Building Safety Act: 2026 Compliance Update
What's changing in 2026 under the Building Safety Act 2022 and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 — and what flat owners, leaseholders, freeholders and managing agents must evidence this year.
2026 enforcement is live
The Building Safety Regulator is now auditing safety case reports for 18m+ buildings and issuing improvement notices where flat entrance door evidence is missing or out of date. Mid-rise blocks (11–18m) are next in scope.
What the Act requires
The Building Safety Act 2022 created the Building Safety Regulator, the Principal Accountable Person duty, and mandatory safety case reports for higher-risk buildings. Flat entrance fire doors sit at the centre of compartmentation evidence.
2026 timeline
- Q1 2026 — BSR safety case audits accelerate for HRBs
- Q2 2026 — Mid-rise (11–18m) enforcement focus widens
- Ongoing — Annual flat entrance door inspections required
- Ongoing — Quarterly common-parts fire door checks (18m+)
Evidence you must hold
Third-party-verified FD30S inspection records, photographic evidence per door, gap and seal measurements, and a written Regulation 10 compliance statement. Internal-only logs are no longer accepted by the BSR or most block insurers.
Penalties in 2026
Unlimited fines under the Fire Safety Order, BSR civil penalties for HRBs, and growing risk of block insurance non-renewal where door certification is missing.
Key 2026 changes for fire doors
- BSR now actively requesting flat entrance door inspection records during HRB audits
- Managing agents required to demonstrate a documented annual inspection programme
- Insurers increasingly refusing block renewals without third-party FD30S evidence
- Leaseholder sales packs (LPE1 / FI3) routinely include fire door certificate requests
- Enforcement attention extending from 18m+ HRBs down into 11–18m mid-rise blocks
Frequently asked questions
What is the Building Safety Act and what changes in 2026?
The Building Safety Act 2022 is the primary post-Grenfell legislation governing fire safety in higher-risk buildings (HRBs) in England. The 2026 compliance cycle brings the next phase of enforcement: the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) is now actively auditing safety case reports for 18m+ buildings, and Principal Accountable Persons must evidence ongoing flat entrance door inspections under Regulation 10 of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022.
Which buildings are affected in 2026?
Higher-risk buildings (18m or 7+ storeys with 2+ residential units) fall under the BSR's direct oversight. Buildings 11m–18m must inspect flat entrance doors annually and common-parts fire doors quarterly. From 2026 enforcement focus has widened to mid-rise blocks and managing agents who cannot evidence a documented inspection trail.
What are the 2026 penalties for non-compliance?
Unlimited fines and up to 2 years' imprisonment for the Responsible Person under the Fire Safety Order, plus civil penalties from the BSR for HRBs. Insurers are increasingly refusing to renew block policies without third-party fire door certification.
How does an R-10 certificate help in 2026?
Every R-10 certificate is structured to satisfy the Building Safety Act evidence test: third-party-verified FD30S inspection, photographic evidence pack, gap measurements, and a one-page compliance statement aligned with Regulation 10. From £25 per door, accepted by managing agents, freeholders, conveyancers and insurers.
Get 2026-ready in 48 hours
Third-party-verified flat entrance door certificates aligned with the Building Safety Act and Regulation 10 — from £25 per door.
Get your certificate →Sources and further reading
The guidance on this page is based on the following primary sources. We link directly to the legislation and official guidance so you can verify every requirement yourself.
- 1.Building Safety Act 2022
legislation.gov.uk — The primary post-Grenfell legislation creating the higher-risk building regime and the Accountable Person duties.
- 2.Building Safety Act 2022, section 156 — amendments to fire safety order
legislation.gov.uk — The section that strengthened record-keeping and cooperation duties for Responsible Persons.
- 3.Building Safety Regulator
GOV.UK — The regulator that registers and audits higher-risk buildings of 18m or seven storeys and above.
- 4.The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, Regulation 10 — Fire doors
legislation.gov.uk — The exact wording of the flat entrance door and communal door duties, including the annual and quarterly check requirements.
- 5.Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022: guidance for responsible persons
Home Office / GOV.UK — The official plain-English guidance the Responsible Person is expected to follow.
Legislation is subject to amendment. Always check the current version on legislation.gov.uk before relying on it for a compliance decision.