Current position
What is the Building Safety Regulator?
The Building Safety Act 2022 created the statutory regime and granted the Building Safety Regulator its full powers. On 27 January 2026, BSR moved out of the Health and Safety Executive and became an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Its responsibilities extend beyond individual high-rise blocks. BSR regulates higher-risk buildings, supervises building control bodies and registered building inspectors, raises competence and advises on safety and standards across the built environment.
Higher-risk buildings
Oversee compliance, registration and the in-occupation safety regime.
Building control
Decide building-control applications for higher-risk buildings in England.
Professional oversight
Set standards and maintain registers for building-control approvers and inspectors.
System improvement
Promote competence and advise government on building safety and standards.
Scope
Which buildings come under direct BSR control?
For the occupied Part 4 regime, a higher-risk building has at least two residential units and is at least 18 metres high or has at least seven storeys, subject to statutory measurement rules and exclusions. It must be registered before residents occupy it.
The design-and-construction definition is different and can include qualifying hospitals and care homes. A building may also be subject to the Fire Safety Order, Fire Safety (England) Regulations and housing law. BSR oversight does not displace those regimes.
Design and construction
Building control and the gateway system
BSR is the building control authority for building work to higher-risk buildings. The client must obtain approval before controlled work begins, manage changes, use competent dutyholders and obtain a completion certificate before relevant occupation.
Gateway 1 operates through planning and fire-safety consultation. Gateway 2 is the hard stop before building work, while Gateway 3 is the completion stage. Applications need sufficient design and management information to demonstrate compliance; approval is not achieved merely by submitting documents.
| Stage | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Gateway 1 | Fire-safety matters are considered through the planning process for relevant developments. |
| Gateway 2 | BSR building-control approval is required before higher-risk building work starts. |
| During work | Dutyholders manage competence, change control, mandatory occurrences and the golden thread. |
| Gateway 3 | A completion certificate is required before the completed building can be registered and occupied as applicable. |
Occupied buildings
Registration, assessment and ongoing duties
The principal accountable person registers the building and supplies key building information. Accountable persons must assess and manage the risk of fire spread and structural failure, keep prescribed information and cooperate with responsible persons.
BSR can direct the principal accountable person to apply for a building assessment certificate and submit the safety case report, resident engagement strategy and other information. In July 2026 BSR announced a more proportionate and targeted assessment approach, but confirmed that safety case, mandatory reporting and resident-engagement duties continue.
- Confirm the building and accountable-person structure
- Keep registration and key building information current
- Maintain the safety case report and golden thread
- Operate resident engagement, complaints and mandatory occurrence systems
- Prepare for BSR information requests and assessment
Powers and interfaces
What BSR can enforce—and what it does not replace
BSR can investigate, require information, issue compliance or stop notices and prosecute relevant offences. It also works with local authorities and fire and rescue authorities; the appropriate lead depends on the building, defect and legal regime.
A BSR registration or building assessment certificate is not a declaration that no risk exists. The responsible person must still maintain a suitable and sufficient FRA and general fire precautions, while the accountable person continues to manage building-safety risks.