The process of registering hundreds of high-rise buildings with the new building safety regulator is now underway as part of the stricter regime aimed at safeguarding residents.
Since the opening of the registration process for high-rise buildings last month, approximately 750 applications have been initiated with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR). It is now a legal requirement for all high-rise residential buildings to be registered with the BSR, and those responsible for building safety must complete the registration by the end of September to avoid potential prosecution.
BSR has expressed satisfaction with the early response from the building industry but urges all owners and managers to take immediate action. The new regulator, established earlier this year in response to the Grenfell Fire tragedy, covers around 12,500 buildings in England. BSR operates as an independent body under the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and represents the most significant change in building safety in decades.
Philip White, Director of Building Safety at HSE, emphasized the importance of prompt registration: “We’re pleased with the early response from the 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.”
Under the new regulations, high-rise residential buildings that are at least 18 meters tall or have seven or more floors containing a minimum of two residential units must be registered with the BSR. Building owners or managers need to provide key details such as the number of floors at or above ground level, height in meters, the number of residential units, and the year of construction.
Guidance on recording the key building information (KBI), which is required under the new building safety laws, has been published. This KBI registration component will be added to the HRB (High-Rise Building) online registration portal later this summer, allowing building owners and managers sufficient time to submit their KBI by the end of September.
Information on how to register and what details are required can be found here.
