Understanding the Building Safety Regulator and what it does

The world of building safety can seem complex but at its heart is a simple goal, to keep residents safe. One of the key organisations leading this effort in England is the Building Safety Regulator (BSR). Here’s a breakdown of who they are and what they do.

What is the Building Safety Regulator?
The Building Safety Regulator is a government body established under the Building Safety Act 2022. Its main purpose is to oversee the safety and standards of higher-risk buildings and to make sure building owners, managers and residents have clear guidance on safety responsibilities.

Key responsibilities of the BSR
The BSR has several important functions:

1. Regulating higher-risk buildings
   The regulator focuses on “higher-risk” buildings, typically those over 18 metres tall and with multiple dwellings, where fire or structural failures could pose significant danger. They set standards for how these buildings should be designed, constructed and maintained safely.
2. Overseeing building safety during construction
   From planning to completion, the BSR monitors that high-risk buildings are constructed in line with safety standards. This includes ensuring fire safety measures and structural integrity are properly implemented.
3. Enforcing compliance
   If a building or its management falls short of safety standards, the BSR has powers to issue notices and enforce action. This could include requiring remediation work or imposing fines on those responsible.
4. Engaging with residents
   The BSR encourages transparency, ensuring residents are informed about the safety of their building. Residents have rights to access safety information and raise concerns directly with building managers or the regulator.
5. Supporting the construction industry
   Beyond enforcement, the BSR provides guidance, training and advice to architects, developers and building managers to help them meet safety requirements.

Why this matters for residents
For residents of higher-risk buildings, the regulator’s work helps ensure their homes are safe from fire and structural hazards. It also provides a clear line of accountability, so residents know who to turn to if they have concerns about building safety.

All of the fire safety work we are undertaking at East Village must first be approved by the BSR before any works can begin. As the Regulator is managing a very high volume of applications nationally, this has led to some delays in receiving approvals. To minimise the impact, the EVML team has been meeting directly with the Regulator to keep our applications on track and to push for decisions as quickly as possible, so that essential safety works can move forward without unnecessary delay.