The Building Safety Regulator has launched a free digital toolkit for accountable persons and principal accountable persons responsible for managing fire and structural safety in high-rise residential buildings across England. The resource brings together guidance on safety case reports, Building Assessment Certificates, resident engagement, remediation, training for resident-managed buildings and the continuing duties placed on building owners and managers under the Building Safety Act.
BSR's launch material says the toolkit is aimed at more than 4,000 principal accountable persons overseeing more than 13,000 high-rise residential buildings in England. The regulator's public toolkit page currently refers to those legally responsible for more than 12,000 buildings. The distinction matters because this is primarily an occupied-building management resource. It is not a replacement for Gateway 2 building control approval, change control or completion certification for construction work on higher-risk buildings.
What the BSR Toolkit Covers
The managing building safety toolkit has been set up as a central point for guidance that was previously spread across different parts of the building safety regime. Resources include information on preparing a building's Safety Case Report, engaging with residents, remediation of existing buildings, guidance for occupied high-rises and BSR's approach to future Building Assessment Certificates.
There is also specific material for Resident Management Companies, Right to Manage companies and commonhold associations, including free BSR and LEASE training aimed at directors of resident-managed buildings. BSR says that element of the programme is intended to support more than 2,000 resident directors. Other material covers transfer slabs, resident communications and the regulator's Your Home, Your Safety campaign. BSR plans to add further webinars, guidance and supporting material as the regime develops.
Accountability Stays With the AP and PAP
For construction and property professionals, one of the important points remains the legal position of the accountable person. An accountable person is an organisation or individual that owns, or has a legal obligation to repair, the common parts of a higher-risk residential building. Where there is more than one accountable person, one must be identified as the principal accountable person.
Government guidance makes clear that APs and PAPs can appoint managing agents, consultants and other organisations to carry out work on their behalf, but they cannot transfer the underlying legal accountability for the building. Their duties include assessing and managing structural and fire safety risks, maintaining prescribed building information, operating resident engagement arrangements and reporting relevant safety occurrences to BSR. For the PAP, the role also includes ensuring the building is registered and dealing with the Building Assessment Certificate process where required.
High-rise residential building in London. Photo: London Construction Magazine
Why the Toolkit Matters During Remediation and Building Work
The toolkit is relevant beyond property management teams because occupied higher-risk buildings frequently require façade remediation, structural repairs, MEP replacement, fire-safety upgrades and other construction work while residents remain in occupation. Those projects can place new demands on the building's existing safety arrangements. Temporary conditions, changes to compartmentation, structural interventions, resident access and the management of construction information can all affect how building safety risks are controlled.
The PAP therefore remains a central client-side duty holder even where specialist consultants, managing agents and contractors carry out much of the technical work. The new resource also includes material on transfer slabs, an area with direct structural relevance. Transfer structures can redistribute loads between differently arranged structural grids and may require particular attention where defects, alterations or remediation affect the load path.
BSR said the toolkit will be updated regularly as new guidance is issued. It follows the regulator's move towards a more proportionate and targeted approach to future higher-risk building assessments, including additional support for resident-led principal accountable persons.
Occupied-Building Duties and Gateway Approval Are Separate
For project teams, the launch is also a reminder that the Building Safety Act now operates across different stages of a building's life. AP and PAP duties concern the management of building safety risks in occupied higher-risk residential buildings. Separately, the Building Safety Regulator acts as the building control authority for higher-risk building work in England.
Where proposed works require BSR building control approval, the availability of guidance within the new toolkit does not itself constitute approval to proceed. Project-specific building control, change control and completion requirements remain separate statutory processes. BSR says further resources will be added to the toolkit over the coming months, including webinars and links to new guidance for PAPs and residents.
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