The UK Government has announced new measures to accelerate the remediation of unsafe residential buildings and extend financial protections for leaseholders facing potentially substantial building safety bills.
The announcements accompany the Building Safety (Remediation of Unsafe Cladding etc) Bill, introduced to UK Parliament on 14 October 2026. The legislation aims to ensure that unsafe cladding and other serious fire-safety defects are addressed more quickly, those responsible are held accountable, and residents are not left living in unsafe homes while remediation is delayed.
The reforms follow the Grenfell Tower fire of June 2017, which killed 72 people and exposed serious failings in building safety, regulation and accountability. Nine years on, the UK Government says further action is needed to identify buildings with unsafe cladding, accelerate remediation and give residents greater confidence in the safety of their homes.
What will the Remediation Bill do?
In simple terms, the Bill is designed to make it clearer who must fix unsafe buildings, strengthen the consequences for failing to act and provide a route to remediation where the organisations responsible do not take action.
Key proposals include:
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A legal duty to assess and remediate: Those responsible for eligible multi-occupied residential buildings in England, over 11 metres high or with at least five storeys and completed before 28 June 2022, would be required to assess relevant fire-safety risks and carry out necessary remediation.
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Stronger enforcement: Regulators would have enhanced powers to pursue those who fail to meet their obligations, including criminal penalties and financial penalties of up to £500,000 in specified circumstances.
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A remediation backstop: Where responsible parties persistently fail to act, public authorities such as Homes England or local authorities would have a route to intervene and arrange necessary remediation.
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Greater consistency and transparency: A register of residential buildings between 11 and 18 metres in England is proposed, alongside standardised fire-risk assessments of external walls and independent auditing of assessments.
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Greater accountability for manufacturers: The Bill would make it easier for developers and other parties that have paid for remediation to pursue construction product manufacturers where unsafe products contributed to building safety problems.
The UK Government expects the legislation to help accelerate remediation for around 12,000 residents, including approximately 3,000 whose buildings could benefit from the proposed remediation backstop.
New funding and protections for leaseholders
In a further announcement on 27 October, the Government set out proposals to extend financial protection to more leaseholders who risk facing high bills for historic building and fire-safety defects.
The measures include new funding to help remediate high-risk, high-cost internal fire-safety defects in collectively owned and enfranchised buildings. These properties can fall outside existing leaseholder protections because there is no separate freeholder.
The UK Government also intends to address gaps affecting people who bought their homes after the original leaseholder protections were established, where a previous owner's circumstances mean they remain exposed to certain costs. In addition, it plans to extend protections for some owners of multiple properties by increasing the relevant threshold from three to six properties.
The announcement also includes plans for construction product manufacturers connected to historic unsafe cladding and insulation products to contribute towards the costs of putting affected buildings right.
Further details of eligibility, funding and how the manufacturer contribution scheme will operate are still to be confirmed. The proposals should therefore not be interpreted as meaning that all leaseholders are automatically protected from every building safety cost.
The UK Government has previously committed £5.15 billion towards remediation in England, while developers signed up to the Developer Remediation Contract are expected to meet an estimated £4.2 billion in remediation costs.
Implications for building professionals
The Bill has significant implications for those involved in the assessment, design, refurbishment, remediation and ongoing management of residential buildings.
Consistent, evidence-based fire-risk assessments will be central to determining what work is required. The proposed requirement to use the PAS 9980 methodology for fire-risk appraisals of external walls, alongside independent auditing, reinforces the importance of appropriate technical competence and robust professional judgement.
Remediation also needs to be considered as part of a whole-building approach. External wall systems, compartmentation, smoke control, fire detection and alarm systems, ventilation and other building services can all be relevant to building safety. Coordination between disciplines, appropriate documentation and competent installation and commissioning are essential to delivering effective outcomes.
For CIBSE members, the proposals underline the continuing importance of building safety competence and the need to apply lessons from Grenfell across the building lifecycle, from design and construction through to refurbishment and operation.
The Bill is still progressing through Parliament, and further detail will follow as the legislation develops. CIBSE will continue to monitor developments relevant to building services professionals.
Further information