Landmark Bill to transform building safety standards
It forms part of the Welsh Government's response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
Jayne Bryant, cabinet secretary for housing and local government, said: "This landmark Bill will fundamentally transform safety in multi-occupied residential buildings across Wales.
"Its key principles are safety, accountability and residents' voices, and it goes wider and further than existing legislation in other parts of the UK.
"It creates clear legal responsibilities for owners and others, gives residents new rights and pathways to raise complaints, enables standards for professional assessments, and provides robust enforcement powers when safety requirements aren't met."
The Bill includes a programme to address fire safety issues in high-rise buildings.
It introduces major reforms to the building control system and sets new regulations for high-risk properties.
Key measures include clearer responsibilities for duty holders, mandatory registration and regulation of building control professionals, and requirements to assess and manage building safety risks while properties are occupied.
The legislation will also apply fire safety duties to certain Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
Ms Bryant said: "This Bill is part of a wider programme to ensure that buildings in Wales are safer, and that people are protected in their homes.
"The legacy of Grenfell Tower must be meaningful change.
"We owe it to those who lost their lives, their families, and the survivors to ensure that such a tragedy can never happen again."
The Bill also introduces a strong enforcement regime and clearer lines of accountability.
Duty holders will have legal responsibility for managing building safety, ending uncertainty over who is responsible for protecting residents.
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