An Industry Task and Finish Group convened by CLC Building Safety Group, Portfolio 4: Building Occupation and industry technical experts BIM in Asset Management are pleased to announce the publication of their guidance regarding the Occupied Sector’s expectations for accurate, trustworthy and complete packages of building information on completion of all projects that are deemed construction work or building work.

The Guidance relates to delivery of all building related information on completion of all projects, regardless of size or complexity, ie: whether regarding a large new build development, a refurb/retrofit or small replacement project. It relates to all types of building, both commercial and residential.

In excess of 100 representatives (including FIS) contributed to the document, reaching consensus on some detailed recommendations to provide guidance and assistance, in particular to Construction Clients and their supply chain in order to be able to deliver the quality of information now needed on conclusion of any project, by those operating buildings for their, perhaps 50 years + operational life.

The guidance will help owners and their suppliers to operate buildings with greater safety and more efficiently and effectively. Users of the guide are anticipated to include for example  [Principal] Accountable Persons, Building Control officers, Managing Agents, Building and Facility Managers and of course Residents. Accurate and complete building information is, in itself, regarded as a valuable asset to financiers, insurers and regulators. Lack of good building information is now being seen as a potential negative influence in value and could hinder future transactions.

It provides those who will be the recipients of the information clear guidance on specifying what they will need and what they should and should not accept; and sets out expectations on those providing the information to inform and support their client in achieving an appropriate hand-over of quality assured and trustworthy building information before concluding any project.

Public Consultation opened on 2 September 2026 and will close midday 16 October 2026.

The widest possible commentary is requested from stakeholders involved in design, construction and the occupied phases of a buildings’ lifecycle. In order to provide your views and take part in this consultation please go to: https://www.bim-in-am.com/as-built/.

Chair of the T&F Group Anthony Taylor stated

“This a significant contribution to getting the right information to the right person at the right time  – effectively setting out expectations across the built environment to deliver accurate and trustworthy information to those who operate the buildings at the end of each and every project. We believe this will also support the accuracy needed for collation of accessible and accurate electronic information. The work will continue to determine ‘How’ can information of the appropriate quality and content be collated, and by whom” He added “ if anyone wishes to offer their expertise and insight to phase two of this work – please notify us via the consultation process and ensure you provide a contact email for us to respond”.

The Building Safety Regular (BSR) has published its latest data for the period 8 June to 31 August 2026. The data shows that a total of 333 decisions were made across all valid Gateway Two applications with an approval rate of 84%. However, 174 applications (34% of the number received) were deemed invalid or withdrawn in the same 12‐week period.

The BSR highlights a ‘steady increase’ in new build applications in August, with the number expected to rise again this month ahead of the Building Safety Levy coming into operation on 1 October 2026. A year on from the establishment of the Innovation Unit, the median approval time for applications has reduced from 43 weeks to 22 weeks.

There are currently 184 live ‘major change’ requests. 42% are new build, 36% are Category A and B, 6% are remediation, 14% are NHS, and 2% are transitional projects. New build change requests are currently taking on average seven weeks to close, against the statutory target of six weeks.  

The BSR also received 53 Gateway Three applications during the last 12 weeks. There were 16 decisions made in an average time of 20 weeks with an approval rate of 88%. No new build projects that have been through Gateway Two have yet reached Gateway Three, and this will be focus of the discussion at the next Build UK Building Safety call on Tuesday 29 September

As the Commercial Payments Bill makes its final stand in the House of Lords, FIS looks at progress and what we all need to do next to ensure that we get the reform we’ve been promised and how you can help.

Quick recap on what the Commercial Payments Bill is and how it is progressing?

The Commercial Payments Bill is the government’s plan to fix late payment in construction. The Bill will set in law a legal cap on payment periods, that statutory interest must be paid and can’t be contracted away, and, the headline measure for our sector, phases out cash retentions altogether.

So far the good news from our perspective is that the Bill has rifled through Committee stages in the House of Lords with any opposition swept to one side.  The only significant change tightens the Bill by closing off a gap where public clients weren’t held to the same standard as private ones. There were also modest tweaks to widen the Small Business Commissioner’s cost-recovery powers (again a good thing) and add a duty to consult before setting financial penalty rules.  Vitally what hasn’t been watered down is that the retention ban itself, and its phase-out timetable, has been supported this far.

Quick recap on what the Commercial Payments Bill is and how it is progressing?

The Bill has now cleared debates through the House of Lords (with no significant change).  It will now be subject to three debates in the House of Commons and at the end, if passed (Royal Assent and commencement), it becomes an Act – the Law!

Our hope is now that we can champion it through the Commons so that it becomes an Act within this Parliamentary cycle. Every amendment that reopens settled ground or adds complexity increases the risk of “ping-pong” (the Bill bouncing back and forth between the Commons and the Lords) which eats up the parliamentary time the Bill needs to actually pass. The single biggest risk to this reform right now isn’t opposition to its aims; it’s delay.

What we’re asking members to do

With the Bill heading to the Commons, it would be great for you to approach your MP and explain why this Bill is so important to construction.  We’ve prepared a briefing note  to help with this, which goes into the detail, but our advice is keep it simple.  The priorities are:

• Back the Bill.  Poor payment and retention abuse have been a cancer at the core of construction and drive adversarial relationships, undermine investment and destroy businesses and lives.
• Retentions don’t buy quality – competence, supervision and proper contracts do. Holding back cash doesn’t make anyone build better.
• Resist carve-outs that dilute the retention abolition. One exemption invites others, and SMEs end up carrying the risk.
• Close the loopholes. Staged payments and third-party arrangements are still lawful, be alert to any mechanism that quietly reintroduces a retention-by-another-name is caught.
• Hold the line on payment terms and interest. 30/60 days should be a floor, not a ceiling, applied at every tier and the Act needs to ensure interest reaches suppliers, not just exist on paper.
• Adjudication Reform is needed. Fast, affordable dispute resolution is critical and needs to be supported alongside the Act.
• Protect the timetable. Ask for a firm commencement date, not more consultation — and make sure the Commissioner is properly resourced (helped by the Bill’s own cost-recovery powers).
• Push for public sector leadership now. Nothing stops public clients dropping retentions today, the Construction Playbook could get ahead of the legislation and we’ve included a draft Retention Pledge in attached.
• Ensure the market is equipped to monitor impact.  Watching how the Construction Act changes and their guidance get implemented, so they aren’t quietly reinterpreted or gamed to preserve the old way of doing things.

The ambition of this Bill is a construction sector that pays fairly by default.  That only happens if we stay engaged through Commons stages and work with the wider industry to ensure that the ambitions it sets down are met.

How we can help

If you need help contacting your MP, reach out to FIS and we can support the process and if you do get an opportunity to discuss are more than happy to go through this briefing note with you and help you prepare, but the truth is that what they will really want to do is hear your story and why this is important to you.  The facts and figures help strengthen the case, but your story as their constituent is the critical part in getting them interested. 

A more detailed briefing which looks at a is available on request from info@thefis.org – this briefing adds a clause-by-clause analysis, the full evidence base and suggested responses to common objections.