This comes as the UK government has faced increased scrutiny following the Grenfell Tower fire causing nationwide apprehensions around building integrity.
More than half - 3 in 5 respondents - stated that they are now more concerned about building safety following tragedies such as Grenfell Tower, with 21% saying that their worries have ‘significantly increased’.
The Building Safety Survey 2024, conducted by SFG20, the industry standard for building maintenance, surveyed 1,500 people across 15 UK cities to highlight their perceptions of the safety and maintenance of local buildings in their area.
Concerns were raised over the safety of high-rise residential buildings in their area with 2 in 5 (41%) of Brits distrusting that these buildings are in line with current building safety standards.
Breaking this down by region, residents in Belfast have the most distrust in high-rise buildings in their area meeting regulatory requirements, with almost half (48%) expressing this lack of trust.
Alarmingly, 19% of people felt concerned about the health and safety of the building they live in. Concerns included issues such as mould, poor ventilation and structural issues, highlighting the government's need to prioritise residential building safety in the UK.
Jason Instrell, Industry Lead at SFG20, shared his thoughts:
“It is concerning to see the proportion of the British public concerned with the safety of high-rise residential buildings in their local area. Over the last decade, the UK has seen a string of events that have placed the maintenance of local infrastructure under a particularly intense spotlight, in particular the Grenfell Tower fire. The introduction of the Building Safety Act in 2022 saw stricter rules on the safety of buildings and it remains the UK government's responsibility to ensure the public feels safe and educated about the maintenance of these buildings.”
