Starfish Construction Resident Liaison Officer on site at an occupied residential building

Pictured

A Starfish Construction Resident Liaison Officer on site at an occupied remediation project

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The Complete Guide to Resident and Stakeholder Engagement

for Works in Occupied Buildings

How to keep residents, leaseholders, managing agents and duty holders informed and on side when building work takes place in occupied homes, student accommodation and mixed-use buildings. Written by the team who deliver remediation in buildings that stay occupied.

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Technical review

Robert Morgan, Projects Director

Last reviewed

October 2026

Reading time

13 minutes

At a glance

Five things every client and duty holder should know

Engagement protects people, programmes and reputations. These points summarise the guide; each one is expanded in the chapters below.

Occupied buildings stay homes, workplaces and places of study throughout the works. How people are treated matters as much as the technical work.
Poor communication leads to complaints, refused access, delays and damaged reputations. Good engagement reduces risk for everyone.
Engagement is increasingly a legal and funding requirement: residents' engagement strategies for higher-risk buildings, evacuation plans and regular updates on funded remediation.
A dedicated Resident Liaison Officer gives residents one trusted point of contact and protects the programme.
Behaviours on site, from a respectful greeting to an honest update, shape how a project is remembered.

In this guide

Eight chapters, from why engagement matters to the legacy a project leaves behind. Use the Contents button at any point to jump between them.

01Why engagement matters in occupied buildingsThe cost of poor communication, and what good engagement delivers. 02Know your stakeholdersEveryone with an interest in the building and the works. 03The legal and funding contextBuilding Safety Act, evacuation plans, leaseholders and funding. 04Planning engagement before work startsMapping, introductions, notices and the engagement plan. 05The Resident Liaison OfficerThe person residents turn to, every day of the project. 06Communication channels that workOnline project updates, newsletters, notices and drop-ins. 07A day on an occupied projectHow site and project teams share the work of engagement. 08Behaviours, customer care and legacyWhat residents remember long after the scaffold comes down.

01

Why engagement matters in occupied buildings

In short

When building work takes place in an occupied building, residents' homes and daily lives are directly affected. Clear, honest and early communication turns people from bystanders into partners, reducing complaints, delays and risk.

Façade remediation, roofing and refurbishment in occupied residential blocks, student accommodation and mixed-use buildings bring scaffolding, noise, restricted balconies, changed access routes and contractors working outside people's windows. Even minor disruption can quickly become major frustration if people do not know what is happening or who to ask.

Poor communication causes stress and conflict and, in some cases, refused access, formal complaints and programme delays. Good engagement builds trust, keeps access to homes on track and gives clients, managing agents and duty holders a clear record of how residents were informed.

We describe our approach as Remediation Together: residents, leaseholders, managing agents, duty holders, surveyors and clients are treated as partners at every stage of the project.

What good engagement delivers

Fewer complaints and less conflict on site
Reliable access to flats and balconies when it is needed
Safer sites, because people understand restrictions and routes
A clear audit trail of communication for clients and duty holders
Protected reputations for building owners and managing agents
Residents who feel informed, respected and listened to

Residents asking questions at a project information session

Drop-in sessions give residents a chance to ask questions face to face.

“From the outset, you need to put yourself in the residents' shoes and imagine it was your home. It's where they live, raise their families, possibly work, and relax after a long day. My job is to ensure residents always have someone to turn to with questions or concerns. My goal is to make the process feel less like ‘construction happening around you’ and more like ‘we're in this together’.”

Courtney Greatorex

Resident Liaison Officer, Starfish Construction

These works happen in people's homes.

Communication is part of the job.

02

Know your stakeholders

In short

Engagement starts with knowing who has an interest in the building and the works. Each group needs different information, at different times and through different channels.

Before work starts, map every stakeholder and record what they need to know, how they prefer to be contacted and any specific needs. The map becomes the basis of the engagement plan and is reviewed as the project progresses.

Residents and tenants

People living in the building, including families, students and residents who may need extra support.

Leaseholders

Owners who may not live in the building but need to understand scope, programme and any costs.

Building owner and client

The organisation commissioning the works, often working through a managing agent or housing provider.

Managing agents

The day-to-day contact for residents, who need regular progress information and early warning of issues.

Duty holders

The accountable person and principal accountable person for higher-risk buildings, plus the client, principal designer and principal contractor during the works.

Funders

Government remediation schemes and other funders that expect regular, evidenced resident updates.

Businesses and services

Shops, surgeries, leisure centres and other occupiers in mixed-use buildings that must keep operating.

Neighbours and the wider community

People affected by deliveries, parking changes, noise and scaffolding around the site.

03

The legal and funding context

In short

Resident engagement is no longer only good practice. The Building Safety Act, fire safety regulations, leaseholder consultation rules and the conditions of government remediation funding all place duties on building owners and those managing works.

Legal and regulatory content reviewed by Joe Fay, Pre-Construction Compliance & Building Safety Director.

Residents' engagement strategy

For occupied higher-risk buildings in England, the principal accountable person must prepare and keep up to date a residents' engagement strategy under section 91 of the Building Safety Act 2022. It sets out how residents will be given information and consulted on decisions about the safety of the building. Contractors working on these buildings should plan their communication so that it supports the strategy.

The building safety duties in this chapter apply in England. Scotland and Wales have their own regimes, but the principles of good engagement apply wherever you work.

Residential personal emergency evacuation plans

Since 6 April 2026, the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 have required responsible persons in qualifying residential buildings to identify residents who may need help to evacuate and to offer them a person-centred fire risk assessment. Works that change escape routes, access or fire safety measures need to take these arrangements into account.

Leaseholder consultation

Where leaseholders contribute to the cost of major works, landlords in England must normally consult them under section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 before work starts. Clear project information helps managing agents meet these obligations.

Funded remediation

Under the Cladding Safety Scheme, the responsible entity must tell residents about plans to apply for funding and send them regular updates throughout the project. Other funding schemes have similar expectations. Read our update on new cladding funding for buildings under 11 metres.

Considerate construction

The Considerate Constructors Scheme's Code of Considerate Practice asks registered sites to respect the community, care for the environment and value their workforce. In occupied buildings, respecting the community is a daily practical task.

Building Safety Act support

04

Planning engagement before work starts

In short

Engagement is planned, not improvised. Before the scaffold goes up, residents and stakeholders should know who is doing the work, why, what will change for them and who to contact.

There is nothing worse for residents than coming home to find a parking space blocked, or waking up to scaffolding and noise with no idea what is happening. A structured start makes the rest of the project easier for everyone.

Before work starts

Map every stakeholder and build a tailored engagement plan
Introduce the contractor, the site team and the Resident Liaison Officer by name and photograph
Explain why the work is needed, what it involves and how long it will take
Publish a site plan showing access changes, parking, muster points, site offices and stores
Agree working hours and how noisy or disruptive works will be notified
Identify residents who may need extra support or adjusted arrangements
Set up the communication channels residents will use throughout

Starfish Construction project team planning resident engagement in a meeting

Engagement plans are agreed with the client and managing agent before work starts.

How we manage façade projects · Early involvement through a Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) · Principal Designer and Principal Contractor

Watch: stakeholder communication at St George's Island

Adam Denton-Beaumont, Director, London & South Business Hub, on managing communication across five occupied blocks and more than 400 homes at St George's Island, Manchester. Explore the project

Every resident interaction, whether it’s a quick hello on site or resolving a concern, is an opportunity to build a trusted relationship. Our project and site teams work hand in hand to ensure residents feel safe, respected and informed at every stage of the project.

Adam Denton-Beaumont

Director, London & South Business Hub, Starfish Construction

05

The Resident Liaison Officer

In short

A Resident Liaison Officer (RLO) is the link between residents, the site team, the client and managing agents. They give residents one trusted person to turn to and handle the day-to-day communication that keeps a project moving.

On large occupied projects, technology alone is not enough. The RLO's role is founded on empathy, communication and problem-solving. No two days are the same: one day may be spent hosting drop-in sessions, the next updating the project information, answering emails and attending site meetings so that residents' voices are heard.

A key part of the role is supporting vulnerable or anxious residents, by explaining technical information in plain language, arranging alternative access or adjusting the timing of works. For clients and managing agents, an RLO helps reduce disputes, manage expectations and keep an accurate record of resident communication.

What an RLO does

Hosts regular drop-in and question-and-answer sessions
Provides inclusive support for vulnerable residents
Addresses concerns promptly, before they become complaints
Makes sure updates reach everyone, online, in print and in person
Arranges access to homes and balconies with residents
Organises community events such as coffee mornings and litter picks

Courtney Greatorex, Resident Liaison Officer, presenting a project update to residents.

06

Communication channels that work

In short

No single channel reaches everyone. The most effective projects combine an online information point with printed notices, newsletters and face-to-face contact, so that every resident gets the information they need in a form that suits them.

Each channel should carry the same core information: what is happening, when, how it affects people and who to contact. Regular, predictable updates build confidence; surprises erode it.

Online project information

A project-specific web page or portal with the programme, scope of works, site plan, restrictions, contacts and weekly updates. It reduces confusion and gives clients a record of what was shared.

Email and text updates

Weekly progress updates and advance notice of weekend working, noisy activities or temporary restrictions, sent to residents who sign up.

Newsletters and letters

Printed updates for residents who prefer paper or do not use digital channels, delivered to every home.

Notices and QR posters

Notices in communal areas and lifts, with QR codes linking to the latest online information.

Drop-in sessions

Regular, informal sessions where residents can meet the RLO and site team and ask questions face to face.

One-to-one contact

Direct contact for residents with specific needs, access arrangements or concerns, recorded so that nothing is missed.

“Trust is built through accessible and honest communication channels. Our Project Hubs integrate everyone and are a critical asset in ensuring reputations and project success.”

Kevin McCormack

Business Development Director, Starfish Construction

07

A day on an occupied project

In short

Engagement is not one person's job. On a well-run occupied project, the site team looks after safety and daily contact with residents, while the project team keeps records, governance and communication with the client and duty holders on track.

Every member of the team contributes. Courtesy, professionalism and responsiveness on site build relationships just as much as technical skill. Behind the scenes, the project team keeps the records that clients, duty holders and regulators rely on.

This typical day shows how the two teams work together.