Leaseholders of an apartment or flat that forms part of a larger building
The Building Safety Act 2022 is designed to improve building safety and to protect leaseholders from certain safety costs relating to fixing historical safety issues, like unsafe cladding.
If you're a qualifying leaseholder, you don’t have to pay anything to fix unsafe cladding on your building.
Find out if you have a qualifying lease
There are also caps on other safety costs such as fire doors. If you have already paid for some of these repairs since 2017 you might be due a refund.
If you’re not a qualifying leaseholder, you may not have the same level of protection as others, but you may still benefit from some safeguards. Building owners and developers may still be responsible for fixing certain safety issues, and other funding or legal options may help reduce costs. This means that although non-qualifying leaseholders might be asked to pay a larger share of remediation costs, some support and protection may still be available
Find out if you'll have to pay to fix safety problems with your building
Who pays for building safety problems?
The law means that developers and building owners can be held responsible for fixing safety problems they have caused—even if they no longer own the building.
This can help make sure the right people take responsibility. However, it is not always automatic. In some cases, a tribunal or court may need to decide who should pay.
Read more about legal protections
The government has provided funding to help fix unsafe cladding and reduce fire risks in high-rise residential buildings. For buildings over 18 metres, this has included the Building Safety Fund, which was set up to pay for the removal and replacement of unsafe cladding. More recently, funding has been expanded through the Cladding Safety Scheme, which covers buildings over 11 metres
Read more about the Building Safety Fund and Cladding Safety Scheme
Further advice for leaseholders
- If you decide to formally take over management of your apartment from the landlord, a Right to Manage company (RTM) is created. This is in compliance with The Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002.
- Developers or Leaseholders will set up a Resident Management Company (RMC) during the sale process. The RMC will help manage the building.
- The Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE) is a government-funded, independent body that provides free advice on residential leasehold and park home law in England and Wales. Our advisers are legally qualified and offer clear, impartial guidance to help people understand their rights and responsibilities