Opinion-in-brief: The Building Safety Bill won’t land only on developers
The government’s amendments to the Building Safety Bill are intended to place the costs of remediation entirely on developers and building owners. That may not be where the final bill lands, however.
There will be an increase in disputes as developers and owners look, where possible, to recover these costs from contractors, sub-contractors and professional advisers. These parties have usually provided warranty packages allowing recourse against them for a period of up to twelve years after completion.
In turn, they may well seek to offset or to parcel out liability between themselves. The manufacturers who made the cladding are also likely to be drawn in. The market is already anticipating trouble.
There’s been an increase in Professional Indemnity premiums in the market reflecting, at least in part, this risk. That pressure looks set to increase.