Building Safety Bill: Commons 2nd Reading

The Building Safety Bill will be in the news over the next few months as it proceeds through Parliament. The Government says the Bill is intended to implement the recommendations of Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, commissioned in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire. The extent to which it does that, and the extent to which it will help building owners and leaseholders who need to improve building fire safety, is highly controversial.

Barristers at 4 Pump Court are involved in the Grenfell Inquiry. We are involved in many pieces of litigation about fire safety which have arisen from inspections carried out in the aftermath of that disaster. We specialise in construction disputes and in particular claims by and against developers, contractors, architects, engineers (including fire engineers) and sub-contractors of all sorts – including cladding and façade designers and installers. We understand the issues that arise in relation to pursuing such claims, including limitation, insolvent defendants, insurance claims, and seeking to act for leaseholders.

As the Bill passes through Parliament we will blog about relevant legal issues. The Bill is concerned with fire safety but it is not limited to that. It seeks to enact major changes to the law on limitation, the regulation of safe building and how the construction industry is managed. The passage of the Bill, and the way in which it is finally enacted, will be of interest to all involved with the construction industry: developers, contractors, subcontractors, professionals, solicitors, insurers and claims consultants. Do bookmark this page, follow us on Linkedin, and stay in touch for the latest news on this important Bill.