The Government has introduced legislation aimed at speeding up the removal of unsafe cladding from residential buildings in England, including proposed financial penalties of up to £500,000 for responsible parties who fail to comply with remediation orders.
The Building Safety (Remediation of Unsafe Cladding etc) Bill received its first reading in the House of Commons on 14 October 2026. It is not yet law.
New duties and stronger penalties
The Bill would establish a specific duty on those responsible for affected buildings, including freeholders, to assess and remediate serious external-wall fire safety risks. It would apply to multi-occupied residential buildings in England over 11 metres tall or at least five storeys high that were completed before 28 June 2022.
Under the proposals, the First-tier Tribunal could impose penalties of up to £500,000 on responsible entities that fail to comply with remediation orders. Obstructing work or breaching certain legal duties could also lead to criminal enforcement. These penalties are proposed powers, not fines already imposed under the new Bill.
Powers to step in when owners fail to act
The legislation would allow public bodies, including local authorities or Homes England, to arrange necessary remediation as a last resort where those responsible persistently fail to act. It would also provide clearer legal routes for leaseholders in buildings without an effective owner or responsible entity.
A proposed register of medium-rise residential buildings in England would help identify properties requiring assessment. The Bill would also make it easier for developers and others who have paid for remediation to seek contributions from manufacturers of unsafe construction products.
What happens next?
Ministers retain an expectation that buildings over 11 metres with unsafe cladding will be remediated or have a clear completion date by the end of 2029. The new Bill is intended to strengthen the means of enforcing progress ahead of that date.
The Government says more than 470 additional buildings have completed cladding remediation since its Remediation Acceleration Plan was published, benefiting an estimated 35,000 residents. Those are government-reported figures.
The Bill must pass further parliamentary stages and receive Royal Assent before its new powers can take effect. Some measures will also require secondary legislation.