The 6 Regulations Every UK Block Manager Must Track in 2026

If you manage residential buildings in the UK right now, you are facing the most significant compliance overhaul the sector has seen in a generation. The Building Safety Act 2022, combined with a wave of secondary legislation landing in 2025 and 2026, has fundamentally changed what "responsible person" means — and what the consequences of getting it wrong look like.

This guide covers the six regulations that should be on every block manager's radar in 2026. Some are already in force. Some have criminal sanctions. None of them are getting enough attention in the industry press.

1. RPEEP — Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (In Force: 6 April 2026)

The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 came into force on 6 April 2026. These regulations require the "responsible person" for qualifying residential buildings to prepare individual written Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (RPEEPs) for any resident who cannot self-evacuate in an emergency.

This means a written, personalised plan for residents with:

• Mobility impairments
• Cognitive conditions
• Sensory disabilities (visual or hearing impairment)
• Any other condition that affects their ability to evacuate independently

Each RPEEP must document the resident's specific needs, the evacuation strategy, named contacts responsible for assisting, and how the resident will be alerted. Plans must be agreed with the resident and reviewed regularly.

Criminal sanction: unlimited fine. The duty falls on the responsible person — in most managed buildings, this is the block management company or freeholder.

Awareness of RPEEPs among property managers is extremely low. If you manage a portfolio of residential buildings and have not yet started an RPEEP audit, this should be your first action this week.

Not sure if you're across your RPEEP obligations? Take our free 3-minute Compliance Score quiz — instant results, no sign-up required: compliancealert.co.uk/compliance-score

2. Building Safety Act 2022 — Principal Accountable Person Obligations

The Building Safety Act 2022 created a new tier of liability for "higher-risk buildings" (HRBs) — defined as buildings at least 18 metres tall, or at least seven storeys, with at least two residential units.

If you manage an HRB, you are likely the Principal Accountable Person (PAP) — the entity or individual with the most responsibilities for the structure and exterior. The PAP must:

• Register the building with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR)
• Appoint a Building Safety Manager
• Prepare and maintain a Safety Case Report
• Create and maintain a digital Golden Thread of information
• Engage with residents through a Residents' Engagement Strategy

Failure to register was a criminal offence from 1 April 2024. If you manage HRBs that are not registered, enforcement action is already possible.

The BSR has been ramping up its oversight activity through 2025 and 2026. Principal Accountable Persons who cannot demonstrate an up-to-date Safety Case are at increasing risk of remediation notices.

3. Building Safety Levy — October 2026

The Building Safety Levy is due to come into force in October 2026. It applies to new residential development in England and is levied on developers — but the downstream effect for managing agents is significant.

The Levy will fund the remediation of historical cladding and building safety defects. For block managers:

• Remediation disputes: Buildings with historical defects will see increased scrutiny under BSA remediation orders
• Service charge implications: Where remediation costs fall to leaseholders (in limited circumstances), managing agents must understand the new legal framework
• Developer pressure: New-build managing agents will need to understand how Levy contributions are calculated and passed through

The Levy is less immediately urgent than RPEEP or the PAP obligations, but it sits within a broader Building Safety Act framework that is changing the economics of property management significantly.

4. Fire Safety Order 2022 Amendments — Ongoing Enforcement

The Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 significantly expanded obligations under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 for multi-occupied residential buildings.

Key ongoing obligations that block managers frequently miss:

• Monthly flat entrance door checks (blocks over 11m)
• Quarterly common area checks (all blocks with communal areas)
• Annual fire risk assessments with a competent assessor
• Information sharing with residents — fire safety instructions to all residents at least annually
• Lift inspections — fire service lifts must be checked monthly

The Fire and Rescue Services have enforcement powers under the Fire Safety Order. Prohibition notices can close buildings. Prosecution follows failure to comply. In 2025, 47 registered social landlords received Enforcement Notices for non-compliance with monthly door inspection requirements — a reminder that size is no protection.

5. Renters' Rights Act — Expected Royal Assent 2026

The Renters' Rights Act, expected to receive Royal Assent in mid-2026, will abolish Section 21 no-fault evictions for all private residential tenancies in England. For block managers managing mixed-tenure developments or build-to-rent portfolios, this means:

• All tenancies become periodic immediately — no more fixed-term tenancies expiring and rolling to Section 21
• Grounds for possession become the only route — Grounds 1-8 of Schedule 1 (mandatory) and Grounds 9-16 (discretionary)
• New Decent Homes Standard for the private rented sector — enforcement via local councils
• Landlord registration — all private landlords must register with a new national register
• Ombudsman scheme — mandatory membership for all private landlords

Block managers advising landlord clients, or acting as managing agents for BTR portfolios, need to be across the Renters' Rights Act in the months before it commences. The transition period for existing tenancies is expected to be short.

6. Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 — Service Charge Transparency

The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 received Royal Assent in May 2024. Secondary legislation implementing the substantive provisions is being brought into force through 2025–2026.

For block managers, the most significant ongoing obligations are:

• Service charge transparency: New prescribed forms for service charge demands and summary of rights
• Right to manage expansion: RTM eligibility thresholds are being extended, making more buildings eligible for leaseholder takeover
• Estate charges: Freeholders managing estate services now have statutory service charge oversight obligations similar to block management
• Buildings insurance: New restrictions on the way managing agents can receive commissions from building insurance — full disclosure and consent now required

The buildings insurance commission rules are already creating disputes. Managing agents who have not reviewed their insurance arrangements since the Act commenced should take legal advice.

How to Stay Ahead of All Six

The challenge for property managers in 2026 is not the volume of regulation — it is the pace. Each of these six areas has had secondary legislation, regulatory guidance, or enforcement activity in the last six months. Keeping track manually means monitoring the Building Safety Regulator, Fire and Rescue Service guidance, MHCLG updates, and parliamentary secondary legislation simultaneously.

ComplianceAlert monitors all of this for you. When a new RPEEP guidance note is published, when BSR issues a new Safety Case requirement, when the Renters' Rights Act commencement date is confirmed — you get an alert in plain English before it becomes a problem.

Monitoring 6 regulators manually, or letting ComplianceAlert do it for £19/month?
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Frequently Asked Questions

Do RPEEP obligations apply to all residential buildings or just high-rise blocks?

RPEEP obligations under the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 apply to qualifying residential premises — this includes high-rise blocks but also extends to other multi-occupied residential buildings where the responsible person is identifiable. The specific thresholds are tied to the Fire Safety Order 2005 definition of "responsible person" rather than height alone. If you manage any building with shared access and vulnerable residents, seek specific legal advice on whether RPEEPs apply.

What is the difference between the Principal Accountable Person and the Accountable Person under the Building Safety Act?

The Principal Accountable Person (PAP) is the entity responsible for the structure and exterior of a higher-risk building — typically the freeholder or head leaseholder. Accountable Persons (APs) are responsible for common areas within the building. A single building may have multiple APs but only one PAP. Managing agents often act as agents for both roles but should ensure the legal entity carrying the duty is clearly identified in management agreements.

When will the Renters' Rights Act commencement date be confirmed?

As of April 2026, the Renters' Rights Act is expected to receive Royal Assent in mid-2026, with a commencement date following within weeks rather than months. The government has signalled it wants implementation before the summer recess. ComplianceAlert will alert subscribers the moment a commencement date is announced.

Key Takeaways

• RPEEP is in force now (6 April 2026) — criminal sanctions apply for non-compliance
• Building Safety Act PAP obligations are fully live — unregistered HRBs face enforcement
• Building Safety Levy lands October 2026 — understand the downstream service charge implications
• Fire Safety Order monthly/quarterly checks are ongoing obligations, not one-off tasks
• Renters' Rights Act is imminent — BTR and residential management agents need to prepare now
• Leasehold Reform Act insurance commission rules are already creating disputes

Property management is one of the most heavily regulated sectors in UK business right now. ComplianceAlert tracks all six of these regulatory areas — and alerts you in plain English when something changes.

Start your free 7-day trial: compliancealert.co.uk/property-management

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