Councils given extra funding in crackdown on unsafe cladding

Local authorities across the UK have been awarded over £8 million to support enforcement teams to pursue building owners yet to replace of unsafe cladding.

Councils with higher proportions of tall buildings, particularly in Greater Manchester, Greater London and the West Midlands, have been prioritised to ensure leaseholders are not put at risk by building owners and developers failing to ensure cladding meets fire safety standards.

The move follows the recent Building Safety Act which makes clear building owners must fix their own buildings and that developers are the first in line to pay to protect leaseholders from repair bills. The tightening of rules follows the Grenfell Tower tragedy, where fire was able to spread due to inappropriate external cladding, which led to many leaseholders of flats nationwide in buildings with unsafe cladding unable to sell and liable for cost of replacement and repairs.

Minister for Building Safety Lee Rowley said:

“Building owners must get essential cladding repairs done as quickly as possible and we will be relentless in pursuing those who do not.

“We are bolstering council enforcement operations, making them better equipped to make the most of the powers they have to hold freeholders to account and prevent them from dragging their heels.

“I look forward to working with councils to ensure we keep up the pressure on freeholders so they step up to the plate.”

Cllr Dora Dixon-Fyle, Cabinet Member for Community Safety at Southwark Council, said:

“We’ve been taking enforcement action against private residential building owners who haven’t completed necessary cladding work for some years now. This is part of our thorough fire safety measures that look to keep people safe.

“However, we have far more high-rise buildings than many other London boroughs, meaning that this funding will support a much needed expansion of our work.”