In response to the problem raised of recovering the costs of Covid and the loss of tax revenue due partly to many in the construction industry and other trades being paid cash in hand, often claiming benefits illegally alongside the failures of the not fit for purpose regulatory system, this is an ideal opportunity to overhaul the whole system and bring in proper joined up working between different Government departments, local government and relevant stakeholders. All departments could work together to install a system that protects consumers and building occupants while ensuring taxes are paid fairly. From initial planning approval stage, addresses should be recorded where major renovations or extensions are shortly to take place. The building compliance certificate could cover not only the structural aspects and material used in the building or renovation work, but also the construction companies and trades themselves, ensuring they hold the correct skills and certification to carry out the work and that the materials are certified to a safe standard. In liaison with HMRC the building compliance certificate could also record that all payments were above board, with correct taxes paid for work on a particular address. Buildings insurance would also depend on this certification a bit like car insurance relying on MOT certification. Such building compliance certification would resolve numerous issues at once including safety standards of building work and protecting customers from cowboy builders and shoddy work practices and allow a system for easier access to redress should faults be identified at a later date. It would also protect the construction and trades people from having agreed payments withheld at the end of a job and protect their paid staff from bosses who pay below the minimum wage or do not pay sick pay, etc. It would increase tax revenues to HMRC rather than much of the work carried out cash-in-hand and under the radar.
Councils could use the same information on addresses where the building had changed to immediately introduce changes to the council tax band as appropriate thus increasing much needed tax revenues to local councils.
Modern technology shows this could all be achieved relatively cheaply, with user friendly systems using simple upload and a few online steps, pretty much like DVLA already have in place or the animal movements licencing system in Defra.
Systems would have to work together principally conducting regular searches around addresses, made possible by the vast improvements to machine learning databases, cross checking across other databases.
Banks could be required to play more of a part under money laundering regulations informing HMRC of any large cash withdrawals/deposits and addresses these were linked to.
The Buildings Compliance certification could thus encompass numerous aspects, right from the safety certification of materials used through the quality of the building work and trades peoples work through to protection of the customer from shoddy workmanship and protection of the companies undertaking the work from monies due being withheld, or from workers being paid below the minimum wage and of course ensuring all taxes were paid and that everything was done above board.
The principal advantage of course would be the ability to ensure the work is carried out to the highest of safety standards. We now have systems in place that can trace every animal back to the farm it came from ensuring the safety of the food we eat. Surely, for things as important and expensive as the accommodation we live in, we could have a similar system of traceability and security, ensuring we work together as a society for the benefit of all rather than individuals working a not fit for purpose system to their advantage but to high cost for others.
The advantages would be how it fed into a simplified insurance system with those who did everything above board and with integrity being rewarded and protecting the occupants and owners of these properties at the same time.
Modern technology allows endless opportunities for joined up working that will bring numerous benefits such as above, all relatively cheaply. This opportunity should not be wasted. Lack of progress on this front will only lead to future Grenfell type disasters, disproportionately affecting the poorer least protected members of society. As long as there are clear benefits to the public they will accept changes even though they may hurt financially. Now is an ideal opportunity to review this system to bring in joined up working to the benefit of everyone.
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