The FPA has submitted a detailed response to the government’s single construction regulator prospectus consultation, emphasising the need for clearer standards, stronger enforcement, and improved competence across the construction and fire-safety sectors
Representing its members, as well as insurers through the RISCAuthority research scheme, the FPA stressed that it “actively seeks to move fire safety standards forward by working with government to address issues and concerns.” The organisation reiterated the essential role of research, guidance, training, risk assessment, and testing in ensuring a safer built environment.
Survey responses from FPA members highlighted the need for enforceable procurement and construction standards and tighter controls around professional competence. The response stated that the most important factors for achieving the government’s proposed outcomes include “establishing clear and enforceable procurement and construction standards, ensuring only competent and properly insured professionals can authorise deviations, and implementing robust compliance auditing for products and installations.”
The FPA also underlined the importance of addressing property protection alongside life safety. It referenced its 2025 joint publication with the Association of British Insurers (ABI), Assessing the fire risk of cladding systems: an insurance perspective, noting that “the distinction between life safety and property resilience remains important as both play essential roles in comprehensive risk assessment and insurance coverage.”
The response warned that weaknesses in data quality, competence, and regulatory oversight are likely to undermine the new system. The organisation reported that FPA members continue to encounter “poor or incomplete product information, inconsistent manufacturer data, unclear certification, and missing performance curves,” all of which contribute to avoidable risks.
Cost-driven decision-making also remains a significant concern. Members highlighted the dangers of “value engineering, budget pressure and the selection of low-cost, low-performance products leading to compromised safety and long-term failures.”
Concerns were also raised regarding the effectiveness of the Building Safety Regulator, with members experiencing “long delays” and identifying “BSR resourcing issues” as a major cause.
On the topic of digital submission systems, the FPA reported “conflicting or overlapping demands from multiple certification bodies” and duplication of effort across government portals. While digital tools can support compliance, members felt their effectiveness depends chiefly on “the quality and consistency of the information” they provide.
Members also saw potential in automated compliance checking but warned of “significant risks that require strong human oversight,” noting that AI could amplify existing data errors and lacks the ability to apply a “sense check.”
The FPA supported the regulator taking a strong role in setting behavioural standards, agreeing with the ABI that “effective enforcement will be essential to ensure that the new regulator has the desired effect on improving standards.” It also called for the regulator to publish outcomes of enforcement actions “to demonstrate that it has ‘teeth’.”
On resident engagement, members emphasised the importance of clear, accessible communication delivered in “bite-sized formats supported by optional detailed resources.”
FPA members also stressed that meaningful culture change will require centrally led guidance, accredited training, and robust enforcement. Suggestions included recognition schemes for good performers and “severe penalties proportionate to risk” for those who fail to comply, including the possibility of “remov[ing] persistently poor performers from the industry.”
While there are “pockets of preparedness,” the sector is “not uniformly ready” for the changes ahead, emphasising the need for coordinated communication and practical support.
Officials from the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government are now analysing the feedback submitted through the consultation.
Commenting on the consultation feedback, Technical Director at the FPA, George Edwardes said: “The FPA is glad for the opportunity to respond to this consultation. This is a welcome and necessary step towards addressing the fragmentation that has undermined building safety for too long.
“This has the potential to drive clearer accountability, improved competence, and greater public confidence across the built environment. However, the success of any new regulator will depend on resourcing, clarity of scope, and implementation, rather than simply the idea of a single regulator itself. This is why consulting on these plans is so important to getting this right.”
More details of the prospectus, the consultation, and the timeline for next steps are available here.
Being an FPA member enables you to contribute to future FPA feedback to consultations. More details on membership can be found here.