The BSR has published its latest Bulletins April and May to help the sector comply with the Building Safety Act, particularly in relation to BAC applications and Building Control.

What is the latest guidance for BAC applications?

The BSR’s has published its latest guide for Accountable Persons (APs) and Principal Accountable Persons (PAPs) of high-rise buildings in England for those who are making applications for Building Assessment Certificates (BACs).

Having registered their HRBs, APs and PAPs are being invited by the BSR to apply for a BAC for each registered HRB. They cannot apply for a BAC before the BSR contacts them. BACs are required under the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) to demonstrate meeting the Act’s specific legal duties relating to the spread of fire and structural failure.

BACs can offer assurance to residents, visitors, and the public about a building’s safety. It is not a guarantee of ongoing compliance or safety, it is a “snapshot” of compliance at time of assessment.

Who else apart from building owners is defined as AP or PAP?

Resident Management Companies (RMCs), Right to Manage scheme and Commonhold properties are included as APs and PAPs under the BSA.

What other legal responsibilities apply to APs & PAPs?

In addition to the BSA, the Regulatory reform (fire safety) order and Housing Act apply to the management of HRBs. PAPs must also comply with their ongoing legal responsibilities under the BSA (see below).

What should landlords do?

Having registered their HRBs, landlords (PAP/AP) should identify all their HRBs clad with combustible ACM and HPL and ensure that action plans are developed to carry out remedial work to all HRBs assessed with a higher risk posed by their cladding. They should make it a priority to implement these plans.

In addition, landlords should manage building safety and develop their resident engagement strategies and develop a mandatory occurrence reporting system to ensure residents are safe. They should also collect all information required for the Building Safety case report and carry out all other actions so they are ready to apply for a BAC when invited by the BSR.

To ensure they are up to date and informed of their legal responsibilities, APs and PAPs should sign up to the receive the monthly BSR Bulletin.

Where can I find more information and get help?

The most useful source of information and guidance is the BSR website. It has published information and guidance on:

• Building Control applications (learning lessons, case studies, and guidance)
• Register of Regulated Building Inspectors, which also explains the entry requirements for the various professions.
• Its webinar series are available through video on demand.

It has also published information on the roles of APs and the PAP and their legal duties and will be producing case studies.

The Government has published its latest version of the Code of Practice for the remediation of residential buildings. The Code puts residents at the heart of remediation so they know what to expect during a remediation project. All remediation projects should comply with the Code.

The NHMF Best Practice website includes briefing on Building Safety, Fire Safety, and Resident Safety. The NHMF Annual Conference 2025 included a plenary on Building Safety and workshops.

In addition, the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE) and Building a Safer Future (BSF) have entered a new strategic partnership support organisations assess their competency in relation to building safety, especially in regard to HRBs.