In recent weeks, the government has announced a new building safety regulator that has the authority to prosecute any rule-breaking developers and manufacturers. This new regulator, when deemed fit to do so, has the power to remove construction products off the market.
Referred to as the Building Safety Bill, this also gives major national powers to the regulator to prosecute or use civil penalties against businesses that break the rules compromising public safety.
Why is the Building Safety Bill Coming into Play?
Ultimately, the bill has been devised and implemented to try and prevent tragedies such as the burning down of Grenfell Tower in 2017. The burning of Grenfell Tower was largely due to the poor cladding used on the building’s exterior, so this bill looks to prevent similar instances reoccurring.
Another aim of the Building Safety Bill is to give leaseholders and homeowners in risk-prone buildings more routes to raise concerns about safety. The desire is to make sure that the people living in these conditions have the platform and resources to be heard and taken seriously.
Many complaints were made by Grenfell Tower residents before the tragic blaze happened. So, though the writing was sadly on the wall in this case, their concerns were not heard in time. This is something that simply cannot happen again.
How will the Building Safety Bill be Implemented?
The Bill will ensure there are clearly identifiable people responsible for these types of issues during the design, build and occupation of high-rise residential buildings. Though this new legislation will mainly affect England, most of the relevant matters will be devolved to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland too.
The Ministry of Housing claim the proposals within this new bill expand on the Government’s commitment to fully fund the cost of replacing unsafe cladding for all leaseholders in residential buildings of 18 metres and over in England. This will be achieved through a £5 billion investment in building safety.
There will also be the introduction of a new levy and tax to ensure the industry pays its fair share towards the costs of cladding remediation. The Government’s plan is to have all dangerous cladding removed by the end of the year.
Whether this will come to fruition or not is a matter of time. Opposition ministers have called for a concrete approach in ensuring that leaseholders will never have to foot the bill for future remediation works.
Howells Helping with the Building Safety Bill 2021
Howells property solicitors have a wealth of experience and knowledge to help guide you in any situation regarding residential conveyancing, property development, maintenance and ownership.
We are always in tune and up to date with the latest legislative changes, so if you are considering your options and the rights you have, contact us today. We are always happy to help.
