What is it?
Following the Grenfell Tower disaster on 14 June 2017, the Building Safety Act 2022 has received Royal Assent, and has been the catalyst for significant change in building safety regulation across the UK.
The Act makes ground-breaking reforms to provide residents and homeowners more rights, powers and protections – ensuring homes across the country are safer. Overhauling existing regulations, the Act will create lasting change – providing clarity as to how residential buildings should be constructed, maintained and made safe.
Aims?
The Act will oversee the safety and performance systems for all buildings: through the oversight of building control bodies across the public and private sectors, and by understanding and advising on existing and emerging building standards and safety risks.
The Act will also encourage increased competence by setting the direction of an industry-led competence committee and establishing competence requirements for registration of building control professionals.
The 3 key roles:
Building Safety Regulator:
Oversee the safety and performance of all buildings, with a special focus to high-rise buildings.
The National Regulator of Construction Products:
Will oversee a more effective construction product regulatory regime and co-ordinate market surveillance and enforcement.
The New Homes Ombudsman Scheme:
Allow relevant owners of new-build homes to escalate their complaints to a New Homes Ombudsman. Developers of new-build homes will be required by secondary legislation to become and remain a member of the scheme.
Will you be affected by the change?
The requirements set out in the Building Safety Act 2022 will affect building owners/managers and the built environment industry. This includes those who commission building work and who participate in the design and construction process, including clients, designers, and contractors.
Positive Change
The Act puts residents at the heart of the new system. Clarifying who holds responsibility for Fire and Building Safety throughout the life cycle of a higher risk building. Leaseholders will no longer be the first port of call to pay for historical safety defects.
The Act creates a universal change in responsibility and culture within the building industry.
Establishes a more effective regulatory and responsibility framework for the construction industry and introduces clearer standards and guidance.
The Act will improve the competence of the people responsible for overseeing, managing and delivering works to high-risk buildings. The level of safety will increase, both in construction and occupation.
What does the Act mean for residents of higher risk buildings and homeowners?
High-rise residents will have more of an input as to how their building is kept safe.
Residents will be able to voice their concerns directly with the owners and managers of their buildings (known as the Accountable Person). The Accountable Person will have a DUTY to listen to you.
If residents feel as though their concerns are being ignored, they can raise them with the Building Safety Regulator.
What does the Act mean for building owners?
Owners and landlords will need to contribute to the costs of fixing their own buildings.
Accountable Persons will need to demonstrate that they have effective, proportionate measures in place to manage building safety risks in the higher-risk buildings for which they are responsible. – if the obligations are not met, they will face criminal charges.
Overall, the Act implements a positive change, providing further safety regulations in order to protect residents.
If you would like to speak to someone concerning the above then please contact Melissa Arslan on 01702 338338 or by sending us a message using the contact button below.
