The article explains that the Building Safety Levy has now come into force in England and will apply to certain residential developments, with the aim of helping fund remediation of unsafe buildings. It argues that although developers are the direct payers, the cost is likely to be passed through the supply chain via tighter pricing, greater risk transfer and increased pressure on project viability.
A Labour MP has warned that proposed cladding legislation could shift remediation liabilities onto main contractors if costs are not recoverable from specialist subcontractors and suppliers. The concern is that this could create financial strain and potentially trigger contractor failures while building safety remediation remains unresolved.
Government figures show that nearly half of residential buildings with life-critical fire-safety defects covered by the developer remediation contract had not yet started repairs by 30 September 2026. Of the 2,682 affected buildings, work had not begun on 1,266, indicating continued delays in progressing remediation.
The article examines the expanding use of building liability orders (BLOs) under the Building Safety Act 2022, which can extend liability for building safety defects beyond the directly responsible company to associated entities. Recent Technology and Construction Court decisions suggest the courts are taking a purposive approach, with the scope of BLOs likely to continue developing through further cases and appeals.
Bury Market has secured a £10m government funding commitment, which could enable the reopening of its indoor market hall after it was closed in October 2023 because of RAAC concerns in the roof. The council says it will now consider options for the building’s future use as part of wider town centre regeneration plans.
A company responsible for Solihull Heights has been fined £240,000 after failing to comply with a Birmingham City Council Improvement Notice requiring fire detection upgrades across three tower blocks. The council says the case is intended as a warning to landlords and notes that 26 other developments in the city are currently subject to enforcement action.
The Budget includes several housing and development measures, notably no further building regulation changes in this Parliament except on safety, additional funding for social and affordable housing, and the launch of the Your First Homes scheme. It also sets out changes to business rates, devolution, procurement, and infrastructure funding, alongside a new covenant approach for data centres and support for energy and science investment.
The government has said it will avoid major changes to Building Regulations for the rest of this Parliament, aside from changes needed to improve building safety. The announcement, made by chancellor John Healey in the Budget, is intended to provide housebuilders with greater certainty over the regulatory framework.
The article examines how the Remediation of Unsafe Cladding Bill could reshape liability and enforcement in the remediation of unsafe residential buildings. It argues that the bill may increase pressure on contractors, expand potential exposure up the supply chain, and accelerate remediation by strengthening regulators’ powers, while noting that delays in the Building Safety Regulator’s approval process remain a constraint.
The administration period for Merit Group Services Ltd and Merit Health Ltd has been extended by 12 months to 17 November 2027, with a similar extension expected for Merit Holdings Ltd. The update follows the collapse of the Northumberland-based modular construction specialist, which owed creditors £31m and left several projects in difficulty.
The government has set out proposals to expand financial protections for leaseholders facing building and fire safety remediation costs, including widening eligibility from owners of up to three properties to six. The measures also aim to recover remediation costs from cladding manufacturers and strengthen enforcement against those responsible for unsafe buildings.
Residents in three blocks at the Royal Gateway development in Canning Town, London, were evacuated after serious structural problems were identified in buildings completed less than a decade ago. The issue is understood to relate to cracked transfer slabs, raising concerns about the integrity of relatively new residential construction.
