Raising the Bar: Embedding Competence and Capability in a Post-Grenfell Era

In the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the subsequent introduction of the Building Safety Act 2022, the UK’s residential property management sector has undergone a seismic shift. At the heart of this transformation lies an urgent focus on competence – not just at the organisational level, but for every individual working on, in, or around residential buildings.

The publication of BSAS-01:2024 by the Building Safety Alliance (BSA) and PAS8673 by the British Standards Institution (BSI) offers clear frameworks for ensuring and evidencing competence across the sector.

The Building Safety Act 2022 introduced a more stringent regulatory regime, particularly for higher-risk residential buildings (HRRBs). Central to this regime is the requirement for both organisational capability and individual competence. These are not abstract ideals—they are now, as the Earl of Lindsay recently stated, “a moral and professional obligation.”

Organisations must now demonstrate that they have the systems, structures, and importantly the culture in place to manage building safety effectively. Simultaneously, every individual involved in the lifecycle of a residential building—from design and construction to maintenance and management—must be demonstrably competent to perform their role.

BSAS-01:2024 – A framework for organisational capability

The BSAS-01:2024 Organisational Capability Management System Standard, developed by the BSA (of which Ark Workplace Risk is a founding member) provides a structured approach for organisations to demonstrate their capability to manage safety. It is designed to be used either as a standalone standard or in conjunction with existing ISO or British Standards (incl. BS8670 and PAS8673).

The key features of BSAS-01 include:

• Leadership and Culture: The standard emphasises the importance of leadership commitment and a safety-first culture.
• Continuous Improvement: Organisations should adopt a proactive approach to learning and improvement, including incident reporting and feedback loops.
• Scalability: The framework is adaptable for organisations of all sizes, from large property management firms to SMEs and micro-businesses.
• Competence Assurance Systems: Organisations should implement systems that ensure individuals are competent for their roles and that this competence is maintained and regularly reviewed.

By aligning with BSAS-01, organisations can not only meet regulatory requirements but also build trust with residents, clients, and regulators.

BS8670-1:2024 Competence frameworks for building safety – Core criteria. Code of practice

BS8670-1:2024 sets outs core competence criteria covering the skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours required to work on buildings of all types and sizes. The goal of the standard is to raise levels of individual professional competence in support of the new Building Safety regime.

This British Standard converts BSI Flex 8670 into a full standard and is the basis for a series of PAS’s including PAS8673.

PAS8673 – Defining individual competence

While BSAS-01 addresses the organisational capability level, PAS8673:2022 (Built environment – Competence requirements for the management of safety in residential buildings – Specification), focuses on the competence of individuals. Developed by BSI in collaboration with industry stakeholders, PAS8673 sets out a framework for assessing and maintaining the competence of those working in the management of safety in residential buildings.

PAS8673 defines competence as a combination of:

• Skills: Practical ability to carry out tasks safely and effectively.
• Knowledge: Understanding of relevant legislation, building systems, and safety protocols.
• Experience: Demonstrated history of performing relevant tasks in real-world settings.
• Behaviours: Attitudes and actions that support a culture of safety and accountability.

The specification also introduces a tiered approach to competence, recognising that different roles require different levels of expertise. For example, a property manager will need a deeper and broader competence profile than a maintenance engineer, though both must be competent for their specific responsibilities.

Why competence matters more than ever

In a recent speech, Dame Judith Hackitt- the author of the report into Building Safety following the Grenfell fire- stated that she hoped industry would have shown more “urgency and pace” in addressing competence concerns. Dame Judith, who slammed a “race to the bottom” culture in her 2018 report stated that:

“Having delivered my report at pace in less than a year, I had hoped that the same sense of urgency and pace would be picked up by industry in fixing the many problems that I’d uncovered with regards to competence.”

Many industry sectors are responding by developing detailed competency standards, but there is clear evidence that there is a way to go.  Government Working Groups are still reporting concerns over a lack of competency and continuing poor behaviour, and the government has made it clear – sort this out internally or we will.

The emphasis on competence is not a box-ticking exercise, it’s a necessary, fundamental shift in how the entire sector approaches risk, responsibility, and resident safety. This shift within the has to consider:

• Preventing catastrophic failures: Inadequate competence has been proven to be one of the root causes of past building failures. Ensuring that everyone involved is competent reduces the likelihood of errors that could lead to serious incidents.
• Building resident trust: Residents are increasingly aware of their rights and the responsibilities of those managing their homes. Demonstrating competence helps build confidence and transparency.
• Legal and financial risk mitigation: Failure to comply with competence requirements can lead to enforcement action, reputational damage, and financial penalties.
• Professionalisation of the sector: A focus on competence supports the development of career pathways, training programmes, and professional standards, elevating the status and quality of the property management profession.

Implementing competence frameworks in practice

For residential property managers, the challenge now is to embed these frameworks into everyday operations. Here are some practical steps:

• Conduct a competence gap analysis: Assess current staff against the requirements of PAS 8673 and identify areas for development.
• Develop competence matrices and management systems: Map roles to required competence levels and develop formal management capability arrangements to guide recruitment, training, and performance management.
• Invest in training and CPD: Provide ongoing learning opportunities to ensure staff remain up to date with evolving standards and best practices.
• Use digital tools: Competence management systems can help track qualifications, training records, and assessments.
• Engage with accreditation schemes: Consider aligning with recognised schemes or registers that certify organisational and individual competence.

The role of leadership

Leadership plays a critical role in embedding a culture of competence. Senior managers and accountable persons must lead by example, championing safety and investing in the systems and people needed to deliver it. This includes allocating resources, setting expectations, and holding teams accountable.

Too often, we see a performance-driven mindset where ticking boxes outweighs genuine safety outcomes. At Ark, we believe this has to change; and it starts with leadership. Whilst in our experience some companies excel, there are significant concerns about inadequate safety management, a worrying prevalence for accepting the cheapest when it comes to safety, poor communication and a lack of acceptance of accountability across the industry that needs the leadership’s attention.

Looking ahead

The publication of BSAS-01 and PAS8673 along with the other various competency frameworks is just the beginning. As the regulatory environment continues to evolve, we can expect further developments in standards, accreditation schemes, and enforcement mechanisms.

For residential property managers, the message is clear: competence is no longer optional. It is a core requirement of doing business in a post-Grenfell world. By embracing this shift, the sector can not only meet its legal obligations but also deliver safer, more resilient homes for the people who live in them.

As a founding member of the Building Safety Alliance and a long-standing contributor to sector best practice, Ark Workplace Risk has not only helped shape BSAS-01:2024, but actively supports property owners and managers in operationalising it through diagnostics, consultancy, and ongoing risk leadership.