This month
July was the busiest month of the year so far. A single ministerial statement on 9 July packaged together new cladding funding for buildings below 11 metres, the long-awaited single construction regulator response, and further proportionality reforms. The Building Safety Levy timetable solidified, and Parliament received Awaab’s Law Phase 2. For those with resident-facing responsibilities, the communications implications this month are as significant as the legal ones.
Regulatory update
Written Ministerial Statement HCWS209 (9 July) was the centrepiece of the month. It confirmed targeted funding to remediate unsafe cladding on multi-occupancy residential buildings under 11 metres in England, filling a significant gap in the existing regime. The scheme is administered by Homes England as an extension of the Cladding Safety Scheme, with applications for the highest-risk buildings opening in August. Alongside this, the government published its response to the single construction regulator consultation, confirming that primary legislation is coming, with the BSR as the foundation for the new body.
Building Safety Levy amending regulations were laid on 2 July, clarifying the previously developed land (PDL) discount ahead of the 1 October launch. Hardstanding such as car parks and industrial yards may now qualify for the 50% PDL rate; wholly underground structures are excluded. Developers should review their pipelines and PDL evidence now.
Awaab’s Law Phase 2 regulations were laid before Parliament on 14 July, extending the law from damp and mould to seven HHSRS hazards, in force from 30 November 2026. The Approved Document B consultation also closed on 1 July, marking the most significant review of fire safety guidance since 2019; a revised document is expected in 2027.
Enforcement and decisions
BSR improvement notice for NHBC and revised approach to BACs
On 15 July the BSR issued an improvement notice to NHBC Building Control Services, the UK’s largest registered building control approver, for failing to properly record evidence and document all items inspected in its site inspection reports. It is a significant moment: the BSR is now actively scrutinising the quality of registered building control approver oversight, not just gateway applications.
HCWS209 also confirmed the revised approach to building assessment certificates (BACs): a proportionate, risk-based model with simplified criteria, fast-track reassessment for previously refused applications, and dedicated support for resident-managed buildings, all expected from September 2026. Two-thirds of BAC applications have been refused this year; the new approach aims to reduce unnecessary burden without changing core legal duties.
In practice
For social landlords, Awaab’s Law Phase 2 demands resident-facing action before 30 November, not just process updates. Repair and complaints procedures mean little if residents do not know they have changed. Communications to residents including letters, portal and website updates, newsletters and briefings, should clearly reflect the seven new hazard categories and what residents can now expect by way of response timescales.
The sub-11m cladding funding is a significant community engagement moment. Residents in these buildings have often been told for years that their building falls outside the programme. Proactive communications ahead of the August application window, setting out eligibility and realistic timelines, will matter as much as the application itself.
The NHBC improvement notice and the high BAC refusal rate both carry communications risk. Organisations should consider whether residents and leaseholders need proactive reassurance, and whether existing communications adequately reflect building safety progress rather than just managing the regulatory process internally. For developers, the Levy and second staircases deadlines at the end of September also warrant early stakeholder communications on any schemes in the pipeline.
One to watch
Two landmark requirements fall within 24 hours of each other at the end of September: the second staircases requirement for new residential buildings above 18 metres (applications from 30 September) and the Building Safety Levy (in force 1 October). Both will reshape project economics and delivery timelines. For anyone with schemes in the pipeline, the window to review, reprice, and replan is now shorter than it may appear.
As ever, if any of this raises questions about how you communicate with stakeholders in your projects or portfolio, please do get in touch.
The Keeble Brown team
Disclaimer: This newsletter is produced for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal or business advice. Whilst we take care to ensure accuracy, the building safety regulatory landscape changes rapidly and readers should not act on the contents of this newsletter without taking specific legal or professional advice appropriate to their circumstances. Keeble Brown accepts no liability for any loss arising from reliance on the information contained herein. If you would like to discuss any of the issues raised, please contact us directly.
