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• Amended Fees Summary: Reflect changes and provide better customer service.

1. SAP: Fees altered to reflect changes in Government requirements for thermal bridge calculations and increased CO2 reductions
2. RdSAP: No price change but reduced maximum floor area including in the prices, larger properties by quotation
3. Pre-Application Advice: Fees for larger schemes and advice over 1 hour, also site visits included and following this we confirm in writing advice and also maintain a database record for future retrieval.
4. Completion Inspection on Closed Applications: Frequently request are made to inspect old application and issue a completion certificate, often for remortgage or sale, this service allow us to provide this facility now.
5.  Refunds: Clearly define rules in place where an application is withdrawn or reduced
6. Exempt Buildings; Service that includes a site visit to assess if the works proposed or carried out are exempt or not, written confirmation and a database record for future retrieval.

• Transfer of Private Sewers to Water and Sewerage Companies

On 1 October 2011, the government will be transferring all sewage pipes outside property boundaries, and all sewage pipes which are shared with another property within a properties boundary, to the sewerage/water companies. In Charnwood Borough, this is usually Severn Trent. Privately owned pumping stations which meet the same criteria will also be adopted by sewerage/water companies on or before 1 October 2016.

At present, property owners are usually responsible for the sewage pipes that drain into public sewers, up to the point that they connect to those sewers. This can include pipes that go beyond their property boundary. People are often unaware that they are responsible for repairs and on-going maintenance of these drains or pipes until a problem occurs and they are hit by a potentially large bill. It is anticipated that the transfer will give more effective maintenance of assets, reduce neighbour disputes over repair costs and will allow for a better approach to managing the sewerage network.

Today property owners are usually responsible for everything up to the main sewer, including the connection. Post-transfer, all sewers outside property boundaries and sewers within property boundaries which are shared with another property will transfer to Severn Trent Water. Property owners remain responsible for the private drains within their boundary.

For further information, see http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/water/sewage/sewers/

or Severn Trent at: http://www.stwater.co.uk/server.php?show=nav.5977

• Website currently under review and updates in progress 10/11/2011
• New Head of Service and a new Service title introduced, this is a result of  the re-structure to meet Government saving requirements.
• Introduced on 11/04/2011

  Richard Bennett
  Head of Planning and Regeneration
  tel 01509 634763
  richard.bennett@charnwood.gov.uk