The government will not set a deadline for people to share golden-thread information with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR)
In a July 2022 consultation, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) stated that golden thread information for higher-risk buildings must be shared “in a timely manner” with the BSR and the client.
The golden-thread is a detailed guide that contains important information about a building, such as safety measures and management protocols. The golden-thread is designed to promote collaboration between duty-holders and accountable parties, allowing them to establish an accessible database of information.
Lack of deadline questioned by industry stakeholders
The loose definition of the phrase “in a timely manner” has been questioned by industry stakeholders. Many have called for a clearer enforcement and sanction process for accountable parties who refuse or fail to share information.
During the consultation, attendees were asked about handing information from one accountable person to another. Nine of the 51 respondents argued for the enforcement of a stricter timeline.
However, the DLUHC have only stipulated that information is shared “as soon as reasonably practicable”.
“We consider enabling the right people to have the right information at the right time is essential to support the management of building safety risks and the safety of residents. While we understand the requests for a precise time limit for information and documents to be shared, we think requiring time limits in legislation will be overly inflexible,” said the DLUHC.
Who is responsible for the golden-thread?
According to the Building Safety Act (BSA) 2022, the accountable person in an organisation is defined as the individual who owns or has a legal obligation to repair a building. This person must ensure the building adheres to fire safety under the Fire Safety Order 2005.
When an accountable person changes via the sale of a building, for example, they must pass golden-thread information to the new accountable person.
The golden-thread was born out of Judith Hackitt’s review of building safety, commissioned after the Grenfell Tower tragedy of 2017. Hackitt highlighted the need for more information on higher-risk residential buildings to be used throughout the building’s lifecycle.
The BSA is set to introduce the mandatory sharing of this information in the coming weeks through the Higher-Risk Buildings (Keeping and Provision of Info etc) (England) Regulations 2023.
