International law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) has worked in partnership with a leading social housing organisation in Plymouth to ensure the group remains at the forefront of legal changes happening in the industry.

Members from the firm's Plymouth office provided dedicated in-house training for key client Plymouth Community Homes (PCH) at its Plumer House head office on a range of updates to building safety regulations, including the Building Safety Act and the additional supporting legislation.

Led by partner Samantha Orluta and managing associate Christoper Stephens from WBD's Living team, the session discussed the broad array of powers, protections, and penalties set out in the Building Safety Act, along with regulatory framework produced by the government on Higher Risk Buildings (HRBs) and buildings below 18m. 

Key themes included the range of provisions found within the Act and supporting legislation which also affect lower height range buildings or even individual units of single family housing, rather than just 18m+ buildings or HRBs. 

PCH is Plymouth's largest social housing landlord, with over 16,000 properties providing homes to more than 35,000 people in Plymouth and the surrounding areas. Its housing stock includes six tall buildings of over 18m in height.

While many of its properties were received on a stock transfer from Plymouth City Council, over recent years PCH have also engaged in development-led housing supply, with homes built and sold for shared ownership purchase and funds used to support the organisation's core affordable housing delivery objectives.

Properties are also acquired at development schemes across the region to create more social housing homes for local people in housing need. PCH is also a commercial landlord with more than 170 shops and business units.

Christopher said: 

"The Building Safety Act is a huge and seismic piece of legislation for which implications travel far more widely than just Higher Risk Buildings, and we are really pleased to be able to support PCH with our expertise in this area to raise important issues so appropriate safeguards and protections can be put in place for the future.

These changes could have far-reaching and significant impact on how housing organisations operate and how it might influence future decision making and what terms may need to flow down to occupational tenants in relation to sales or lease documentation. 

For example, it could impact those leasing ground floor retails shops, landlords who wish to raise service charges to address building safety defects, or even potential liability in single family units when refurbishing – and therefore it is vital an organisation such as PCH is well prepared for these changes so they can continue to properly inform stakeholders of best practices."

Andrew Lawrie, Head of Development at PCH, said: 

"We have a mission to provide outstanding services for our residents and to create communities where people want to live, and the safety of our residents is an absolute priority.

It is vital we are all fully aware and trained about the latest legal guidance and legislation governing building safety, and we would like to thank the WBD team for their continued support and legal expertise in helping us stay at the forefront of industry developments.”

The front of Plymouth Community Homes' head office at Plumer House