Are you ready for the Building Safety Act changes?
The Grenfell Tower tragedy shone a light on failures in building safety...
The Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) was implemented as a result, which came into force in April 2022 giving residents and homeowners greater rights and protections. Further changes to the Act came into force on 1 October 2023.
Read more on our blog: www.fmb.org.uk/resource/what-...
Learn about the Building Safety Regulator: www.hse.gov.uk/building-safet...
The changes outlined in this video relate mainly to England. The BSA regulations differ in the devolved nations. To see how the BSA applies in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, visit d8.ciob.org/node/5544
What buildings does the Act apply to?
The BSA focuses on higher-risk buildings that are:
- 18m or more tall
- 7 storeys or more above ground
However, the Act applies to ALL building work, defining who is responsible for safety (the dutyholders) to ensure work complies with current building regulations.
The Act changed on 1 October 2023
The number of dutyholders responsible for a building is changing and they now have greater responsibilities. This includes the client, designers and contractors.
Failure to comply can lead to fines and imprisonment. Dutyholders can find guidance on both the BSA and building regulations at www.hse.gov.uk.
How will this affect small to medium sized (SME) builders?
You could be more at risk to claims from clients and third parties. More claims are expected due to greater scrutiny of projects. The time limit to report faults under the Defective Premises Act has been extended. Closed cases may be reopened under the new law.
Professional Indemnity Insurance can protect you from claims related to design, advice, damage, negligence and more...
New Homes Warranties are now mandatory for new homes and conversions into domestic properties, and there is a penalty for not taking one out (£10,000 or 10% of building's value).
The cost of warranties is set to increase, having approximately doubled in the last five years*
(*Source: FMB Insurance)
To find out more about insurance and warranties, visit www.fmbinsurance.co.uk.