Hear from our experts taking note of new guidance on post-Grenfell building law

Property managers need to take note of the latest guidance on the new Building Safety Act following the Grenfell fire disaster, according to experts at Principle Estate Management.

Trade body the Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) has produced useful guidance on new information that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) acting as the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) is likely to need.

Andrew Winstanley, senior associate director at Principle, explained that although the Building Safety Act has become law, the duties it describes for existing occupied high-rise residential buildings have not yet come into force.

He said registration of existing buildings is expected to begin in April 2023, with the Building Assessment Certificate process expected to begin in April 2024.

Mr Winstanley said: “Anyone who manages a high-rise residential building, which is seven storeys or 18m-plus, will need to take all reasonable steps to both prevent any building safety incidents and to reduce the severity of an incident, should one occur.

“The Act defines a building safety risk as the spread of fire, or structural failure, and the spread of fire includes the spread of all forms of combustion, for example smoke, fumes and heat.

“The Act requires those responsible for occupied, high-rise residential buildings to register their building with the BSR, to perform a building safety risk assessment, to introduce measures to manage building safety risks and to prepare a safety case report for their building on request.

“The BSR will be publishing case studies and examples of proportionate responses to common situations as it develops the new regime.

“Meanwhile, the HSE has published a number of documents to help those responsible prepare for the new regime, containing information and advice on what the BSR is likely to need.”

Mr Winstanley said these documents included:

• Building Information

• Identifying building safety risks

• Risk prevention and protection information

• Safety management systems, and

• Safety case report.

He added: “ARMA is asking for any questions or feedback on the documents in advance of the consultations it will have with HSE, and so this is the perfect opportunity for property managers to get involved.”

The new information from HSE can be found here.

Principle Estate Management, whose directors are all experienced chartered surveyors, is a full and active member of the ARMA.