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Building Safety Bill completes passage through Parliament

27 April 2022

Apartment Building with Balconies

The Building Safety Bill received Royal Assent and became an Act of Parliament on 28 April 2022.

During its passage through the House of Lords, members asked the government to think again on a number of topics, including:

  • introducing changes to ensure representation of disabled residents on residents’ panels

  • accounting building safety costs as part of the service charges

  • ensuring that leaseholders are protected from costs related to historical building safety defects. 

What happened during House of Lords scrutiny of the draft law?

The bill was considered by the House of Lords between 2 February and 4 April 2022, before passing back to the House of Commons for consideration of Lords amendments (changes).

Consideration of Commons amendments: Tuesday 26 April

Members considered Commons reasons for disagreeing to Lords amendments including:

  • remediation of defects in relevant buildings
  • building liability orders
  • remediation costs under qualifying leases.

Lords divisions

There was also one vote (division) on a proposed change to the bill, which sought to reduce leaseholder contributions for historical building defects to a maximum of £250.

Members voted 187 in favour and 209 against, so the change was not made.

Catch up

What's happened so far?

Third reading: Monday 4 April

Third reading is a chance for members to make sure the eventual law is effective, workable and without loopholes.

One technical amendment was put forward ahead of third reading and this was agreed to. No further changes were made. Members also discussed the progress of the bill through the House at the conclusion of Lords stages.  

Catch up

Report stage: Tuesday 29 March

Report stage is an extra chance for members to closely scrutinise elements of the bill and make changes.  

Proposed changes 

Members put forward changes (PDF) (amendments) to consider at report stage. 

The amendments covered a range of subjects, including:

  • powers and role of the building safety regulator

  • ensuring the safety of disabled people in or about higher-risk buildings

  • responsibilities of local authorities 

  • accountability of directors of a resident management company 

  • service charge costs incurred in respect of building safety measures.

Lords divisions  

There were six divisions (votes) on proposed changes to the bill. 

Reporting on safety issues

The first vote was on amendment 8, which aims to ensure that regulators assess improvements to fire suppression systems, safety of stairways and ramps, certification of electrical equipment, and provision for people with disabilities within two years.

Members voted 176 in favour and 151 against, so the change was made.

Cost protection

The second vote was on amendment 115, which seeks to extend the cost protections in the Bill to leaseholders in buildings of all heights containing two or more residential dwellings.

Members voted 156 in favour and 123 against, so the change was made.

Enfranchised buildings

The third vote was on amendment 117 , which would ensure leaseholders in enfranchised buildings are not excluded from the protections in the Bill.

Members voted 146 in favour and 114 against, so the change was made.

Costs to leaseholders

The fourth vote was on amendment 155, which seeks to reduce the maximum amount leaseholders could be liable to pay for fire remediation work to zero.

Members voted 137 in favour and 123 against, so the change was made

Future work by developers

The fifth vote was on amendment 221 , which would prevent developers who have not completed previously identified fire safety work within 5 years from carrying out any further development.

Members voted 59 in favour and 124 against, so the change was not made.

Building safety cost orders

The final vote was on amendment 234, which would confer a regulation-making power for the Secretary of State to provide for making of building safety cost orders by the Building Safety Cost Panel.

Members voted 94 in favour and 117 against, so the change was not made.

Government proposes changes following Lords members' concerns:

House of Lords members successfully convinced the government to introduce changes on the following topics, which were agreed to:

  • scrapping the legal requirement to appoint a building safety manager

  • ensuring representation of disabled residents on residents panels

  • accounting building safety costs as part of the service charge

  • removing personal criminal liability from unpaid directors of resident management companies

  • ensuring that leaseholders are protected from costs related to historical building safety defects.

Catch up

What's happened so far?

Committee stage day 4: Wednesday 2 March

Committee stage is the first chance for line by line examination of the bill.

Members discussed amendments (changes) to the bill on a range of subjects, including:

  • prevention of the sale of faulty electrical goods that can cause fires

  • amendments to the Fire Safety Order in relation to balconies

  • safety requirements of staircases

  • external wall fire assessments

  • assessment of the risk posed by land contamination to building safety.

Catch up

Committee stage day 3: Monday 28 February

Members discussed amendments (changes) to the bill on a range of subjects, including:

  • allowing resident management companies to pass on the functions and liabilities to a qualified third party

  • the role and function of building safety managers

  • leaseholder protections and rights in relation to building safety charges.

Catch up

Committee stage day 2: Thursday 24 February

Members discussed amendments (changes) to the bill on a range of subjects, including:

  • standard qualifications, and compulsory and regular training for registered building inspectors

  • the new homes ombudsman scheme forming part of the law of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

  • the independence and impartiality of registered building inspectors

  • appointment and training of fire assessors.

Catch up

Committee stage day 1: Monday 21 February

Members discussed amendments (changes) to the bill on a range of subjects, including:

  • requiring the Building Safety Regulator to promote longer term protections for occupant safety and reducing fire damage and cost

  • Secretary of State and Building Safety Regulator powers

  • ensuring major issues of public concern about safety in buildings are addressed in a timely way

  • reviewing remediation work paid for by leaseholders

  • allowing flexibility in the operation of the Building Advisory Committee.

Catch up

Second reading: Wednesday 2 February

Members discussed the main issues in the bill during the second reading debate, including:

  • improving the standard of buildings

  • functions of the new Building Safety Regulator

  • establishing registers of building control approvers and building inspectors

  • accountability for occupied higher-risk buildings in England

  • fire safety.

Members speaking 

Lord Greenhalgh (Conservative), Minister for Building Safety and Fire, opened the debate and responded on behalf of the government. 

Members speaking in the debate included: 

Find out more about the issues discussed: catch up on Parliament TV or read the Lords Hansard transcript.

About the bill

The Building Safety Bill aims to reform the safety system for residential properties by appointing a Building Safety Regulator, giving a greater voice to residents, driving industry change and creating a national framework for increased oversight.

Explore further information 

Read background on the bill in the House of Lords Library Building Safety Bill briefing.

Image: George Becker / Pexels

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Further information