BSR launches free toolkit for principal accountable persons at more than 13,000 high-rise buildings

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has launched a free online toolkit to help principal accountable persons at more than 13,000 high-rise residential buildings across England meet their legal duties under the Building Safety Act 2022.

CHSG reported the launch on 27 October 2026. CHSG said the toolkit brings together practical guidance, training, tips and resources so that principal accountable persons (PAPs) can better understand their obligations.

According to the BSR, the centralised resource will help duty holders fulfil their statutory duties under the Act, protecting structural and fire safety for hundreds of thousands of residents.

Charlie Pugsley, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Building Safety Regulator, said: "This managing building safety toolkit represents a significant step forward in our efforts". The BSR said the support is aimed especially at PAPs in thousands of resident managed buildings across England.

What the toolkit covers

The BSR's toolkit page organises the material into eight sections, including PAP duties, Building Assessment Certificates, safety case reports, resident engagement, resources and free training for resident-managed buildings, transfer slabs and balcony safety.

The Building Assessment Certificates section describes plans for a more proportionate targeted approach to building assessments, with support to resident-led PAPs, the BSR said.

The balcony safety section sets out actions for anyone who owns or operates a residential block to maintain protection against falls from height.

CHSG said the toolkit also covers engaging with residents, remediation in existing buildings, official guidance for occupied buildings, guidance for high-rise residents and Your Home, Your Safety resources.

The toolkit page states that more than 4,000 accountable and principal accountable persons are now central to the safety of England's high-rise landscape.

Resident-led buildings

CHSG said the toolkit contains support and free training for those holding PAP responsibilities in resident-led organisations: Resident Management Companies, Right to Manage schemes and Commonhold Associations.

The BSR said resident directors in these bodies are both residents and, in many cases, the PAP themselves.

The toolkit's free training section links to an online building safety training programme run by the BSR with The Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE), aimed at resident-managed high-rises across England. The BSR said more than 3,500 Resident Management Companies, Right to Manage schemes and Commonhold Associations can access it. The programme is delivered as four interactive e-learning modules, each about 30 minutes long.

Ella Norman, Senior Legal Advisor at LEASE, said: "The new Building Safety eLearning programme fills a critical knowledge gap in building safety guidance." She said many leaseholders who volunteer unpaid to help manage high-rise buildings often have limited formal training.

Andy McGrory, Policy Lead for resident matters at the BSR, said the role of resident directors is critical in upholding the highest standards of building safety for high-rise residents across England.

Who holds the duty

GOV.UK guidance defines an accountable person as an organisation or individual who owns or has a legal obligation to repair any common parts of a building. The BSR says the PAP is typically an organisation such as a commonhold association, local authority or social housing provider.

The regulator's own guidance is that accountable and principal accountable persons cannot delegate their legal obligations to others, and that liability for a building's safety remains with them.

What happens next

The BSR said regular updates are planned over the coming months to add new resources to the toolkit as the building safety regime evolves, so that it remains a practical resource for thousands of PAPs and residents across England.