Context
The ABI has welcomed the introduction of The Building Safety Bill which has been introduced to the House of Commons, the First Reading taking place on 5th July 2021.
Key points to note
- The intended goals of the Bill includes amending the Architects Act 1997 and to amend provision about complaints made to a Housing Ombudsman.
- The Bill will undertake a Second Reading, the date for such is yet to be announced.
- James Dalton, Director of General Insurance at the ABI stated “The ABI has long called for the fundamental reform of our building safety regulations, and this is a landmark opportunity to deliver safer homes and business premises. Our industry has a crucial role to play in driving reform, and we are totally committed to working with the government and other stakeholders on these vital reforms”.
- The ABI commented that, while there is much to support in the Bill (such as the establishment of a Building Safety Regulator and construction products regulations), it wants to see its scope extended beyond buildings over 18 metres high. The ABI believes that fire risk consideration should not be constrained to arbitrary height limits.
- The ABI intends to study the Bill’s provisions, including how information on a building’s construction and safety history will be recorded and shared.
Next actions
None- for information only