Management process
implications for landlords, housing associations, council housing departments and their agents and managers. But the Grenfell fire has already triggered change. The current parliamentary green paper on social housing2
, which makes explicit links to
Grenfell, calls for landlords to provide safer, better quality social accommodation and take greater account of tenants’ voices. There is strong and widespread concern – again in light of Grenfell – that building regulations have not been adequately enforced for years and this matter is now under scrutiny. Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review Building Regulations and Fire Safety was published in May 20183
. While the Grenfell inquiry has scheduled
detailed investigation of building regulation and fire safety matters for phase two, the Hackitt review has already given full and careful attention to many of these issues; albeit in the wider, nationwide context. In her report, Dame Judith states clearly and unequivocally that regulatory tools and enforcement have not been adequate and that major change is needed. Dame Judith describes the building and social housing sector as having a ‘race to the bottom’ mentality, with fragmented and unclear lines of responsibility and accountability leading to ineffective or downright dangerous practice. Whether this is due to ignorance, laziness or because the system discourages
While Dame Judith’s report focuses primarily on multi occupancy and/or high rise buildings, the social housing green paper and initial findings of the Grenfell inquiry leave no doubt that her call for those creating risk to be held accountable for it will be echoed throughout the sector. All landlords and housing providers need
to start listening to those calls – today. The Hackitt review recommends a very clear model of risk ownership which will hold everyone involved in building management to account, overseen by a new Joint Competent Authority. In the post Grenfell era, building regulations enforcement will have teeth. Rather than being based on complex rules and guidance, Dame Judith calls for an outcomes based model of accountability that will apply to responsible parties throughout the lifetime of a building, and this is a crucial point. For, in an outcomes based system, responsible authorities such as landlords and housing associations have the freedom to innovate and look beyond current systems and traditional approaches. What matters is that buildings are protected from fire and
good practice is unknown, but immaterial: the fact is that current behaviour often puts lives at risk.
Hackitt’s recommendations
FOCUS
www.frmjournal.com MAY 2020
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