Government Says Developers Must Pay to Fix Cladding Crisis
House building firms have until March 2022 to remediate unsafe cladding on 11-18 metre buildings. The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Michael Gove, is warning the...
Read Full ArticleThe government will set new targets for developers to fix unsafe cladding on high-rise, residential buildings by the end of 2029.
All high-rise buildings (18 metres high and taller) with unsafe cladding in a government-funded scheme must be fixed by the end of 2029. Buildings that are 11 metres high must have either been remediated by the end of 2029 or have a target date for completion set.
Landlords who fail to meet these targets will be subject to penalties, including direct legal action to recover the cost of remediation.
95 per cent of buildings with the same type of cladding used at Grenfell Tower have been remediated to date. Yet only 30 per cent of identified buildings in England have been amended. There are also buildings yet to be identified, meaning the true scale of the problem is unknown. The National Audit Office predicts that there are potentially 7,200 buildings or more still to be identified.
The government plans to review and contact responsible developers and landlords for 80 per cent of cases by late 2025.
"While I recognise that remediation is not always a simple process, this government will not stand by whilst leaseholders remain unsafe in their homes."
– Angela Rayner
Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has sent letters to organisations responsible for fixing residential buildings with unsafe cladding. It reads: “It is unacceptable that more than seven years after the tragedy at Grenfell Tower, there is still unsafe cladding on at least one high-rise, residential building for which you are responsible. Government funding has been available since 2020 to support remediation. While I recognise that remediation is not always a simple process, this government will not stand by whilst leaseholders remain unsafe in their homes.
“Let me be clear, you are responsible for the safety of this building and every effort must now be made to remove the flammable cladding for the leaseholders and residents.”
Picture: a photograph of the top of Grenfell Tower showing a green heart and the words "Grenfell, forever in our hearts" Image Credit: Unsplash
Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 05 December 2024
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