Grenfell: 2,000 buildings still covered with dangerous cladding three years on from tragic fire

Two thousand high-risk residential buildings are still covered with dangerous cladding, according to a committee scrutinising the government.

And support for those living in cladded buildings like Grenfell Tower “falls far short” of what is needed, a report from the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) committee says.

The report warns that properties are becoming “unmortgageable and unsellable”, with residents facing bills of “tens of thousands of pounds” to fix fire safety issues.

This week marks three years since 72 people died in the Grenfell Tower fire.

The HCLG committee is calling on the government to make “an absolute commitment” to ensure all buildings with aluminium cladding are made safe by December 2021, and buildings with other forms of dangerous cladding are made safe by June 2022.

The government has pledged £1bn to remove cladding from buildings that are taller than 18m, but the report says that is “insufficient” and would cover only a third of buildings needing renovation. It also warns strict rules and a short application window will mean many are unable to access funding.

The chairman of the committee, Clive Betts MP, said the taxpayer should not be expected to cover all costs, and called on the government to “take legal action” where necessary.

Mr Betts said: “We have challenged the government to finally commit to removing all forms of dangerous cladding once and for all.

“Three years on from the Grenfell Tower disaster there are still thousands of home owners living in buildings with some form of dangerous cladding.

“The financial and emotional toll has been significant, with temporary safety measures costing huge sums and the ongoing stress of living in a property that may not be safe. This is not good enough.

“This should not just be a question of the government, and therefore the taxpayer, stepping in with a blank cheque.

“Those who have caused, and in some cases refuse to rectify, safety issues must be made to pay.

“We call on the government to consider taking legal action to recover the cost of works on individual buildings.

“Compulsory purchase order powers should be used to take direct ownership of buildings where owners have failed to begin remedial work by December 2020.

“It is time for the government to commit to end the scourge of dangerous cladding once and for all. A piecemeal approach that will see homeowners facing many more years of stress and financial hardship – this is not an option.”

A spokesperson for the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “The safety of residents is our top priority and since the Grenfell Tower fire we have worked tirelessly with councils to identify buildings at risk and ensure they are made safe.

“We are providing £1.6bn for the removal and replacement of unsafe cladding from high-rise buildings and are bringing forward the biggest legislative changes in a generation to provide further enforcement powers against those who do not comply with the law and ensuring that residents’ safety is at the heart of the construction process.

“Building owners have a legal responsibility to keep their residents safe and whilst we have seen positive action from some, we are clear that more needs to be done to protect their tenants.”

(c) Sky News 2020: Grenfell: 2,000 buildings still covered with dangerous cladding three years on from tragic fire