New guidance for preparing a building assessment certificate application

The Building Safety Regulator has released guidance detailing the information that principal accountable persons (PAP) must submit when applying for a building assessment certificate (BAC).

PAPs are required to apply for a BAC after a building is registered, or when the building’s current BAC needs to be reassessed (see below). 

Do I need to apply for a BAC?

The PAP does not need to apply pre-emptively for a building assessment certificate, and will be directed by the BSR to do so – after which they will have 28 days to provide the supporting information outlined above.

The BSR will tell you if you need to apply for a BAC if the building is:

• over 30 metres to 49.99 metres high with more than 217 residential units
• over 50 metres high with more than 11 residential units
• clad with combustible aluminium composite material
• large panel systems built between 1957 and 1973 with a gas supply, and it is unclear if reinforcement work has been carried out.

What does the BSR assess?

To apply for a BAC, you’ll need to:

• confirm the information the BSR holds is up to date
• upload your safety case report
• upload information about your mandatory occurrence reporting system
• upload your resident engagement strategy
• provide serial numbers of any compliance notices issued by BSR that are currently in force
• confirm that you, and any other accountable persons for the building, are providing building information to relevant individuals and organisations.

When does my building need to be reassessed?

The BSR will aim to reassess a building’s BAC every five years. For some buildings this may be sooner if significant changes have been made to the building; issues have been identified with the management of building safety risks; there has been an incident that highlights problems with the management of building safety risks; or work has been done to improve the building’s safety and the BSR needs to check that it has been completed.

What are the timeframes?

When the BSR tells you to apply for a BAC, you have 28 calendar days to submit your application. Failure to meet this deadline may result in enforcement action (see below).

How can I ensure my application is accepted?

The BSR will provide you with a BAC when it is satisfied you’re meeting the legal duties of a PAP under Part 4 of the Building Safety Act.

If your application is accepted, you must display the BAC in a prominent place in the building where residents can easily see it, such as a shared lobby.

What if my application is refused?

The BSR will refuse a BAC application when it is not satisfied you’re meeting the legal duties of a PAP under Part 4 of the Act. If there are issues with your application that can be fixed promptly, the BSR may give you the opportunity to fix the issues – it will inform you what you need to fix and provide a deadline. If the issues are fixed my this deadline, the BSR will provide you with a BAC. If you do not fix the issues by the deadline, the BSR will refuse your BAC application and it may take enforcement action. Find out more about the enforcement action the BSR can take here.