Convention 2.03 - Validation of Floor Areas

Issue Summary:

Accuracy of floor area is critical to the accuracy of a DEC. There are a variety of possible sources of floor area information available to EAs; however, the EA has a duty to ensure that the floor area used is reliable. This will involve verifying both reliability of the information and the relevance to the ‘Total Area for DEC Assessment’ (TADA).

Sources such as asset register schedules can be appropriate. These however, may exclude areas such as circulation spaces or include external areas. They may not be based on ‘Gross Internal Area’ (GIA) and there may have been changes to the building since they were drawn up.

The EA must prove that the floor area used is correct and this will generally require validation against more than one source.

Convention:

EAs are permitted to use floor areas obtained following the alternative procedures listed below together with the associated validation. They should also ensure there is sufficient evidence for audit. The requirement for validation of floor areas applies equally to a first DEC and a renewal DEC produced by an EA who did not produce the previous DEC. It is also necessary for an EA renewing a DEC on a building where they have previously validated the floor area to ensure that there have been no alterations that affect the floor area, or that any changes are correctly adjusted for.

Procedure A

 Method - Physical survey of the building
 Validation - Not applicable
 Evidence - Site notes and drawings showing how the area has been obtained

Procedure B
 Method - Scaled from plans (which are themselves to scale)
 Validation - Site check sample measurements to confirm scale of plans as printed. Site
visit used to check plans are accurate and match current building configuration
 Evidence - Plans and record of sample measurements plus calculation details

Procedure C
 Method - From asset register schedule or similar
 Validation - Confirmation that areas are gross internal (or appropriate conversion if use
type is one that permits net internal to be used). Site check sample measurements to
confirm accuracy of areas recorded in the asset register. Site visit used to check
register is accurate and matches current building configuration
 Evidence - Asset Register and record of sample measurements. Record of checks to
ensure the area used includes all internal areas and excludes any external areas and
site buildings that may also be shown on the asset register

Procedure D
 Method - From third party e.g. an architect or surveyor
 Validation - Confirmation that the source has good reason to know the actual current
floor area e.g. has undertaken a measured survey or drawn the plans for the building
as it currently stands and there have been no alterations since. Site check sample
measurements to confirm accuracy of floor area provided
 Evidence - The source document(s) containing the floor area information and the
method by which it was obtained, together with the reason for believing it is accurate.
Record of sample measurements

The following are recognised potential sources of floor areas. They may be used provided they are validated against another suitable sources or they may be used to validate a floor area obtained by one of the above methods. None are sufficient to be relied on without validation.