Building Safety Bill to be introduced in Wales before summer recess 2025

Councils will work with fire and rescue authorities, which are still responsible for regulating several fire safety measures in the bill.

“I want to ensure the new regime empowers residents by placing their lived experience, safety and well-being at its heart,” said Ms Bryant.

“The regime will set out clear requirements to support residents with enhanced rights and a stronger voice in matters that affect their homes.”

The housing minister also gave an update on the progress of building safety remediation work in Wales, with figures the same as those given in an update earlier this year.

At the beginning of last month, work had been completed on 16% of properties under the Building Safety Programme – totalling 64 social housing buildings and three in the private sector.

There are currently 407 buildings in the Welsh Building Safety Programme, of which 238 are of a private tenure and 169 are social housing.

The government said work had started on 103 buildings, plans were in development for a further 151 and seven buildings did not require any fire safety remediation.

Work is under way to identify remediation needs on the other 79 buildings.

The Welsh government said it has commissioned independent research to engage with residents from both the social and private sectors who live in multi-occupied residential buildings. 

Earlier this week, Ms Bryant named Lee Waters as the new head of an affordable housing taskforce that will aim to find ways of providing more homes for social rent.

The Welsh social housing sector is also grappling with a landmark judgement from the High Court in Cardiff, which ruled that Welsh tenants who do not receive safety reports are entitled to withhold their rent.