Building safety regime assumptions have ‘not survived first contact with reality’, BSR admits

Social landlord lawyers have said the sign-off delays are “causing real problems”. Mr Galloway said it has been a “challenging six to 12 months” for the BSR for two reasons. 

He said that “our assumptions and modelling”, some of which was “tested and very long-standing”, have “not survived first contact with reality”. 

“There have been different building control applications and different numbers to those we expected, that has affected the resources that we have and how we’ve worked. 

“And there have also been more demands upon us from external sources than I think we anticipated. External stakeholders of all varieties have asked us questions, expected us to have done things, thought about things, and we have been running around setting the thing up.”

He said the BSR will turn its attention to those things once able. “Disappointing those expectations… affects trust, so we are having to rebuild that trust and that patience,” Mr Galloway said. 

He also warned that some in the industry, including the social housing sector, are “starting to focus on the process rather than the outcomes to be achieved”.

Mr Galloway said: “We are asked, ‘How do you want us to complete this building control application?’ 

“That worries me, because to me, the question that ought to be asked is, ‘Have I assured myself that the design I’m submitting to the Building Safety Regulator on this high-risk building will meet the functional requirements of the building regulations?’”

He added: “Together we will learn how to make that process more efficient, believe me, but right now I’d be asking you to focus on getting the outcomes right.

“Because if we look back to Grenfell, there was not a focus on outcomes and we’ve seen how that turned out.”

He also urged the sector to read and learn from the second and final Grenfell Tower Inquiry report.