Introduction
Welcome to a special 'Building Safety Act' winter edition of Cornerstone.
As many of you will know, the Act has been a subject of much discussion this year, having received Royal Assent in April 2022. At 171 sections, you will be pleased to hear that such a large, complex and diverse piece of legislation cannot be explained, even in brief, in one newsletter. So in this edition of Cornerstone we have chosen to look at some of the key provisions of importance to the building industry. We will be covering further aspects of the Act in future issues, as more and more of the legislation comes into force over the coming months and years.
To start, Derryn Rolfe has picked out the key sections and terms of the Act, explaining them in eight concise paragraphs. This is followed by an article from Katrina Bretten and Derryn, on the issuance of a White Paper which addresses the need for a 'Construction Product Competence Standard', which many see as critical to ensuring that a tragedy such as Grenfell never happens again.
We then go on to look at the importance of clear and consistent drafting of contracts for the purpose of a cap on liquidated damages, by using a recent case with Lucy Easey and Katrina. And finally Sarah Prior and Derryn address the issue of cladding on high rise buildings.
Should you have missed it earlier this month, a link to our Winter Webinar is also available, providing further key updates on the Building Safety Act.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
