A Bill designed to speed up the repair of residential buildings with unsafe cladding has cleared its second reading in the House of Commons and will now be examined in detail by a parliamentary committee. The Building Safety (Remediation of Unsafe Cladding etc) Bill, published on 14 October 2026, builds on the regime created by the Building Safety Act 2022.

What the Bill would do

At its heart, the Bill would create a new legal duty for responsible bodies to assess, reduce and put right life-critical fire safety risks in external walls. It would apply to multi-occupied residential buildings in England over 11 metres tall, or at least five storeys high, completed before 28 June 2022. The aim is to remove delays that have left leaseholders and residents waiting years for remediation work to begin.

The Bill would also make it easier for developers, contractors and others who have already funded repairs to recover costs from construction product manufacturers. Supporters argue that this change is essential: without a realistic route to reclaim money, those who step in to fix dangerous buildings can be left carrying costs that properly belong elsewhere in the supply chain.

The warning over who carries the cost

During the debate, Labour MP Mike Reader, who previously held building safety responsibilities at contractor Mace, welcomed the move to help recovery from manufacturers. He warned, however, that the legislation must also ensure liability can reach further down the chain, to specialist subcontractors and suppliers, rather than stopping with main contractors. If main contractors alone are left with irrecoverable costs, he argued, disputes could push some firms towards collapse — which would help no resident waiting for a safe home.

Responding for the Government, homelessness minister Florence Eshalomi said ministers would continue to examine insurance issues and engage with MPs as the Bill progresses. The committee stage will now test those arguments clause by clause, before the Bill returns for further votes.

Sources: Construction News; HCR Law.