Regulator of Social Housing points to progress in fire safety remediation

The Fire Safety Remediation Survey opened to all landlords on 23 August and closed on 15 September, with data reported on 31 August. All social landlords (including housing associations and local authorities) were asked to submit aggregate level data for assessment to both the Regulator of Social Housing and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

The results outlined in the report are as follows:

*Fire risk assessments have been undertaken on 98% of all buildings reported

*The majority of social housing landlords have plans in place to address life-critical fire safety defects identified across the relevant buildings

*Remediation work is completed – or otherwise due to be completed in the next five years – for 71% of 11-to-18 metre buildings and 84% of 18 metre-plus buildings assessed as having an external wall system-related LCFS defect (LCFS is defined as defects, shrinkages, faults or other failings in a building that give rise to fire safety risks identified by a fire risk appraisal of external wall constructions or a fire risk assessment – or equivalent – procedure carried out to industry standards)

The report highlights the responsibility of Boards and councillors to understand landlords’ legal obligations in relation to managing the safety of buildings, seek assurance that they are being met and address identified issues promptly.

The Regulator of Social Housing is now following up with providers whose returns indicated that they may be an outlier on their progress in assessing or remediating the buildings for which they are responsible.

Commenting on the report’s contents, Will Perry (director of strategy at the Regulator of Social Housing) observed: “Landlords must understand their buildings, manage them safely and take timely action to remediate fire and other safety-related defects such that their tenants are safe and can feel safe in their homes. We will continue to engage with social housing providers in order to ensure that this issue remains a high priority.”

*Read ‘Fire Safety Remediation in Social Housing in England’ online