How to Prepare Your Building for a Building Safety Regulator (BSR) Inspection in 2025
Key Points
- Your Safety Case is now central: it proves you understand and actively manage risks, not just tick boxes
- BSR inspections require you to show, not just say, that you're compliant
- Centralising records and responsibilities makes inspections far smoother
- Clear, ongoing resident communication is now part of your legal duty
- Using purpose-built tools and doing the groundwork early is what gives directors confidence in the face of regulation
Introduction
To prepare for a BSR inspection, resident directors must keep documents organised, define everyone's roles, update safety records, prepare a formal Safety Case, and show how residents are actively involved. Inspections demand clear, ongoing evidence that your building complies with the Building Safety Act.
What does a BSR inspector actually look for?
From our board's experience, you need to be ready to provide:
1. A named Accountable Person or Principal Accountable Person (PAP)
2. A complete 'Golden Thread' of records—up-to-date documents summarising the building's structure, safety features, and ongoing maintenance
3. Resident engagement evidence—newsletters, meeting notes, and other communications
4. Governance logs showing board decisions, actions and votes
5. Up-to-date action plans ('who's managing what risk?')
6. A comprehensive Safety Case and Safety Case Report — a document that summarises all the major risks in your building and explains exactly how you manage and reduce them
What was it like when we started building our Safety Case?
Honestly, the idea felt overwhelming at first—it sounded like just another mountain of paperwork. But drafting our building's Safety Case turned out to be one of the most useful exercises we did. We had to put every known risk on one page, spell out what we'd done to mitigate it, and gather hard evidence behind every claim.
The process made us confront gaps we might have missed otherwise and left us reassured—when the BSR called, we actually had everything they wanted in one place.
What practical steps actually work for compliance?
Based on our experience preparing for inspections, here are the steps that made the biggest difference:
1. Organise every building document so the board can access it easily
2. Keep up-to-date with all safety records: FRAEW, EWS1, maintenance logs, and especially your Safety Case and Report
3. Use a spreadsheet or Blocwise to track compliance activities and renewal dates
4. Write down everyone's specific responsibilities to avoid confusion during an inspection
5. Maintain transparent communication with residents, sharing updates and decisions regularly
6. Review and update the Safety Case regularly—not just for the BSR, but for your own peace of mind
When we faced our first major safety assessment, having a proper Safety Case made the whole process tangible. Instead of scrambling, we walked through each section with the inspector—proving we'd moved from 'compliant on paper' to actually understanding and managing our building's risks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Safety Case?
A Safety Case is a comprehensive document that identifies all major risks in your building and explains how you manage and mitigate them. It's required for higher-risk buildings under the Building Safety Act 2022.
What is the 'Golden Thread'?
The Golden Thread is the complete, up-to-date record of information about a building's structure, safety features, and ongoing maintenance. It must be accessible and maintained throughout the building's lifetime.
How often should I update my Safety Case?
Your Safety Case should be reviewed and updated regularly, at least annually, or whenever there are significant changes to the building, its use, or identified risks.
What happens if I'm not prepared for a BSR inspection?
Failing to demonstrate compliance during a BSR inspection can result in enforcement notices, fines, and in serious cases, restrictions on building use. It's essential to be prepared with organised documentation.
Can Blocwise help with BSR inspection preparation?
Yes, Blocwise is designed to help resident directors organise all required documents, track compliance activities, maintain governance records, and manage resident communications—everything you need for a successful BSR inspection.
Preparing for a BSR inspection doesn't have to be overwhelming. With organised records, a well-maintained Safety Case, and clear governance documentation, you can approach inspections with confidence. The key is starting early and using the right tools to stay on top of your responsibilities.