Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help identify the number of higher-risk buildings that have not yet been registered with the Building Safety Regulator.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) investigates all matters relating to the registration status of higher risk buildings (HRBs) that are brought to its attention through residents’ complaints or by other enforcing authorities, including fire and rescue services, local authorities, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. All investigations and any subsequent enforcement actions are undertaken in accordance with the provisions of the Building Safety Act 2022.

In addition to responding to concerns that may be raised, the BSR’s Intelligence team proactively identifies and investigates potentially unregistered buildings.

Any HRB which is not registered with the BSR nevertheless must comply with the provisions of the Building Safety Act and, as of February 2024, the Principal Accountable Person for that building has a duty to properly assess and manage the safety risks associated with their building. Thus, non-registration does not, in itself, mean that a building is unsafe or is being inappropriately managed.