About the Building Safety Regulator

The Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA 2022) was passed following the Grenfell Tower fire. The legislation fundamentally reforms building safety. Its purpose is to improve standards, increase accountability, and prevent future tragedies by ensuring buildings are safe by design, construction, and occupation. The Act also gives residents more power and clearer routes to resolution, while providing greater protections and redress for leaseholders from remediation costs.

Key Aspects of the Building Safety Act 2022

• Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs): Creates a new regulatory regime for higher-risk buildings (typically 18 metres or more in height or 7 or more storeys), with strict oversight by the new Building Safety Regulator (BSR).
• Duty Holders: Makes clients, designers, and contractors criminally responsible for ensuring compliance with building regulations.
• Accountable Persons: Imposes legal duties on owners and managers of occupied higher-risk buildings, requiring registration and robust safety management arrangements.
• Golden Thread: Mandates the creation and maintenance of a digital record of key building information, including design, construction, and ongoing maintenance.
• Leaseholder Protections: Provides significant financial protections for leaseholders from the costs of remediating historical building safety defects, with strict conditions placed on landlords.
• New Regulatory Bodies: Establishes the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), the National Regulator of Construction Products, and the New Homes Ombudsman to strengthen oversight and accountability.

About the Building Safety Regulator

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) in England was established under the provisions of the Building Safety Act 2022. Originally part of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the BSR became a standalone body on 27 January 2026 under the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

Their role is to:

• Regulate higher-risk buildings
• Raise safety standards across all buildings
• Support and oversee competence within the design, construction, and building control professions

Further information can be found on the  Building Safety Regulator website.