Fire & Building Safety of Apartment Blocks - A Guide for Residential Conveyancers & Property Managers

Introduction

The Grenfell Tower tragedy resulted in a complete overhaul of the law regulating the safety of high-rise residential buildings.

We now have a clearer idea as to what the new building safety laws entail, but this remains a fast-moving area of law and practice. Moreover, some of these new laws affect high-rise blocks, while some fire safety laws apply to residential buildings with at least two dwellings.

This in-person seminar will consider the latest developments affecting apartment buildings. It is aimed at professionals involved in the sale and purchase of apartments and the management of apartment blocks.

As there are usually regular developments in this area of the law, the content is liable to change (e.g. as and when the government announces new reform measures).

This seminar will provide the latest information at the time.

What You Will Learn

This course will cover the following:

• An overview of major elements of the Fire Safety Act 2021 and Building Safety Act 2022
• Flammable cladding: paying for its removal and the External Wall System 1 valuation system
• Liability for non-cladding remediation and interim fire safety measures (e.g. waking watches)
• What leaseholder protections have been introduced and which lessees are non-qualifying leaseholders?
• Has the option of seeking funding from the government been pursued?
• Onerous Lender Part 2 requirements and the conveyancer’s retainer
• Who ultimately determines if a building safety service charge is payable by the leaseholders?
• How is a building’s height determined?
• Leaseholder deeds of certificate and when they are required
• The function of Landlords’ certificates and when they must be provided, false statement in certificate, presumptions for failure to provide timely certificate
• Higher-risk buildings: the latest developments relating to safety case reports and building assessment certificates
• The dutyholders who are responsible for the safety of high-rise residential buildings
• Duties for the design, construction, and pre-occupation of higher-risk residential buildings
• Have the safety risks to low-rise apartment blocks been disregarded?
• The likely role of building safety directors
• How authoritative is government guidance?
• Key changes to the Building Regulations
• New competence, transparency and accountability standards in the building control profession
• The role of the Building Safety Regulator
• The new standards and guidance for fire risk assessments — Remedial works recommended by the assessment, differing levels of assessment
• Fire risk prioritisation guidance and regulations that apply in England
• The importance of fire doors and the latest guidance
• Fire safety hazards in HMOs
• The risks of structural failure
• What enforcement action can be taken by a public authority?
• Changes to limitation periods under the Defective Premises Act
• The Welsh Safety Bill introduced in 2025
• The new Remediation Bill published in 2025