Building safety: building assessment certificates - more buildings to be assessed

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has announced that it will be directing more Principal Accountable Persons (PAPs) to apply for a building assessment certificate (BAC) — a key part of the post-Grenfell building safety regime under the Building Safety Act 2022.

In 2024–25, over 1,400 PAPs were directed to apply for a BAC. The first certificate was issued in January 2025. 

Who’s next?

The next wave of buildings to be called in for Building Assessment Certificates (BACs), like the first wave,  are not just any buildings — they must meet the legal definition of a higher-risk building (HRB) under the Building Safety Act 2022. This means they must be:

• At least 18 metres high; or
• Have 7 or more storeys with 2 or more residential units

Only buildings that meet this definition and one or more of the following criteria are likely to be directed to apply next:

• 50+ metres high with more than 11 residential units
• 30 to 49.99 metres high with more than 11 residential units
• 18 to 29.99 metres high with more than 378 residential units
• Clad with combustible aluminium composite material
• Constructed with large panel systems between 1956 and 1973 with a gas supply, and it is unclear whether structural reinforcement has been carried out

The new addition to this list (over and above the original list) is those buildings that are 18 to 29.99 metres high with more than 378 residential units.

What Does This Mean for PAPs?

If you are a PAP, you cannot self-nominate — you must wait to be directed. Once directed, you’ll have 28 days to apply via the online government portal. Failing to apply without a reasonable excuse is an offence.

Importantly, the BAC is not a guarantee of safety — it’s a snapshot of compliance at the time of assessment. Legal duties under the Building Safety Act remain ongoing.