Three years on from the Grenfell Tower Fire and the Hackitt Building a Safer Future report, new laws have been passed.
The Fire Safety Act 2021 has been passed, and a Building Safety Bill is being considered by parliament to clarify building safety standards and requirements.
Guidance for those buying flats is constantly changing, and the impact of these changes on parts of the residential property market is significant.
Even if the flat you’re buying is not affected, you may be part of a chain of linked transactions with someone involved as they are required to obtain an EWS1 fire safety certificate, causing difficulties and delays across the whole chain.
New government guidance
The government has provided guidance to help you understand the risks of buying a flat, touching on some key areas of concern as follows:
- Is the flat a safe place to live?
- How much you might have to contribute to the costs of building works to make your flat safe?
- How straightforward may it be to sell?
- What is the nature of any fire safety work or other building safety work that needs to be carried out?
- How might such works affect your use of the flat (for example, if you want to work from home)?
To explore the new guidance, please click the following link: ‘building safety for flat buyers‘.
Residential Property Solicitors
At Jackson Longe Solicitors, we have expert property solicitors on hand to assist you as a landlord or tenant.
Please get in touch with us today on 0208 332 2069 to book a consultation with one of our property lawyers. Alternatively, email info@jacksonlonge.co.uk or click here to fill in our contact form.