High Risk Building Compulsory Registration Deadline
Key Contact: Damien Cann
Author: Rachel McCulloch
In response to the Grenfell Tower disaster, the Building Safety Act 2022 was implemented to reform building safety regulation. Under the Building Safety Act, high rise residential buildings are deemed to be “higher risk” if they have:
- at least 7 floors or is at least 18 metres in height; and
- at least two residential units.
In March 2023 the Health and Safety Executive launched the first phase of its building safety campaign “Be Ready” which helps everyone affected by the recent changes to building safety laws to understand what is coming and how to prepare. As part of this, the Health and Safety Executive has made it compulsory for all higher risk buildings in England to register with the Building Safety Regulator, a newly established body to help make high rise buildings in England safer. The ability to register opened in April 2023, and the deadline is the end of September 2023. Those who fail to register and comply with the deadline will be investigated and may face prosecution.
On 23 May 2023, the Health and Safety Executive confirmed that around 750 applications had been started since the registration process opened, but it is estimated up to 12,500 buildings in England meet the criteria for a “higher risk” building and therefore need to be registered.
To register, you need to provide certain information about the building, for example:
- the building’s name, address and postcode;
- the number of floors above or at ground level, and its height in metres;
- the number of residential units;
- information about the building’s structure and fire safety e.g. fire and smoke controls; and
- the name and contact details of the principal accountable person.
Getting in contact with Acuity
If you have questions about your obligations under the Building Safety Act 2022, or if you wish to discuss the points raised in this article, please contact our Real Estate Team and we will be happy to help.
