Building Safety Act: Registration of higher-risk buildings

Under the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA), the principal accountable person for a higher-risk building must ensure that the building is registered with the Building Safety Regulator (the BSR) before the building is occupied. It’s an offence for a building to be occupied but not registered.

• The deadline for registering existing occupied higher-risk buildings is 30 September 2023.

• To register a building, the principal accountable person will need to use the online service provided by the Health and Safety Executive: Register a high-rise residential building.

• The Building Safety (Registration of Higher-Risk Buildings and Review of Decisions) (England) Regulations 2023 (SI 2023/315)set out the information to be contained in the application to register, the documents that must accompany the application and also details of the registration fee [1]. The Regulations also require the principal accountable person to update the registration information within 14 days of becoming aware of any changes.

• The explanatory notes to the BSA state that the registration system is intended to help the BSR to monitor compliance and enforcement activity.

• In relation to the construction of a higher-risk building, a building regulations completion certificate (under the Building Act 1984) must be issued before any residential unit in the building is occupied.

Registration of higher-risk buildings under the BSA: How we can help

Walker Morris’ BSA experts  can provide expert, tailored advice on all aspects of the BSA, including help with registration of higher-risk buildings, if required.  If you have any building safety queries, concerns or training requirements, please call Pawan Pandit, who will be very happy to help.

[1] See also government guidance about the information required (Applying to register a high-rise residential building – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)