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ARTICLE · 07 AUGUST 2023

Building Safety: Changes To Fire Safety Responsibilities Under Section 156

Gowling WLG
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Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) will come into force in England on 1 October 2023.[1] It amends the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005...

United KingdomReal Estate and Construction
Sue Ryan
Sue Ryan
Gemma Whittaker
Gemma Whittaker
Sean Garbutt
Sean Garbutt
Emma Knight
Emma Knight
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Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) will come into force in England on 1 October 2023.1 It amends the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (the Fire Safety Order) by adding to the existing duties of Responsible Persons under the Order.

In its recent response to a consultation on the BSA's changes to fire safety duties, the Welsh Government has also indicated its intention to bring section 156 into force in Wales on 1 October 2023, in line with the commencement date in England.

We consider below the background to section 156 of the BSA and the changes to the Fire Safety Order, as well as describing each of the changes being made and the rationale behind them.

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