More Than a Flat – A Home:
Susan explores how evolving legislation, professional accountability, and everyday resident actions are shaping a safer future for those living in multi-occupancy buildings.
For most residents, a block of flats is more than a place to live, it’s a home, a refuge, and a community. Yet behind the closed doors of every communal corridor and riser cupboard lies a more complex reality: managing that environment safely is an ongoing responsibility that demands expertise, vigilance, and above all, humanity.
Health and safety, and its inseparable counterpart, fire safety, are not just regulatory tick-boxes. They are the foundation of trust in shared buildings. That trust relies on competent professionals, robust legislation, and engaged residents.
As a flat owner myself, I live and breathe the safety challenges that come with multi-residential environments. I’ve seen first-hand the issues: poor compartmentation, misfitted or propped-open fire doors, outdated emergency plans, and the unnerving uncertainty residents can feel during a fire alarm. Yet rather than fear, I feel confidence, because the industry is evolving, and the law is strengthening.
Legislation Leading the Way
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, introduced under the Building Safety Act 2022, marked a significant shift in residential building safety. For the first time, legal duties were placed directly on the Responsible Person to carry out regular checks on fire doors (both in communal areas and flat entrances), provide residents with clear fire safety instructions, and ensure essential building information is readily available to the Fire and Rescue Service.
This applies particularly to buildings over 11 metres and 18 metres in height, a clear recognition of the greater risks associated with vertical living.
In parallel, the Building Regulations, shaped by the Building a Safer Future framework, enforce stringent standards around structural integrity, fire resistance, and means of escape. Together, these reforms are redefining accountability in building safety, ensuring that the systems, structures, and safeguards in place truly serve those who live within them.
The CDM Connection
Under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, the Principal Designer is responsible for planning, managing, and monitoring health and safety in the pre-construction phase. In residential projects, whether new builds, refurbishments, or cladding remediation schemes, this role intersects strongly with building safety goals.
It’s about embedding safety from day one, thinking about access for the Fire and Rescue Service, the position of dry risers, the logic of fire-stopping, and how residents will live in and interact with the building once it’s complete. As someone who operates at that intersection of health, safety, design, and occupation, I believe we must never forget that behind every design decision is a human life.
A New Layer of Support – BR Principal Designer
In addition to the duties set out under CDM, the Building Safety Act introduced a distinct appointment: the Principal Designer under the Building Regulations (BR-PD). This role focuses specifically on ensuring that a building’s design complies with the technical requirements of the Building Regulations, with particular emphasis on structural safety and fire performance.
While the CDM Principal Designer oversees health and safety risks arising from design throughout the project lifecycle, including construction, use, maintenance, and future alteration, the BR-PD is responsible for ensuring that the final design complies with building regulations. Their role strengthens regulatory oversight during the design process, particularly for higher-risk buildings over 18 metres.
A Legacy Born from Tragedy
The changes we are seeing, from the Building Safety Act to redefined duty-holder roles, are not abstract. They are a direct response to tragedy. The legacy of Grenfell must be one of learning, accountability, and compassion. Our professional response must go beyond compliance: it must be driven by care for the lives affected by the spaces we create and maintain.
The Resident’s Role: Simple Actions, Big Impact
While legislation and professional oversight provide the framework, residents also play a vital part in fire safety. A few consistent actions can make a significant difference:
- Never tamper with fire doors – These are vital for containing smoke and fire. They must not be propped open or altered.
- Report defects promptly – Faulty fire doors, alarms, or lighting should be reported immediately to the managing agent or responsible party.
- Understand the fire strategy – Know whether your building operates a ‘stay put’ or full evacuation approach, and act accordingly.
- Check your flat entrance door – It should be fire-rated, self-closing, and well maintained.
- Test alarms regularly – Smoke, heat, and carbon monoxide alarms inside your flat should be tested in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions or as advised by your building’s fire safety guidance.
- Store items safely – Flammable materials should never be kept on balconies or in communal areas.
- Raise concerns responsibly – If you notice unsafe practices or conditions, report them. A proactive approach helps protect everyone.
In Summary
Safety in flats is not the sole responsibility of fire engineers or managing agents. It is a shared duty, built on robust legislation, delivered through professional competence, and supported by engaged and informed residents. While challenges remain, the system is evolving into one that not only safeguards but empowers those who live in these buildings.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not just a flat- it’s where life happens.
