The Grenfell Tower tragedy prompted the most significant reform of building safety legislation in a generation. The Building Safety Act 2022 introduced a new framework designed to improve the safety, management and regulation of residential buildings throughout their lifecycle.
The Act is now fully embedded within the construction and real estate landscape. Its provisions have been supplemented by extensive secondary legislation, regulatory guidance and an evolving body of court and tribunal decisions which continue to shape how the regime operates in practice. These decisions provide important guidance for building owners, developers, landlords, leaseholders, investors and construction professionals.
The reforms are best known for the enhanced regulatory regime applying to certain higher-risk buildings in England, generally residential buildings that are at least 18 metres in height or comprise seven or more storeys.
The Act also introduced wide-ranging measures affecting many other residential buildings. These include new duties relating to building standards and accountability, expanded enforcement powers, gateways for higher-risk developments, a new building control framework, competence requirements across the construction industry, and protections limiting the costs that certain leaseholders can be required to pay for the remediation of historical building safety defects.
The Building Safety Act applies primarily in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have each developed their own legislative and regulatory approaches to building safety, building control and cladding remediation.
We have experienced and specialist teams of lawyers within our real estate disputes, construction, real estate and health & safety teams, able to offer comprehensive advice on the specific issues arising out of the Building Safety Act that affect our clients and their businesses - from large commercial, industrial and private owners, to real estate developers and public entities.
The resources accessible via this page are designed to help clients and industry professionals navigate this complex and rapidly developing area of law. However, building safety issues often involve significant legal, technical and commercial considerations, and specialist advice should be sought where specific concerns arise. If you need legal advice relating to the Building Safety Act please do contact one of the experienced lawyers listed on this page.