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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that repairs to lifts in apartment buildings are treated as emergencies.

Apartment buildings that are at least 7 storeys or 18 metres in height will be part of the new regulatory regime brought about by the Building Safety Act (2022). From later in autumn those responsible for repairing the common parts of buildings will be required to identify and assess building safety risks, including risks associated with lifts, and take all reasonable steps to ensure those risks are mitigated and controlled to a proportionate level on an ongoing basis.

The new Building Safety Regulator will be carrying out assessments from April 2024 to make sure that those responsible are managing building safety risks and complying with their duties under the new legislation.