Where works are carried out without building regulations approval being sought the owner may be prosecuted. However to facilitate people who wish to have work approved, there is a process called regularisation.
A regularisation application is a retrospective application relating to previously unauthorised works i.e. works carried out without building regulations consent, started on or after the 11 November 1985.
The purpose of the process is to regularise the unauthorised works and obtain a certificate of regularisation. Depending on the circumstances, exposure, removal and/or rectification of works may be necessary to establish compliance with the building regulations.