Why Structural Understanding is now a Core Management Responsibility

The Wotton Court ruling: a case study in structural risk

For years, structural design was treated as something only engineers needed to worry about. Owners and agents focused on service charge budgets, maintenance cycles, and resident relations. But the Building Safety Act 2022 has changed the landscape. Structural safety is now a compliance obligation, and ignorance is no defence.

Modern residential buildings often rely on complex structural systems—transfer slabs, irregular column grids, cantilevered balconies, podium decks, and mixed‑use load paths. These features are common, but they require careful design, ongoing monitoring, and informed management.

The Wotton Court case demonstrates what happens when structural vulnerabilities emerge unexpectedly. Cracks noted in concrete pillars and a balcony, led engineers to recommend the immediate evacuation of 15 residents. The likely cause? Punching shear failure in a transfer slab, a failure mode where a column effectively punches through the slab beneath it due to concentrated loads.

This is not a theoretical risk. It is a real mechanism that can lead to partial building collapse.

The FTT has now ordered the property manager to complete remediation within nine months, noting a seven‑month delay before any remedial work even began. The tribunal also required a full building‑wide structural engineering survey by the end of the following month.

This is not an isolated incident. Four other London blocks were evacuated last year due to concrete defects. In December 2025, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has issued a sector‑wide warning about transfer slabs and punching shear risks.

The pattern is clear: structural vulnerabilities in transfer slabs are emerging across multiple developments and portfolios.

What this means for property owners and managing agents

1. You must know how your building stands up – understanding the structural system of your building is no longer optional. You need to know:

• If transfer slabs exist in your building and where are they
• How are loads are distributed
• Which elements are critical to stability
• What assumptions were made in the original design
• Whether any structural components are approaching performance limits

Without this knowledge, you cannot meaningfully assess risk or demonstrate compliance.

2. Structural risk assessments must be proactive – the tribunal’s insistence on a building‑wide structural survey reflects a broader regulatory expectation: owners and agents must actively seek out structural vulnerabilities before they become emergencies.

This means commissioning structural reviews, maintaining a structural risk register, and ensuring that any signs of distress—cracking, deflection, water ingress—are investigated promptly and competently.

3. Delays are no longer tolerated – the FTT highlighted the seven‑month delay before temporary works began. Under the BSA, such delays carry real consequences. Dutyholders must be able to act quickly, even where access disputes or resident objections arise.
4. Temporary works and intrusive investigations require planning – engineers at Wotton Court stressed that intrusive investigation could only occur once temporary propping made the area safe. This sequencing affects:

• Resident decant
• Access arrangements
• Programme timelines
• Cost exposure

Owners, agents and residents must understand these dependencies early and plan accordingly.

5. Communication with residents is essential – the property managers emphasised regular communication with residents. In situations involving evacuation or prolonged remediation, transparent and consistent communication is vital for maintaining trust and reducing conflict.

The strategic shift: structural literacy as a business-critical skill

The Wotton Court case signals that structural safety is no longer a specialist concern sitting in the background of property management. It is a frontline compliance obligation.

Owners and agents must now understand the structural design of every building in their portfolio, identify where transfer slabs or other high‑risk arrangements exist and commission structural risk assessments proactively.  Importantly owners and agents must act swiftly when defects are identified.

The BSA has ushered in a new era of accountability. Buildings with complex structural arrangements require active oversight, informed decision‑making, and documented risk management.

The question for every owner and managing agent is simple: do you truly understand the structural risks in your buildings; or are you waiting for a tribunal to tell you?