The Building Safety Regulator: Building a better regulator

1 Summary
2 Background and Creation of the Building Safety Regulator
3 Delays
4 Skills
5 Relations with Industry
6 Process Efficiencies
7 Construction Products and Reforms
8 Related articles on Designing Buildings

[edit] Summary

On 11 December 2025 the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee published its 2nd Report of Session 2024–26 'The Building Safety Regulator: Building a better regulator'. The overall summary expresses how the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 revealed serious flaws in the UK’s building safety system, including inadequate regulation of construction products, misleading marketing, poor enforcement of standards, and conflicts of interest in building inspections. And that in response, Parliament created the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) through the Building Safety Act 2022, giving it responsibility for overseeing high-rise building construction, certifying the safety of existing buildings, and regulating building inspectors and control bodies. The introduction of the BSR has increased scrutiny of building design, construction, and management, marking a necessary step toward improving building safety.

However, the BSR has faced significant operational challenges, with decision-making often taking far longer than statutory timelines, delaying safety remediation, refurbishments, and new housing delivery. These delays have been compounded by skills shortages, inefficient processes, unclear communication with industry, and poor-quality applications. Although reforms are underway, including staged approvals, recruitment of in-house expertise, and better guidance for applicants, urgent improvements are needed to ensure safer buildings, timely remediation of dangerous cladding, and progress toward housing targets.

[edit] Background and Creation of the Building Safety Regulator

The Grenfell fire highlighted systemic failures in building safety regulation, such as unregulated construction products and inspectors selected by companies, creating conflicts of interest. Following Dame Judith Hackitt’s independent review, the Building Safety Act 2022 established the BSR within the Health and Safety Executive to regulate high-rise construction, certify safety, and oversee the competence of building control bodies.

[edit] Delays

The BSR has frequently exceeded its statutory decision-making targets, sometimes taking more than nine months to approve projects. These delays have slowed refurbishments, safety upgrades, and cladding remediation, leaving residents at risk and hampering the delivery of new high-rise housing needed to meet national housing targets.

[edit] Skills

Delays have been partly caused by a shortage of skilled building and fire inspectors and the initial reliance on seconded staff for multidisciplinary teams. The BSR is now recruiting in-house capacity for new-build approvals and outsourcing remediation work, but long-term investment in training inspectors, fire safety professionals, and structural engineers remains essential.

[edit] Relations with Industry

Industry applicants reported unclear guidance and poor communication from the BSR, contributing to delays. While progress has been made with new guidance and improved engagement, the sector must also improve standards to reduce time lost to substandard applications.

[edit] Process Efficiencies

BSR procedures, such as requiring extensive up-front information before construction, have contributed to delays. Moving toward staged approvals and delegating less critical work to appropriately qualified inspectors aims to streamline processes, but further action is needed to reduce unnecessary delays and costs for leaseholders.