Housing

Building watchdog criticises regulatory ‘opt out’ for mica rebuilds using state grants

State agency in charge of building regulation criticises exemption to construction rules that may allow some homeowners to rebuild their houses without having to properly adhere to building regulations

Mica: homeowners impacted by defective blocks may be among those who can opt out of normal building regulations, the government has been warned. Picture: Rollingnews

The state agency in charge of construction rules has criticised the lack of oversight of houses being fixed using government grants, including the €3 billion mica redress scheme.

The National Building Control and Market Surveillance Office (NBCO) has urged the Department of Housing to remove amendments to building regulations which allow some people who are availing of government grants to “opt out” of the requirement to have their building works inspected by assigned professionals such ...