The Rising Cost of Compliance: How to Stay Ahead of the BSR’s New Charging Scheme

From 1 April 2025, the Building Safety Regulator will begin charging more for what it calls “regulated activities.” That includes things like registering a high-rise building, inspections, document reviews, and general correspondence. The fees are going up, and they’re not just for those who fall foul of the rules. They’ll apply to anyone interacting with the BSR as part of day-to-day compliance.

What that really means is this: if your building information is all over the place, it’s going to cost you.

The hourly rate has increased by 5%, and the Regulator has made it clear they expect information to be readily available. If it’s not, and they have to chase or step in, you’ll be picking up the bill.

This isn’t about scare tactics, it’s about being prepared, organised, and able to respond when required.

So, what’s actually changing?

According to the latest update from the Health and Safety Executive, the charging structure has been revised across the board. Owners and operators of higher-risk buildings will now face:

• A 5% uplift on hourly charges

• New or increased fees for advice, certification, building control oversight and more

• Charges for time spent reviewing documents, attending meetings, or dealing with requests

It’s worth noting that these charges aren’t fines. They’re service fees. If the Regulator has to spend more time with you, for whatever reason, it’ll be billed.

The hidden cost no one talks about

Here’s the part that doesn’t always get discussed: most of the cost doesn’t come from the Regulator.

It comes from within.

If someone requests your fire strategy and it takes a fortnight, a few phone calls, and a couple of panicked emails to locate it, you’ve already lost. Time, money, and frankly, credibility. And that’s before the BSR starts the clock on their end.

Now multiply that across a portfolio of buildings, especially ones with legacy issues, complex refurbishments or unclear handovers, and you’re looking at serious inefficiencies that add up fast.

It’s not about doing more, it’s about doing it better

Property teams are under pressure, and this new charging scheme only adds to that. But the answer isn’t to hire more people or cross your fingers that nothing gets requested. It’s about being proactive.

Most buildings have the right information somewhere. The problem is, no one knows exactly where. And if the only person who does is on holiday, you’re stuck.

That’s where a proper digital solution becomes more than just a ‘nice to have’.

How Building Passport helps

We built Building Passport for exactly this reason. It gives every building its own permanent digital logbook: a place where everything lives, and where anyone with permission can find what they need.

Here’s what it does in plain terms:

• You upload your files once. The system does the rest — categorising, indexing, and organising for easy access.

• You stop relying on memory, folder structures, or one person who’s been there for years.

• You can search your building like a database. Soon, you’ll be able to ask it questions in plain English and get instant answers.

• It’s designed to support golden thread compliance and make information available on demand, not after a scramble.

And crucially, it reduces the amount of time your team spends chasing documents, which in turn cuts down the amount of time the Regulator spends chasing you. That’s where the real savings lie.

Final word

This isn’t about scaring people into action. It’s about recognising that the world is changing.

Regulatory oversight is increasing, expectations are rising, and the cost of not being ready is going up.

Getting ahead of it isn’t complicated. But it does take a shift in mindset from reactive to proactive, from scattered files to structured systems.

If you’re ready to have a proper conversation about it, we’re here. Building Passport is already helping organisations across the UK get their house in order.

Sources:

1. Building Safety Regulator charging scheme (April 2025), Health and Safety Executive: https://buildingsafety.campaign.gov.uk/building-safety-regulator-making-buildings-safer/building-safety-regulator-news/