Changes to the Fire Safety Act
Monday (16 May) rather quietly and under the radar The Fire Safety Act 2021 (Commencement) (England) Regulations 2022 formally enacted the first part of the Fire Safety Act which will impact The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022.
These changes are in response to the recommendations made by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry in its Phase 1 report which required a change in the law.
The aim of the act is to implement necessary changes which will raise standards in relation to fire safety throughout England and Wales, and the regulations seek to ensure solutions are practical, cost effective for individual leaseholders and proportionate to the risk of fire.
Further regulations will fully come into force on 23 January 2023 following the publication of supporting guidance which is due later in 2022.
The first part of the act applies to all residential premises and includes the structure, external walls (including cladding and balconies) and individual flat entrance doors between domestic premises and the common parts.
The next part (which as of yet is not fully confirmed) will relate to high rise buildings in particular, and we await confirmation as to how these blocks will be impacted.
Realty were keen to ensure all team members are fully informed of these changes and therefore Realty’s team undertook training provided by MAF Associates, one of the UK’s leading specialist consultants in fire safety, the following day after the act was passed to understand how these changes will impact the developments that we maintain, and the residents that reside within the buildings. While we are confident that we are already ahead of the curve, we will be working closely with each of our developments to ensure that all blocks are managed in line with the new legislation.
More information can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-england-regulations-2022