New building safety registration gets underway

Hundreds of high-rise buildings have been registered with the new Building Safety Regulator (BSR) since its launch last month but it is still short of the thousands required.

Around 750 applications have been opened so far although more are being urged as the regulator is set to be responsible for up to 12,500 buildings in England.

The BSR was set up under the Building Safety Act, 2022 to raise and oversee safety standards on high-rise developments.

It is part of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

High-rise residential buildings that are at least 18m in height or have seven or more floors containing at least two residential units must be registered with BSR by the end of September.

Building owners or managers must provide the number of floors at or above ground level, height in metres, the number of residential units, and the year of construction.

The 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.” 

> How to register.