A guide for managing agents

In short: If you are a managing agent running higher-risk buildings for freeholders, Residents Management Companies or RTM companies, you carry out the day-to-day building safety work - but the accountable person duty stays with your client. Knowing exactly where that line sits protects both you and them.

You act for the accountable person

Under the Building Safety Act 2022 the accountable person - usually the freeholder, RMC or RTM company - holds the legal duties. As managing agent you deliver the work on their instruction, but appointing you does not transfer the duty to you. Equally, the client cannot assume "the agent handles it" makes the obligation disappear. Both sides need to understand who is responsible for what.

What your accountable-person clients rely on you for

In practice, agents are usually the ones who:

• get each building registered with the Building Safety Regulator;
• keep the golden thread of information current;
• schedule and evidence the inspection and statutory testing regime;
• support the safety case report and Key Building Information;
• run the resident engagement strategy and complaints process; and
• make sure there is a route for mandatory occurrence reporting.

Where agents get caught out

The common gaps: assuming the building is registered when it isn't; a golden thread that is incomplete or scattered across systems; inspections slipping; and no clear process for occurrence reporting. When something goes wrong, it is the accountable person who is in breach - and the agent's relationship with that client on the line.

How CTS helps managing agents

The CTS BuildSafe platform gives agents one place to manage building safety compliance across every client's blocks, show each freeholder or RMC a clear compliance position, and evidence the work being done. Where a client wants independent assurance, CTS also provides client-side advisory. See our guide for RMC directors.

General information, not legal advice. Reviewed by the CTS building safety team.