Hundreds of high-rise buildings are being registered with the new building safety regulator (BSR) since the new registration process for high-rise buildings opened in April.
The process is part of a new push to protect residents living at height.
What do the new regulations entail?
As per the new regulations all high-rise residential buildings must be registered with BSR by law. Responsible parties have until September 2023 to register their building, or they could face enforcement action including prosecution. The BSR has said it is pleased so far with the initial response to the changes but urges all owners and managers to act now.
Up to 12,500 buildings in England fall under the new stricter regulations, which were put in place as a response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
BSR is an independent body established under the Building Safety Act 2022 and is part of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The launch of the regulator is the biggest change to health and safety law in over a decade.
HSE’s Director of Building Safety, Philip White, said: “We’re pleased with the early response from industry, but I urge owners and managers to act now and register their buildings if they haven’t already done so. This is a legal requirement they will have to meet by the end of September.
“Registration is a crucial part of the new regime and our efforts to ensure residents of high-rise buildings feel protected and safe in their homes.”
Does my building fall under the new regulations?
If your building is at least 18 metres tall or has seven or more floors containing at least two residential units it must be registered with BSR.
To register and get all the necessary information you need follow the Gov.uk guidance.
In your registration you must ensure to include the number of floors at or above ground level in metres, the number of residential units and the year the building was constructed.
Key building information guidance is available to highlight what must be included on a registration under the new rules. Key building information will be added to the high-rise residential building online registration portal this summer to give building managers and owners enough time to submit their registration before the September deadline.
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