Expert advisory for Accountable Persons, institutional landlords and fund managers. Safety case reviews, AP compliance audits, enforcement response, and FtT support — from independent specialists who know the legislation inside out.
BSR enforcement is accelerating. The Building Safety Regulator has issued improvement notices, conducted inspections across hundreds of Higher-Risk Buildings, and expanded its enforcement team. Non-compliant Accountable Persons face unlimited fines, prosecution, and personal director liability. If you haven't reviewed your Building Safety Case in the last 12 months, you may already be at risk.
Freeholders, RPs, housing associations and BTR operators managing Higher-Risk Buildings with duties under BSA 2022 ss.72–99.
Institutional investors acquiring residential assets. Due diligence before exchange — or inherited compliance gaps after completion.
Improvement notice issued. BSR inspection imminent. FtT proceedings started. You need specialist support to respond effectively.
Gateway 2 and Gateway 3 programme management. Change control. Golden Thread at handover. Defective Premises Act liability assessment.
Instructed by leaseholders or freeholders to investigate building safety. Need independent cost and compliance assessment.
Need independent QS evidence for FtT, TCC or remediation contribution order proceedings. Expert witness reports on remediation cost.
Full independent review of your Building Safety Case, MOR procedures, Golden Thread and AP obligations. Gap report with prioritised action plan.
Draft or fully update your Safety Case to BSR requirements. ALARP demonstration, risk assessment, hazard schedule and BSR submission pack.
Improvement notice received? We review the notice, advise on appeal grounds, prepare your compliance programme, and manage BSR communications.
Prepare your FtT case, evidence bundle and expert statements. Prohibition notice appeals, remediation orders, and remediation contribution order responses.
Pre-exchange BSA 2022 due diligence. 14-point checklist review of Safety Case, Golden Thread, MOR log, enforcement history and BSR registration.
Independent QS expert evidence on remediation cost for FtT or TCC proceedings. CPR Part 35 compliant reports.
| BSR Power | Legislation | Trigger | Maximum Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Improvement Notice | s.120 BSA 2022 | Failure to meet building safety duties | Unlimited fine + 2 years custody |
| Prohibition Notice | s.121 BSA 2022 | Immediate risk to life in building | Unlimited fine if not complied with |
| Remediation Order | s.123 BSA 2022 | FtT order to remedy relevant defects | Court contempt if ignored |
| Remediation Contribution Order | s.124 BSA 2022 | Developer/associated company liable for costs | Court order to pay |
| Special Measures | Sch.6 BSA 2022 | Persistent AP failure | Management taken from AP |
| Criminal Prosecution | s.96 BSA 2022 | Failure to register / maintain Safety Case | Unlimited fine + 2 years custody |
Director liability: Where a body corporate commits an offence under BSA 2022 with the consent, connivance or neglect of a director, officer or manager, that individual is personally guilty of the same offence. This means directors of PropCo SPVs and operating companies face personal criminal exposure — not just corporate fines.
We define the building(s) in scope, confirm HRB status, obtain existing documentation (Safety Case, FRA, Golden Thread, MOR log).
Systematic review against BSR requirements and SI 2024/209. Gap analysis across all AP obligations: registration, Safety Case, MOR, resident engagement, change control.
Physical inspection of fire doors, compartmentation, signage, evacuation routes, plant room access. Photographs for evidence file.
Written report: RAG-rated findings, ranked by severity, with remediation actions, costs, timescales and recommended priority order.
We manage the delivery of the action plan — procurement, programme, contractor oversight, BSR communications — through to compliance.
Every residential asset acquisition in the BTR/PBSA market now carries Building Safety Act liability from completion. The Accountable Person duties under s.72 BSA 2022 attach to the new owner immediately — including any compliance gaps left by the vendor.
Valuation impact: A building with an outstanding improvement notice or missing Safety Case can represent a 15–30% discount to value — and may trigger lender refusal. A complete, current Safety Case commands a premium. Our due diligence report gives your investment committee a clear quantified view of the risk.
A housing association received a BSR improvement notice: 17 non-compliant fire doors, outdated Building Safety Case, no MOR log. Three contraventions, 28-day compliance period.
DCS was appointed on day 3. We advised against appeal (grounds weak), agreed a realistic programme with BSR, and managed delivery: fire door replacement programme (£52,700 / 6 weeks), Safety Case update (DCS fee £8,000 / 4 weeks), MOR log implementation (DCS template, immediate).
BSR extended the compliance period by 8 weeks on DCS's request. Works completed. Notice withdrawn. No prosecution.
Total cost: DCS fees £12,500 + works £52,700 = £65,200. Alternative (prosecution): unlimited fine + reputational damage + potential prohibition notice and resident decant.
BSA 2022 ss.135–137 extended the Defective Premises Act limitation period from 6 to 30 years for residential buildings completed after 28 June 1992. Claims that had already expired are revived. Developers who built between 1992 and 2022 may now face claims they believed were time-barred — with up to 30 years of exposure remaining.
DCS provides independent QS cost assessments for DPA claims, Building Safety Fund applications, and FtT Remediation Contribution Order proceedings. If you are a developer assessing your portfolio exposure, or a managing agent seeking to quantify remediation costs for a claim, we can help.
Our advisers hold expert-level knowledge of BSA 2022, all associated SIs, PHPP-certified fire safety standards, and BSR enforcement practice. We know the legislation as well as you'd expect from a specialist regulatory barrister — at QS day rates.
Unlike law firms or compliance consultants, DCS combines regulatory depth with QS capability. We can tell you what the defect remediation will cost AND advise on how to comply most economically.
When BSR issues an enforcement notice, you have days, not weeks. Our team can mobilise within 48 hours for enforcement response work and work to your compliance deadline.
We are not the building's original contractor, designer or insurer. We have no prior relationship with BSR on your file. Our advice is independent and evidence-led.
Whether you're preparing for a BSR inspection, responding to an enforcement notice, or acquiring a BTR portfolio — we can help. No commitment required for an initial call.
Get in touch