TOOL - HIGHER RISK BUILDINGS
Is your building higher-risk?
The Building Safety Act places significant duties on higher-risk buildings, including registration with the Regulator and a safety case. Answer four quick questions to see whether your building is likely to fall within that category. Indicative only, but a useful place to start.
Question 1 of 4
What type of building is it?
The HRRB regime under the Building Safety Act 2022 applies only to buildings with at least 2 residential units. Building type determines which path this tool follows.
Question 2 of 4
How tall is the building?
Measured from ground level (the lowest external ground level the building meets) to the finished floor level of the topmost storey. Basements wholly below ground are not counted.
Question 3 of 4
How many storeys?
Count every above-ground storey. Basements that are wholly below ground level do not count. Plant rooms and roof gardens above the topmost storey typically do not count either.
Question 4 of 4
Does it contain at least 2 residential units?
A residential unit is a self-contained dwelling. Two or more is the threshold for the HRRB regime to potentially apply.
This tool gives general, indicative guidance only based on your answers. It is not a formal determination of HRRB status under the Higher-Risk Buildings (Descriptions and Supplementary Provisions) Regulations 2023, and is not legal advice. Always get a building assessed properly by a competent professional before relying on its status. See our terms of use.
WHY IT MATTERS
Getting this right is the first step
Higher-risk status isn't a label, it's a trigger. If a building is in scope, a whole regime follows: registration with the Building Safety Regulator, a safety case demonstrating the building is managed safely, resident engagement duties, and an evidence framework that has to stand up to scrutiny.
The threshold itself hinges on precise measurement. Height and storey counts aren't always as obvious as they look, and the exclusions for certain building types add nuance. A tool like this tells you which side of the line you're probably on. Confirming it, and dealing with what follows, is where we come in.
BEYOND THE CHECK
When you need more than a self check
If your building is in scope
Building Safety Act & safety cases
From registration to a defensible safety case, with the Accountable Person duties properly mapped to your building.
See Building Safety Act work →Understand what's involved
Explore a building
An interactive walk through what's behind a higher-risk building, hotspot by hotspot.
See the building explorer →Think you're in scope?
If this points to higher-risk, don't sit on it. Tell us about the building and we'll confirm where you stand and what's needed.