Dangerous cladding will be removed from lower-rise buildings with serious fire safety risks, the Government has confirmed.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government yesterday pledged new funding to accelerate remediation action in the most unsafe buildings.
The new funding for under 11 metre buildings will be part of the existing Cladding Safety Scheme, with support prioritised for those facing the greatest risk.
Serious cladding problems are not covered by existing leaseholder protections. As a result, leaseholders can be left facing large bills to fix safety issues they did not cause.
NEW FUNDING
The new funding will help protect leaseholders from these costs and ensure the most unsafe buildings can be made safe.
It is part of a wider change to how buildings are prioritised for remediation. Instead of focusing mainly on building height, the government will prioritise buildings based on the risk they pose to residents, ensuring those with the most serious safety concerns are addressed first.
LONG-AWAITED SUPPORT
Building Safety Minister,Samantha Dixon says: “Residents shouldn’t be left worrying about living in homes with dangerous, flammable cladding, just because their building isn’t tall enough to qualify for funding.
“That’s why we’re taking action so that buildings posing the greatest risk to life are prioritised, as well as streamlining processes to minimise delays and make responsibilities clear.”
FURTHER REFORMS
To further support leaseholders, the government has welcomed a new review by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) into how insurance premiums for buildings with fire safety risks have changed since the FCA brought in new rules in 2023.
The review will look at how insurers’ pricing approaches have changed over time, how firms are considering leaseholders’ interests when assessing whether their products deliver fair value, and how building remediation work is being taken into account in insurers’ risk assessments.
Rachel Blake, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, adds: “Too many leaseholders have spent years facing uncertainty and have been unable to move on with their lives because of building safety issues they did not cause.
“As we work to make buildings safer, leaseholders deserve confidence that they are paying a fair price for insurance. The FCA’s review will help us better understand how insurers are pricing an whether leaseholders are getting fair value.”
It supports wider efforts to make sure building safety issues are fixed quickly and fairly, without leaving leaseholders facing unreasonable costs.
Following discussions with industry and resident groups, the Government has also confirmed a range of changes to improve building safety regulation while reducing unnecessary delays.
The changes include making it more simple for the Building Safety Regulator to issue Building Assessment Certificates and providing clearer guidance for building owners.
