The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has found that 74% of high-rise residential buildings assessed so far have failed to meet the standards required for a Building Assessment Certificate (BAC).
The BAC is a key part of the new building safety framework. It requires building owners and accountable persons to prove that fire and structural safety risks are being effectively managed, and that residents are being kept properly informed and engaged.
What’s Behind the High Failure Rate?
These early results expose a sector-wide challenge. In many cases, building owners are either unprepared or unaware of what full compliance entails. The BSR expects more than paperwork, it looks for clear evidence of:
- A shift in safety culture
- Strong safety management systems
- Open and ongoing communication with residents
“These figures show the scale of the task ahead for building owners and managers,” said Dr. Shaun Lundy, Chief Strategy Officer at Tetra.
“The BAC is not just a box-ticking exercise; it’s about creating a safer environment for residents and demonstrating that safety is at the heart of how a building is run. Organisations need to treat this as an opportunity to raise standards and build trust, not as a burden.”
What You Can Do Now
With the majority of buildings currently falling short, early preparation is key. Based on our work with clients—including those who have already secured a BAC—here are three essential steps:
1. Check the strength of your evidence, not just the presence of it
Many dutyholders are submitting documentation assuming it “shows” compliance—but the BSR is asking how you know your systems work. Evidence needs to demonstrate effectiveness, not just existence.
Start asking proof-based questions internally.
- Are your inspections actually reducing risk?
- Is your resident engagement two-way and measurable?
2. Think about more than fire risk
Many failures are not just about paperwork—they reflect gaps in addressing structural risks as well as fire safety.
The BSR has already highlighted that some submissions have failed to address structural failure altogether. Others have assumed that a fire risk assessment under the Fire Safety Order would be enough.
In reality, you need to demonstrate how both fire and structural risks are being identified, managed, and controlled.
3. Don’t wait for the final checklist, use early submissions to reverse-engineer success
Most failures so far aren’t due to bad intent—they’re due to misunderstanding the bar. But the BSR is dropping clues. Analyse the regulator’s feedback, and work backwards.
- What did the successful submissions do differently?
- How are they structured?
- Who signed off? Don’t wait for clarity—go and find it.
Regulator expectations are starting to become clearer, but with refusal rates this high, specialist expertise is essential.
At Tetra, our directly employed consultants and evidence-led approach have already helped clients like Urban Bubble secure certification—proving that raising standards is possible.