11/03/2005

Belfast City Council issue cowboy builder warning

Belfast City Council is to launch a new campaign to put cowboy builders “in their place”.

The Council said it was reminding anyone employing a builder to do work at their home to make sure that it adheres to all the necessary building regulations.

“Letting a cowboy builder into your home can have serious consequences,” warned Trevor Martin, head of the Council’s building control service, which will be highlighting the whole issue over the next couple of weeks.

“We want people to realize that making an application to building control is not just something they have to do legally, it also helps them avoid cowboy builders.”

The service is running an exhibition in PLACE, Belfast’s new architecture centre in Fountain Street, from next Wednesday March 16 through until Thursday March 24, highlighting the work of building control and what they can do to help avoid cowboy builders.

Building control surveyors will be on hand to give tips on choosing a builder, and there will be free lunchtime surgeries offering one-to-one advice each day.

The exhibition coincides with the launch of the Building Control Service’s ‘Service Charter’. Anyone unable to make it along to PLACE can seek advice from the Building Control helpline on 028 9027 0432.

(MB/SP)

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