4 things ‘higher-risk building’ owners need to know

If you own a building that is a greater fire risk than most buildings, new legislation requires you to take action. Let’s find out more.

From April 6th 2023, new legislation came into force relating to buildings with a more significant fire risk. The new regulations are designed to prevent another disaster like the Grenfell Tower fire of 2017. While, as long as you run your building well, these regulations shouldn’t cause too many problems, you still need to know how to comply. Remember, your solicitor is always there to help you stay on the right side of the law.

Now, let’s look at four things you need to know about the Building Safety Act 2022 and how it relates to higher-risk buildings.

1 – What is a higher-risk building?

In the new regulations, a higher-risk building is any building (with two or more occupied residential units) that is 18 metres or more in height or has seven or more storeys. It’s estimated that 12,500 buildings in England are considered higher-risk and covered by the new laws.

If your building is considered higher-risk, the new law requires you to appoint a Principal Account Person and register your property with the Building Safety Regulator.

2 – Appointing a Principal Account Person

Your Principal Account Person (or PAP) is the primary contact point between the building and the regulator. In many cases, it will probably be the landlord.

In the eyes of the regulator, the PAP is responsible for:

• The building’s external structure

• The building’s internal structure

• Common areas in the building

The PAP will also be responsible for the Building Safety Regulator registration process.

3 – Registering your higher-risk building

Your nominated PAP must register your higher-risk building with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) by September 30th 2023. As part of the registration, you must provide the BSR with several details about your building, including:

• Address

• Number of residential units

• Building height in metres

• Number of storeys

After submitting your details, the BSR may come back to you with further questions. These could relate to the construction materials of your building and the fire safety equipment you have in place. 

You will also need to pay a registration fee of £251 per building.

4 – Buildings under construction

The new Building Safety laws also apply to buildings that have not been completed yet, but fall under the higher-risk criteria. 

Under the new laws, occupying the building before it has been registered with the Building Safety Regulator is a criminal offence. Failure to comply could lead to fines and even imprisonment. 

To register your new building with the BSR, you’ll need to share the building certificate date, reference number and issuing body. As with existing higher-risk buildings, there is a fee of £251. 

Help is at hand from your solicitor

While these laws aim to boost building safety, which is undoubtedly a good thing, it’s still extra work for you. The registration process could become complex, especially if the BSR’s further questions require you to find information going back many years. This is where it pays to have a great property solicitor in your corner.

Your solicitor will be able to help you collect the information you need and submit it in the right way. They’ll ensure your higher-risk building registration goes through as smoothly as possible, so you can focus on running your property. 

As the deadline for registration approaches, don’t leave it to chance. Talk to your solicitor today.

Find out more from Couchman Hanson

At Couchman Hanson, our solicitors genuinely care about getting the best outcome for you. We’re highly professional, with ‘city’ level talent and experience, but also friendly and welcoming. Everything we do fits with our values of integrity, honesty and authenticity.

Call 01428 774756 or visit couchmanhanson.co.uk