Higher-risk buildings & housing
The Building Safety Act and Awaab's Law turned building condition from a maintenance question into a legal one. Ovrsite gives housing providers and HRB dutyholders the independent, dated, located evidence those duties demand.
01 The landscape
Three obligations, one source of evidence.
Golden Thread
The responsible teams for an occupied higher-risk building must maintain the information required by the applicable building-safety regime. The Higher-Risk Buildings (Keeping and Provision of Information etc.) (England) Regulations 2024 set out information duties. An external inspection contributes condition evidence; it does not establish that all duties have been met.
Awaab's Law
In force from 27 October 2025. Social landlords must investigate damp and mould hazards within strict timescales and act on emergencies fast.
External walls
PAS 9980 sets the method for a fire risk appraisal of external walls. Condition evidence supports FRAEW and EWS decisions.
02 Plain answers
What the rules actually require.
What is a higher-risk building?
Under the Building Safety Act 2022, a higher-risk building is one at least 18 metres tall or with at least 7 storeys, containing at least two residential units. Registration with the Building Safety Regulator is a precondition to occupation.
What is the Golden Thread?
It is a secure, digital record of the information needed to understand a higher-risk building and keep it safe, maintained across design, construction and occupation. It must be accurate, current and accessible to those who need it.
What does Awaab's Law require?
Phase 1 has applied since 27 October 2025. Social landlords must investigate potential significant damp and mould hazards within 10 working days, provide a written summary within 3 working days after the investigation concludes, complete relevant safety work within 5 working days after it concludes, and investigate and make emergency hazards safe within 24 hours.
03 How Ovrsite helps
One condition record. Several decisions to support.
Dated external-condition findings can contribute to building-information records and help target further investigation. Thermal capture identifies surface-temperature patterns; it cannot, on its own, confirm damp causes, concealed construction or fire performance.
- Structured, dated condition records for the Golden Thread
- Thermal patterns to help target further damp-and-mould investigation
- Facade imagery to support FRAEW and EWS work
- External capture planned around access, permissions and resident safety
- One consistent record across hundreds of homes
Higher-risk buildings, answered
Does a drone inspection count as evidence for the Golden Thread?
The Golden Thread is about holding accurate, current, accessible safety information. Structured, dated, located condition data from an inspection is exactly the kind of record it is meant to contain. Ovrsite produces it in a form you can hold and hand over.
Can thermal imaging help with damp and mould cases?
Thermal imaging may identify temperature patterns that warrant further investigation. It does not independently confirm moisture, its source or the cause of a mould complaint.
Do you inspect occupied residential blocks?
Yes. Drone capture means the external envelope is inspected without scaffold and with minimal disruption to residents. Internal investigation, where needed, is scoped from what the thermal and visual data points to.
Is an EWS1 form a legal requirement?
No. EWS1 is a mortgage valuation tool used by lenders, not a regulatory requirement. A PAS 9980 appraisal can justify an EWS decision. Our facade evidence supports that appraisal rather than replacing the assessor.
Hold the evidence before you are asked.
Tell us about your stock. We will fly one block, return dated and located findings in Ovrsite Enterprise, and show you the Golden Thread evidence it produces.
Sources and scope
Information checked 28 September 2026. This page explains the role of inspection evidence and is not legal or regulatory advice.