Tall building surveyors
Our team of chartered surveyors are leading specialists in legislation and regulations affecting tall buildings. These regulations have been introduced to make sure freehold owners and managing agents spot and address fire safety issues in tall buildings to avoid another Grenfell incident.
The Building Safety Act 2022 and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 mean that freeholders and managing agents need to make sure that any building they are responsible for is registered with the Building Safety Regulator. This includes buildings with at least 2 residential units and accommodation arranged over 7 storeys, or higher than 18m tall.
The deadline for registering higher-risk tall buildings was 30 September 2022, but there are many more buildings yet to be registered with the regulator. The delay is largely down to freeholders and managing agents not being aware of these new obligations.
If an accountable person or building manager has not registered their higher-risk building with the Building Safety Regulator, they are committing a criminal offence. This means they will be liable to a criminal prosecution that could lead to a fine or even imprisonment.
There are further measures set to be introduced in 2024 which will include the process of applying for a Building Assessment Certificate.
This process will require various consultants to be engaged to assist in preparing current floor plans of the entire building, scheduling the construction details and materials of the building, undertaking fire risk assessments and implementing fire prevention and protective measures and collating all relevant certificates for the building.
The Building Assessment Certificate scheme also requires freeholders to prepare a safety case report on the building and implement a Residents’ Engagement Strategy and a Mandatory Reporting Occurrence Strategy.
Services we offer for tall building owners
We can help freeholders and building managers navigate these changes and keep their buildings and tenants safe in the process.
Registering higher-risk buildings with the building safety regulator
Gathering key information and submitting it to the building safety regulator
Co-ordinating the reports, investigations and systems needed to apply for a Building Assessment Certificate
Arranging consultants to conduct EWS1 inspections to certify tall buildings
Helping to make sure tall buildings meet new fire safety regulations
The Building Safety Act 2022
The Building Safety Act 2022 also creates leaseholder protections for tall buildings to minimise the costs when repairs to buildings are needed to address building safety risks.
In March 2020, the Government announced the Building Safety Fund to help fund the removal of cladding on higher-risk buildings where the accountable person can not afford to do the necessary repairs. This new legislation now sits alongside requirements for EWS1 Form Assessments of tall buildings.
Fire safety for tall buildings
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 also place additional duties on the responsible person for high-risk buildings, namely describing them as being higher risk. There is now a responsibility to conduct a fire risk assessment and put measures in place to reduce the risk or impact of a fire in a tall residential building. These duties include providing information to the fire and rescue service about the building as well as providing a secure information box.
This legislation goes much further than the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which also still applies. However, the implications of this legislation are still being interpreted with various elements of the legislation not yet rolled out.
With a lack of clear information and relevant professional bodies, our team at Bird Charles Surveyors can help advise you on what you need to do to be compliant with this new legislation.
