectors can be investigated. The guidance and complaint process is publicly available at http://cic.org.uk/services/complaints.php. It is also possible to make a claim against an Approved Inspector in the civil courts (negligence, breach of contract or misrepresentation etc).”

Source location

2018-0246-Response-by-CICAIR
Page 2 · response
Published 24 September 2018

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Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Definitive interpretations of building legislation are outside CICAIR’s functions and can only be provided by a court.

Verbatim wording from the response

“I should first explain that CICAIR Limited is the body currently designated by the Secretary of State under section 49 of the Building Act 1984 to carry out its executive and administrative functions in respect of Approved Inspectors. It is not part of CICAIR’s functions to give definitive interpretations of the legislation so what follows is only CICAIR’s opinion. As I am sure you are aware, only a court can give a definitive interpretation.”

Source location

2018-0246-Response-by-CICAIR
Page 1 · response
Published 24 September 2018

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Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Published guidance, a complaints procedure and existing civil-court remedies address concerns about Approved Inspectors’ roles and conduct.

Verbatim wording from the response

“In your report, you have suggested that action needs to be taken to provide clarity on who is responsible for ensuring that buildings meet safety standards. CICAIR publishes clear guidance outlining the role and remit of an Approved Inspector and we operate a complaints procedure whereby allegations that an Approved Inspector has not adhered to the CICAIR Code of Conduct for Approved Inspectors can be investigated. The guidance and complaint process is publicly available at http://cic.org.uk/services/complaints.php. It is also possible to make a claim against an Approved Inspector in the civil courts (negligence, breach of contract or misrepresentation etc).”

Source location

2018-0246-Response-by-CICAIR
Page 2 · response
Published 24 September 2018

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

The person carrying out the work, typically the builder or owner, retains ultimate responsibility for building-regulations compliance, not the Approved Inspector.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The Building Act 1984, the Building Regulations 2010 and the Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 2010 place the duty to comply with the building regulations onto the person carrying out the work. The person carrying out the work, depending on the context, would be the person physically carrying out the work (e.g. developer, builder or installer) or, in most circumstances, the owner and/or occupier of the property. The person carrying out the work retains ultimate responsibility for compliance with the building regulations and the quality of the finished product. Approved Inspectors (and local authorities when acting as building control bodies) do not have this responsibility under the legislation.”

Source location

2018-0246-Response-by-CICAIR
Page 1 · response
Published 24 September 2018

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Other statements in published responses

These actions and other statements could not be clearly connected to one concern in this report.

Recipient-stated actions An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.1

  1. 1

    Operate a complaints procedure for investigating allegations that Approved Inspectors breached the CICAIR Code of Conduct.

    Stated by Department of Health and Social CareStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 24 September 2018.

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Operate a complaints procedure for investigating allegations that Approved Inspectors breached the CICAIR Code of Conduct.

Verbatim wording from the response

“In your report, you have suggested that action needs to be taken to provide clarity on who is responsible for ensuring that buildings meet safety standards. CICAIR publishes clear guidance outlining the role and remit of an Approved Inspector and we operate a complaints procedure whereby allegations that an Approved Inspector has not adhered to the CICAIR Code of Conduct for Approved Inspectors can be investigated. The guidance and complaint process is publicly available at http://cic.org.uk/services/complaints.php. It is also possible to make a claim against an Approved Inspector in the civil courts (negligence, breach of contract or misrepresentation etc).”

Source location

2018-0246-Response-by-CICAIR
Page 2 · response
Published 24 September 2018

Open published response
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Information checked against the published report and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026