The Senedd has passed legislation that establishes a comprehensive new building safety regime for residents of shared buildings across Wales, regardless of building height or tenure.
The Building Safety (Wales) Bill — considered to be one of the largest pieces of legislation ever considered by the Senedd – is broader in scope and ambition than equivalent legislation in England delivers on the Welsh Government’s commitment to make building safety a guiding principle for how homes and buildings are managed across the country.
The legislation was born out of the 2017 Grenfell Tower tragedy, in which 72 people lost their lives. The aim is to ensure that the failures which contributed to that disaster can never be repeated in Wales. The Senedd gave Stage 4 approval on Tuesday.
Three core principles underpin the Bill:
- Safety: The Bill requires that fire risk assessments are carried out only by competent persons, with criminal penalties for those who do not comply — directly addressing a concern raised by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
- Accountability: The legislation establishes clear legal responsibilities for those who manage buildings, ending any confusion about who is answerable for building safety risks.
- Resident voice: The Bill empowers residents with clear routes of redress and a stronger say in matters affecting their homes, with appropriate responsibilities for residents supported by guidance to help them contribute to a safer living environment.
Cabinet Secretary for housing and local government, Jayne Bryant, said: ‘Today marks a landmark moment for building safety in Wales. This legislation delivers a new building safety regime for residents across Wales, regardless of building type, height or tenure — going further than anything that exists elsewhere in the UK.
‘None of this would have been possible without the support and expertise of so many partners. I want to pay particular tribute to the three Welsh Fire and Rescue Services and the many residents and leaseholders who shared their lived experience with us — their voices have shaped this legislation and will continue to matter as we implement it.
‘By passing this Bill today, we have taken a huge step forward in ensuring that the people of Wales are safe in their homes.’
During the debate in the Senedd, the Bill was supported by other parties.
Joel James of the Welsh Conservatives raised concerns about capacity and enforcement and the amount of detail that will set out later in secondary legislation. ‘While that is understandable, to an extent, it does create uncertainty for landlords, housing providers, residents and developers who will be trying to prepare for the new system,’ he said.
Sian Gwenllian of Plaid Cymru said the fact that the Senedd had accepted all of the amendments tabled at Stage 3 of the Bill was an indication of detailed collaboration over recent months and of the maturity of debate in the Senedd.
‘This legislation does go further than what is in place in England, and that is something to be welcomed,’ she said.
The Welsh Government has also published a report on progress being made to implement the recommendations of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and says it continues to support leaseholders and residents through the building safety remediation programme.