Building Safety Programme
Following the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower, the government has passed new laws - the Fire Safety Act (2021) and the Building Safety Act (2022).
We are responding to these new laws through our Building Safety Programme.
The programme looks at our own residential buildings, but it also looks at those from other landlords, such as those within the private sector.
The programme brings together teams from across the council and it helps us to work with our external partners. These partners include London Fire Brigade, the Health and Safety Executive, and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Priority Surveying Programme
As part of the council’s response to the new legislation, the Priority Surveying Programme will be used to survey the Council’s High-Rise blocks. These are the blocks within the scope of the Building Safety Act (2022) and they are a high priority for the Fire Safety Act (2021) too. Find out more about the Building Safety Act (2022).
The surveys being undertaken are as follows:
- Type 4 Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs)
- External Wall Surveys (EWS)
- Structural Surveys
- Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR)
We will write directly to residents 14 days before surveys are due to begin at their block.
Private sector
For the private sector, the council needs to gather data about the external walls of residential buildings with a height of 18 metres and above.
If you're an owner or appointed property manager and we've written to you to complete a survey, please fill in the survey using the online link provided in our communications to you.
If you have any questions regarding the survey, or you're a property owner and believe you should fill in this survey and have not been contacted, email buildingsafety@southwark.gov.uk.
We will work with building owners to help them to understand the actions they need to take to keep their residents safe. This may include undertaking works to the building. Where work is needed, the cost of it may be covered by the Building Safety Fund and other government schemes.
Where a building owner is not taking the appropriate actions to keep their residents safe, the council will look to use its powers under the Housing Act. These powers allow us to serve legal notices on building owners, which require them to complete the necessary works to the building. We work with the London Fire Brigade on this.
If you have any questions about our work on the private sector or about a specific building, email buildingsafety@southwark.gov.uk.
Page last updated: 19 April 2023
