Building Safety Certificates: Progress, But Far From the Finish Line

I recently saw my first Building Assessment Certificate (BAC) issued by the BSR. Given the number of buildings I’ve assessed over the past couple of years, and the many conversations I’ve had around safety cases and supporting documentation I was naturally curious to see what a certified safety case looked like.

To be honest, I was surprised by what I found.

The report that accompanied the certificate was, in my view, nowhere near the level of completeness or clarity I’ve seen in many safety case reports that have prompted the BSR to request additional investigations, further documentation, or clarification.

In fact, the majority of safety cases I’ve seen submitted have triggered follow-up requests of some kind. That’s fair enough, it's a new and evolving regime, and the BSR is rightly trying to raise standards. But it was notable that this particular case had been certified, despite being weaker than others still caught in regulatory limbo.

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Certification V’s Assurance

As someone who regularly advises on technical due diligence, I had hoped the introduction of certificates would eventually provide a clear reference point, something binary to help simplify risk assessment: “This building has a safety certificate, therefore it’s compliant and safe.”

Unfortunately, this experience has shown me that it’s not that simple.

Reading this safety case, I came away concerned that when the BSR revisits it, as they are expected to do periodically, it’s likely that further evidence will be required to bring it in line with expectations. That might not involve physical works, but it could still be disruptive, especially in the context of transactions.

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A Live Process, Not a Tick-Box

A BAC isn’t the end of the road, it’s the start of a new cycle of responsibility. Safety case reports must be reviewed regularly and updated whenever risks or mitigation measures change. And the BSR can, (and likely will) come back for another look.

From a transaction or advisory perspective, this creates challenges. Just because a building has a certificate doesn’t mean the job is done, or the risks are resolved. The system we hoped would bring clarity is still, in many cases, adding uncertainty, and doing so very slowly.

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My Takeaway

A well-developed, detailed safety case should be a positive. But when certificates are issued based on reports that don’t meet that bar, it risks undermining confidence in the system. For anyone involved in real estate investment or due diligence, the lesson is clear:

Don’t assume a BAC is a shortcut to certainty. It’s a signpost, but not a destination.