The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) is the new statutory regulator for higher-risk buildings in England, established under the Building Safety Act 2022. If your residential block sits in scope, registration is not optional, the safety case is real work, and the regulator can - and does - enforce.
This guide explains what BSR registration involves in practice, what a safety case actually looks like, and what RTM directors, freeholders and managing agents need to have in place.
1. What buildings are in scope
A higher-risk building (HRB) under the Act is a residential building in England that meets all of the following:
- At least 18 metres in height or 7 storeys or more
- Contains at least 2 residential units
Height is measured from ground level to the top floor finished floor level. In East London this captures a large slice of post-2000 new-builds in Stratford, Canary Wharf, the Royal Docks, Ilford and parts of Walthamstow.
2. Who is the Accountable Person
Every HRB must have at least one Accountable Person (AP). The AP is whoever owns or has a legal obligation to repair the common parts. There can be more than one AP - typical examples:
- Freeholder of the building
- RTM company that has taken over the management functions
- Resident Management Company that owns part of the structure
Where there are multiple APs, one is designated the Principal Accountable Person (PAP). The PAP carries the lead duties, including registration and submission of the safety case report.
3. Registration itself
Registration is done through the BSR's online portal. The PAP submits:
- Building name, address and key building information
- Number of residential units, floors and height
- Construction details, external wall system information
- Details of all Accountable Persons and the Principal Accountable Person
- A statement of compliance with the registration requirements
Once registered, the building receives a unique HRB number. Occupied HRBs must be registered. Failing to register an in-scope occupied building is a criminal offence.
4. The safety case
The safety case is the heart of the regime. It is a structured demonstration that the PAP understands the building's fire and structural risks and has reasonable measures in place to manage them. It is not a one-off document - it is a live, maintained record.
A safety case typically contains:
- Building description, plans and key dimensions
- Hazard identification - fire spread, structural integrity, evacuation
- Risk assessment - likelihood and consequence for each hazard
- Risk controls - active and passive fire protection, compartmentation, evacuation strategy
- Performance monitoring - how the AP knows the controls are still working
- Mandatory occurrence reporting log
- Residents' engagement strategy and feedback
- Golden thread of information - structured digital record of building information
5. The safety case report
On request from the BSR, the PAP must submit a safety case report summarising the safety case and how risks are managed. The first wave of safety case report calls began in 2024 and is rolling. When the call comes, the window is short. Buildings that have not prepared are visibly exposed.
6. Mandatory occurrence reporting
The PAP must report safety occurrences to the BSR. These include structural failures, fire safety events, and significant compartmentation breaches. The reporting threshold is set out in the regulations and is lower than most non-specialists assume. A robust internal reporting line into the PAP is essential.
7. Residents' engagement strategy
Every HRB must have a written residents' engagement strategy - how the AP communicates with residents on safety matters, how residents can raise concerns, and how those concerns are handled. The strategy must be consulted on with residents and reviewed.
8. The Building Assessment Certificate
Following the safety case report, the BSR may issue a Building Assessment Certificate. The certificate is the public confirmation that the building's safety case is acceptable. Certificates are required to be displayed in a prominent location in the building.
If your block is in scope and you are not sure where to start
We support APs and PAPs in East London with BSR registration, safety case preparation and ongoing compliance. The earlier this is built into the management of the block, the cheaper and calmer it ends up.
9. Practical preparation checklist
- Confirm the building is in scope (height, storeys, units)
- Identify all APs and the PAP
- Register the building if not already done
- Assemble building information - O&M manuals, fire strategy, EWS1, FRAEW, structural drawings
- Commission or update a Fire Risk Assessment of External Walls (FRAEW) where relevant
- Build the safety case document set with a competent fire engineer or building safety consultant
- Set up the mandatory occurrence reporting line
- Draft and consult on the residents' engagement strategy
- Establish the golden thread digital information system
10. Costs and recovery
BSR work is not cheap. Safety case preparation for a single building can run from £15,000 to £80,000 or more depending on complexity. Recovery through the service charge is possible for many costs but is subject to the leaseholder protections under the Building Safety Act for qualifying leaseholders. Take advice before billing.
Speak to our team about your block
We manage residential blocks and estates across Romford and East London. If this article raised a question about your specific situation, send it across - we will give you a straightforward, plain-English answer.
General guidance only. The Building Safety Act 2022 and its secondary legislation are complex; obtain specialist advice for your specific building.